Hidayatullah was founded on 7 January 1973 (2 Dzulhijjah 1392 Hijriah), by Ustadz Abdullah Said in Balikpapan as a form of pesantren (Islamic school, most of whom are boarders).
By the first national meeting on July 9–13, 2000 in Balikpapan, Hidayatullah changed its form to a mass organization and declared itself as an Islamic Struggle Movement.
Hidayatullah leadership is built based on a method that follows priority scale from the most principle (ushul) until the non-principle (furu’iyyah).
Hidayatullah was born when Muslims were awaiting the coming of a XV Hijriah century, believed to be the era of Islam resurrection.
Hidayatullah claims themselves to be an Islamic Struggle Movement (Al-Harakah Al-Jihadiyah Al-Islamiyah) with dakwah (mission) and tarbiyah (education) as main programs.
As a mass organization, membership of Hidayatullah is inclusive, and is an institution for Moslems that want to realize their idealism to build Islamic society, refer to prophet method (manhaj nubuwwah).
Opening Hidayatullah's 2016 national conference, Riau Islands governor Nurdin Basirun welcomed the large scale and success of the organisation's many schools.
[2] The Centre Education of Pious Child (Pusat Pendidikan Anak Shaleh - PPAS) is institution in the form of pesantren for orphans and poor children that place priority on growth of religious values through the reading of the Qur'an (tilawah), sanctifying of soul (tazkiyah), and studying (ta’limah).
PPAS with its management have a multi-dimension characteristic for children; as substitute of parents, mini laboratory of life, and place to strengthen faith and enhance knowledge.
In it there is interview popular figure, study of Al-Qur'an and Hadits, heroic story of struggle of da’i in various area all over the country, till the problem of family.
Most of the da’i have since built their own pesantren in areas where they were posted –this in addition to the continued effort of the Hidayatullah to develop boarding schools in whatever regions where there are none.