THE news spread by word of mouth that Darul Islam rebels would launch an assault. At night, after isya prayers on April 17, 1952 Cipari village in Garut, West Java, was deserted. Some of the village residents had left their homes to gather at the complex of the Darussalam Pesantren (Islamic boarding school) belonging to KH Yusuf Tauziri.

Salaf Sholeh continued to teach a few santri (pesantren students) who were learning to read the Qur’an in