One of the roles of santri is to maintain the cohesiveness of social life. You may assume differently about santri, but we need to realize the process of education and coaching both in the religious, social, and cultural contexts that the santri undergo. Santri should disseminate religious teachings and values and maintain social stability in their environment, both in small and large spaces.
It has become a pesantren tradition that wajadilhum bilma’ruf or scientific discussion in every study of knowledge or during mutalaah together. This is an effort so that the truth belongs to not only one side of the group but also a variety of perspectives which are then processed into one common benefit. Also means that knowledge, values, and religious teachings must be conveyed and applied in various lives.
You might think that students who have a habit of going everywhere with gloves and “joint” cigarettes can only be invited when there is a recitation, salvation, completion of the Koran, or 100 days or even 1000 days of prayer. But far from that, the santri have a broad horizon to maintain the social stability of the community.
Do you want proof? I’ll be looking for a cigarette in a second. Well …., If this is good. In a social life with various characters, cultures, and thoughts, it will undoubtedly experience surfing art in its control. Numerous assumptions and social dynamics become delicious spices in a very diverse life. We don’t have to talk on an archipelago scale; in just one village, polemics must arise because of different opinions, reasoning, thinking styles, and intuitions.
Santri often becomes gatherers in dynamic spaces. Not only the reading part of the prayer, sometimes to embrace fellow Muslims who have different views, the santri act as mediators in determining the best decision. We are undoubtedly familiar with “Pak Mudin”, whose duties are not only related to talkin, taking care of corpses, or marrying people, but also often dealing with administrative matters, which are certainly different from his background as a santri. However, who would have thought that a Mudin could overcome administrative problems.
Furthermore, entrepreneurs who are santri will think about the benefit not only for themselves but for the benefit of others. My Khusnudzan, a businessman who is a santri, must have a spirit of sharing and great concern for others. A santri farmer will not infringe on other people’s land boundaries; he will reduce his land for common interests, such as walking paths and zakat from harvests. Civil servants who are santri, still related to my khusnudzan, will act honestly and fulfil social, moral, and administrative responsibilities in carrying out their duties. This means that any profession with a santri spirit will have more significant social sensitivity.
According to Kiai Yahya Cholil Staquf, one of the tasks of the santri is to find solutions to every public problem. “We must find a way out, together with other humans, and return to ukhuwah bashariah.” Santri is the close custodians of the love between fellow human beings, not based on the interests of certain groups, institutions, or political interests. In other words, santri are the central axis to maintain the stability of social life. The illustration of the joint cigarette santri is one of the efforts to share, in Javanese terms gathering, guyup harmonious, sesrawungan.
With that openness, Islam which will be at the milestone of the next generation, will not become a closed Islam, or Islam which is characterized by a gumedhe (arrogant) mindset, feels the most correct and the most “wow” itself. Still, Islam is in the hands of anyone willing to bebrayan. It is different, yes, but it does not become a limitation of synergy in maintaining the stability of social life.
Therefore, students can be in any space and condition. When he becomes a leader, he will be responsible for his position. When he became a commoner and teacher of the Koran in the village, he would practice his knowledge either by teaching or being a light in the darkness of social morality. Because the most important thing is to open yourself and maintain your identity, open your hands and embrace others without changing the principles of faith.
Note: translated by editor from https://www.duniasantri.co/dunia-santri-tak-lagi-selebar-sarungannya