Prof. Dr. KH. Abdul Ghofur was born on February 12, 1949 in Banjaranyar Hamlet, Banjarwati Village. He was the first son of nine siblings, from the couple H. Maftukhan and Hj. Aminah. His father was a charismatic and respected community figure, and his mother was a pious Muslim woman. Prof. Dr. KH. Abdul Ghofur began his education by studying at Tarbiyatut Tholabah Kindergarten in the Kranji area, Lamongan in 1956. He continued his elementary and junior high school education in the same area, and added religious education through the Madrasah Ibtidaiyah and Madrasah Tsanawiyah. In 1965, Prof. Dr. KH. Abdul Ghofur continued his education at the Madrasah Aliyah Pondok Pesantren Manba'ul Ma'arif Denanyar, Jombang, East Java which at that time was led by KH. Bisri Syansuri. After graduating from one of the oldest Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia, he continued his studies at the Sidogiri Islamic Boarding School in Pasuruan, East Java, taught by KH. After that, he continued his religious studies at the Al-Anwar Sarang Islamic Boarding School, Central Java for 1 year, which at that time was supervised by KH. Maimoen Zubair. Not only that, he then studied at the Lirboyo Islamic Boarding School, the Tertek Islamic Boarding School under the guidance of KH. Ma'ruf Zuwaini, and the Raudhotul Qur'an Islamic Boarding School in Kediri, East Java in the 1970s. During his educational journey, Prof. Dr. KH. Abdul Ghofur often received honorary doctorates from domestic and foreign universities for his extraordinary dedication to the community, such as the award of an HC Doctorate in the field of People's Economics from the American Institute of Management Hawaii, America. Without going through the process of studying on campus, he succeeded in researching "The Benefits of Noni Fruit and Plant Conservation" which finally earned him the title of professor. KH. Abdul Ghofur, apart from being a cleric, scientist, and martial artist, he is also a successful businessman. During his leadership which pioneered the Sunan Drajat Islamic Boarding School since 1977, he made the Islamic boarding school independent in financing the daily living expenses of thousands of its students for free by running various companies, such as limestone mining, shipbuilding, woodworking business, fertilizer industry, cattle farming, embroidery and fabric convection business, making mineral water "Aidrat", juice "Mengkudu Sunan", noni plantation, catfish cultivation, making asthma honey "Tawon Bunga", making eucalyptus oil, salt "Samudera", Persada FM 97.2 MHz radio, Persada TV and other businesses.