The emergence of terrorism has disturbed the pesantren community because the issue has created a negative stigma for Indonesia’s pesantren. On this basis, a polemic emerged among the public regarding the involvement of Islamic boarding schools in the terrorist movement.
Several parties were against the authorities plan to investigate the pesantren. This plan seems to insult Pesantren as religious, educational institutions that were sacred and needed to be protected.
On the other hand, the supporting parties argue that for the sake of law enforcement and to prove that Pesantren is not involved in terrorist movements. Therefore, it is permissible for the authorities to investigate suspected ones with the proper procedures. As a result, the debate on theory has shifted from crimes against humanity to become a religious issue.
The question that arises then is, is it true that pesantren become a nest of terrorists? How should Islamic boarding schools respond and respond to these accusations? This question is essential to answer to avoid stigmatisation of Indonesia’s pesantren. Furthermore, this question will clarify the relationship between Islamic boarding schools, Islamic movements, and terrorism, thus minimising unrest among pesantren regarding the emergence of terrorism issues. Besides that, it can also straighten out public misunderstandings about the pesantren group.
Struggle Base
Pondok Pesantren is a unique educational institution because of its long existence and the religious institution’s culture, methods, and networks. Because of its uniqueness, Clifford Geertz calls it a subculture of Indonesian society (especially Java).
During the colonial era, pesantren became the basis for the struggle of the indigenous-nationalists; Most of the time, Pesantren kept lots of resistance to the colonials. Pesantren as religious education has a clear social basis because it has been well integrated with the community since its inception.
When other social institutions were not functionally operational, pesantren became the centre of community social activities. The community always engages with Pesantren the following activities: people studying religion, self-defence, treating the sick, consulting agriculture, finding a mate, and even setting up resistance against the colonisers.
The Kiai figure is not only a religious leader but also a leader of the socio-political movement of the community. Because of its integrated position with the people, the pesantren has strong roots to become the basis of the people’s struggle. In addition, to have a robust social network with the community, pesantren also build a strong network with fellow pesantren, since most pesantren caregivers are bound by the same religious mindset and understanding and have a reasonably close kinship relationship (Jamakhsari Dhofir; 1982).
Another thing that causes the cohesiveness of the Indonesian pesantren to be assertive is ideological similarities. Almost all Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia have the same teaching methods and religious understanding. Based on the notes of Martin van Bruenssen, 46 primary Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia, all of which use the same reference book, especially in the book of fiqh (Pesantren; 1989). The similarity of references to the yellow book in the world of pesantren occurs because of a reasonably strict selection among pesantren. For example, there are mu’tabar and ghairu mu’tabar books, where mu’tabar books only are studied in pesantren.
Although pesantren became the basis of the struggle against the colonialists, they did not instil a fundamentalist ideology that legalised acts of violence. This evidence has appeared in the studied books and the value system applied by the pesantren.
M Tholhah Hasan indicated, pesantren only applied their studies to applied sciences such as fiqh, Sufism and tool science, especially nahu-neuro (M Talhah Hasan; 1989). Therefore, Pesantren does not teach a radical understanding of Islam but a cultural Islam. That’s why the community can accept pesantren because they are considered more tolerant and flexible and understand their feelings and souls.
Evidence of a tolerant, inclusive, and not radical Islamic understanding of Pesantren is reflected in applying fiqh rules, such as almukhafadzatu ‘ala qadiimisshalih wal akhdzu bi Jadiidil Ashlah (maintaining good old values and taking new and better values). This rule reflects the tolerance of Pesantren to existing values and traditions, both local and universal. Thus, pesantren are not easily trapped in a puritanical and symbolic attitude.
Another rule, for example, is khud masofa wa da’ ma kadar (take the clear and throw away the cloudy). This rule educates people not to look at their type, class, and origin but their behaviour, morals, and impact. So then, whoever that person is, wherever it comes from teaching, if it is good, it can be taken and imitated, and vice versa.
Islamic boarding schools also use the rules of dar’ul mafasid muqaddamun ‘ala jalbil mashalih (preventing damage must take precedence over good intentions). These are some of the principles adopted by Islamic boarding schools in disseminating religious understanding.
With this understanding, pesantren can prove to be a source of strength in fighting colonialism. The resistance to the colonialists was carried out in cultural ways, namely building an influential counter-culture, naming nationalistic Islamic awareness, and the like. The struggle with violent means is carried out as the last alternative with careful consideration, as happened on the 10 November 1945 incident, which was famous for the call for the Jihad Resolution.
Social Transformation
Post-independence, pesantren faced the currents of modernism. As a result, there has been a change in the pesantren’s format, form, orientation, and method of education. However, these changes did not change the vision, mission, and orientation of the pesantren. Therefore, that these changes only happen at the surface. At the same time, on the inside, namely, the spirit, religious understanding, values, traditions, and ideology of the pesantren are still maintained.
In general, there are three patterns of an attitude of pesantren in facing modernism. First, totally refuse. This attitude can be identified by completely closing themself to modernism, both mindset and the educational system. Also, strictly maintaining the authenticity of the traditions and values, both in symbols and substance. This pattern was applied by the Tegalrejo Islamic Boarding School in Magelang, Mathaliul Falah at the Kajen Pati, and the Lirboyo Islamic Boarding School in Kediri. These Islamic boarding schools do not include general lessons and continue to use bandongan, sorogan, and wetonan patterns in their educational methods. They also reject the application of pesantren formalism as reflected in the Three Ministerials Decree.
Second, accept modernism totally, both in terms of ideas, models, and references.; This model is demonstrated by Modern Boarding School such as Modern Pesantren Darussalam Gontor-Ponorogo and Pesantren Pabelan Magelang. Here, religious values are not only taught with regards to classical books but also general knowledge. Thus, the curriculum used is also the general curriculum, no longer the pesantren curriculum that uses the mu’tabar book.
Third, this is the majority, accept modernism selectively. In this pattern, there is a creative process from the pesantren circles in taking modernism, namely getting some modernism and then combining it with the pesantren tradition. This pattern is seen in the majority of NU pesantren in Jombang, Krapyak, Yogyakarta, and several other pesantren. In this pattern, Islamic boarding schools apply modern methods in the teaching system, including references to general knowledge in education. However, classical books are still used in their pesantren-style teaching patterns.
In addition to these three patterns, in line with the increasing intensity of social interaction of figures and leaders of the Islamic movement, in the 1990s, new Pesantrens are emerged, which were led by people who had networked with several international Islamic movements. This type of Islamic boarding school was formed not based on the social cohesiveness of the community where the pesantren was founded but instead on the network built by its founder. This boarding school is usually closer to the surrounding community; its religious understanding is more exclusive, never involving the community in its activities. As a result, conflicts often occur between the community and this type of pesantren because of the social and ideological gap.
Islamic Boarding School’s Critical Attitude
The explanation shows that there has been pluralism in the world of Islamic boarding schools. Pesantren no longer reflect a single reality as in the colonial era. There has been a change in values, patterns, understandings, and ideologies in the pesantren world. Pesantren is no longer a religious education institution that teaches religious politeness, the spirit of tolerance. It’s based on the social reality of society.
Factually, pesantren have no connection with the local community, do not interact with the surrounding social reality, but are more oriented towards their social network outside the surrounding community.
This fact needs to be considered by observers, analysts, academics, and the caretakers of Islamic boarding schools. Because the face of pesantren is no longer single and homogeneous, it is challenging to create a single stigma against pesantren. This means one pesantren may become a terrorist nest because of the network, shared understanding, and religious approach between the pesantren and the group. However, this does not mean that all Islamic boarding schools become terrorist nests; because, in reality, there are still many Islamic boarding schools that struggle to disseminate tolerant and inclusive religious values, even in traditional ways. Thus, we cannot generalise pesantren as a den of terrorists. On the contrary, we generalise pesantren as a subculture that promotes tolerant and traditional Islam.
Wisdom and criticality are needed in dealing with this reality. Nevertheless, Islamic boarding schools do not require to dismiss the issue of theoretical linkages with the world of pesantren by closing themselves off to all investigations and legal action against perpetrators of violence.
This attitude is tantamount to reinforcing the accusation of pesantren as being a hotbed of terrorists. What needs to be done by pesantren leaders is to intensively clarify to the community that their pesantren has no connection with the ideology of violence, then act actively against all forms of violence.
Thus, the public will know which pesantren have a radical Islamic ideology with a violent approach and which pesantren have an Islamic ideology with a more tolerant and inclusive cultural-substantial approach.
For pesantren with the characteristics and ideology mentioned above, there is no need to worry and be offended by various accusations of terrorists and radicals because they are not part of a radical movement that uses violence to disseminate ideas.
The attitude of rejecting terrorism in pesantren emotionally and excessively will benefit terrorism itself because they will feel safe taking refuge behind the pesantren; besides, it will also strengthen people’s accusations of Islamic boarding schools with terrorism. But, on the other hand, an open attitude towards legal efforts in eradicating terrorists will narrow the hidden space for radical groups and strengthen the public’s belief that Islamic boarding schools are not terrorist nests but religious, educational institutions based on the strength of tradition and society.