One of the branches of knowledge that remains unfamiliar to many Indonesians is astronomy. Not just the general public, even students in Islamic boarding schools are not well acquainted with astronomy because not all pesantrens include it in their curriculum.
However, if we pay attention, the scope of astronomy is closely related to the daily lives of students. This field, sometimes referred to as Islamic Astronomy, studies the movement of celestial bodies, specifically focusing on natural phenomena relevant to Islamic worship.
For instance, the timing of prayers, aligned with the position of the Sun at specific heights, falls within the purview of astronomy. Determining the direction to face during prayers towards the Kaaba is also part of this study.
The limited teaching of astronomy in pesantrens is influenced by the scarcity of astronomy teachers. Furthermore, this problem can be attributed to the lack of initiative or interest among the public in learning and developing the field of astronomy.
Therefore, pesantrens should play a role in introducing astronomy. They should incorporate astronomy into their curriculum and seek to recruit teachers specializing in this field.
Santri planning to pursue higher education could be directed towards astronomy programs. The hope is that they will return to the pesantrens to teach or continue the legacy as astronomy educators.
The inclusion of astronomy in the curriculum of pesantrens can bring several positive impacts to their development. I assume there are four benefits to teaching astronomy in these pesantrens.
Enhancing the Pesantren’s Image
Schools, including pesantrens, rely on student enrollment. Various efforts are constantly made to attract potential students (or santri). Teaching astronomy can become a distinctive feature, a unique brand for pesantrens that adopt it. The rarity of astronomy education in pesantrens can make it an iconic subject for those that choose to incorporate it. Moreover, practical observation of celestial objects during lessons can be intriguing for prospective santri.
Contributing to Astronomy Olympiads
Pesantrens and Modern boarding schools usually follow the government curriculum. Surprisingly, this curriculum lacks astronomy, despite astronomy Olympiads being held, starting from junior levels. By introducing astronomy education, pesantrens and modern boarding schools can become contributors to astronomy Olympiads. Santri and Students studying astronomy will be better prepared to participate, and the pesantrens can actively select candidates to represent them in these competitions.
Uniting Science and Islam
The recent concept of the unity of science has gained popularity, especially in Islamic higher education. This notion emphasizes the integration of various fields of knowledge, eliminating the divide between general sciences and religious studies.
Introducing astronomy education in pesantrens will aid santri in understanding this unity of science concept. The Quran mentions astronomical phenomena multiple times, making it a subject of study in astronomy. In classrooms, students won’t just recite, but critically analyze scientific codes in the Quran. Historically, Islamic civilization prospered by integrating science and religion. Learning astronomy can motivate students to reintegrate these two fields.
Facilitating Collaborations
Astronomy knowledge is valuable for disseminating information to the public. Despite the widespread use of the internet, many still lack understanding about certain aspects of worship related to natural phenomena.
Some believe that the qibla direction in Indonesia faces west, while it’s slightly northwest. Debates also arise regarding fasting following government or local organizational calendars.
These debates often stem from insufficient information and group biases. Pesantrens teaching astronomy can collaborate with various entities, including government bodies and community organizations, to address these misunderstandings.
Collaborations could involve sharing knowledge to avoid baseless debates or group fanaticism, such as educating about diverse methods to determine the beginning of lunar months. Practical collaborations could include assisting in determining the qibla direction or contributing to calculations for the start of the Hijri calendar.