The Traditions of Pluralism, Accommodation, and Anti-Radicalism in the Pesantren Community

Abstract

Western media and Western policy makers sometimes perceive traditional Islamic schools throughout the Islamic world as a source of radicalism. The history of pesantren in Indonesia shows that this is not only mistaken but also a perspective that leads the West away from a potential ally in the efforts to create a world of peaceful coexistence. The mystical traditions of pesantren form a strong basis from which most Indonesians have eschewed radical Islamism. These traditions are rooted in the popular Muslim folklore surrounding the foundation of Islam in Indonesia. This paper argues that more recent history shows the foundations of current debates regarding the establishment of shari>ah as the law of the land as well as some actions of the Suharto regime inadvertently encouraged the growth of radical Islamism. Finally, the paper concludes that, in order to fully understand the current situation and the future, more research is needed. A few starting points are discussed in this paper. 2 There are 3 English terms that all are close in capture the sense of the meaning of pesantren, but all fall to fully convey the full meaning: Islamic boarding school, Islamic seminary, Islamic monastery.

Multicultural Education In Islamic Boarding School (A Descriptive Study of Pesantren DDI Mangkoso, South Sulawesi)

“…That is to say that pesantren is antimulticulturalism and ignoring the nature of difference. Contrary to this perception, Lukens-Bull (2008) contends that pesantren is not a center of radicalism but a source of anti-radicalism in the efforts to establish peace and harmony in the world. A number of values on multiculturalism, such as respect, antidiscrimination, have been taught in pesantren.…”

“…Historically, the birth of Pesantren as an Islamic institution in the Indonesian archipelago is still debatable among the scholars, for example, as contended by Federspiel (2016), pesantren derives from the sixteenth century, when learning centers were established, known as a place of learning for the Islamic faithful (santri). While, Lukens-Bull (2008) stated that pesantren emerged earlier, around in the thirteenth century. Its emergence is nearly as old as Islam in Java itself.…”

“…Its emergence is nearly as old as Islam in Java itself. Both in print, and oral tradition, as Lukens-Bull (2008) continue to state that pesantrens are closely related to the Wali Songo (the nine saints who brought Islam to Java). The first of the Wali Songo, Sunan Maulana Malik Ibrahim is said to have established the first pesantren in Java in 1399 (Common Era) in order to train muballigh (preachers) to further spread Islam in Java.…”

Anti-Radicalism Education at Faith-Based Schools in the Era of Strengthening the Theo-Democracy Movement

“…Seeing the deteriorating condition of the Indonesian people, so the actualization of the values forming the character of the younger generation is important to be encouraged. One of the nets is antiradicalism education [2], [7], [8]. Through anti-radicalism education children can be socially constructed [9].…”

“…This embryo of theodemocracy instead grows and develops very well through education channel. But this thesis is opposed by Bull [2] in their studies showing that the argument that pesantren (Islamic Boarding School) is the source of radicalism is misplaced. Pesantren has a strong history of accommodation, pluralism, and nonradicalism.…”