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Pesantren can acculturate into modern culture

NU Online  ·  Selasa, 26 Mei 2009 | 04:13 WIB

Bogor, NU Online
Community of pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) has most of the time been regarded as backward in many things including in terms of the information technology and communication (ITC).

The leader of Pesantren Daarul Mughni Al Maliki Klapanunggal, Bogor, West Java, KH Mustofa Mughni said here Monday (25/5) all perceptions toward pesantren for being considered as even stereotyped as backward were not true in nature.<>

Mustofa said that the community of pesantren was the first in various fields so that there is no such terms as pesantren as backward. As for him, if pesantren still looked traditional, that could only  be seen from its feature.

"I think pesantren circle is aware of the importance of adapting to the dynamics of society. Pesantren can acculturate into modern culture. For that reason, any emerging development has always been taken into account and kept up by pesantren," the alumnus of Jakarta's Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University said.

Mustofa gave an example that in his pesantren, santri (students) had been introduced with computer and various latest information media like internet and many others. (hir)