Pesantren should be center for cultural development

Jakarta, NU Online
Pesantren is an Indonesian education system that is able to integrate local values, both physically and socially with the Islamic ones so that the face of Islam in the country is tolerant and moderate as the manifestation of the tenets of Ahlusunnah wal Jamaah (aswaja).

The pesantren's adaptability could easily be  accepted by society for its existence has not disturbed the long-standing tradition. In this regard, pesantren has not only become a cultural education, but it has also become a subculture with its own characteristics and become a reference for community in thinking and acting.

Vice Chairman of the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) H As'ad Said Ali said that Muslims in Indonesia in general and students in particular, "has now faced two major problems, namely religious radicalism fundamentalism and free market fundamentalism  known as liberalism. They are both fundamentalists, bringing harsh ideologies that can not be bargained or compromised with local cultures.

He said the ideological fight had contributed greatly to the crisis in various areas of life. In addition to adopting modernity, the pesantren's acceptance of modern cultures could lead to a loss of orientation, while the pesantren's full rejection will possibly make it  frozen and disoriented. A principle having so far been held and mainatained is what so-called al muhafadzatu alal qadimis sholih wal akhdzu bil jadidil ashlah.

"Pesantren, as taught by ulema (Islamic scholars), has its own relevance in the face of the threat posed by the two kinds of fundamentalism. Both principles and strategies held by the ulema and the pesantren leaders have remained relevant in the face of the current identity crisis, "said As'ad on the sidelines of a seminar in commemorating the NU 85th anniversary here on Sunday (26 / 6).

He also called on Muslims to evaluate their paradigm in dealing with Islam and social development having so far been carried out to fit the one that had formerly been built by the ulema so that pesantren could be a center for cultural development instead of merely being a consumer of cultures and thoughts from the outside.

"In today's chaotic situation like this, the Indonesia's pesantren circles should  ideally be capable of giving various solutions and even alternatives in order to create a more harmonious and prosperous world life," As'ad said.

He also regretted any effort aimed at deconstructing Islamic values by using other perspectives in viewing Islam, such as workshops on Development of Religious Studies in the Perspective of Gender or  Development of Jurisprudence Studies in the Perspective of Human Rights. (mkf)