6
Throughout its history, pesantren has contributed to the advancement of society, both mentally and physically. Graduates of pesantren have filled almost all strategic positions in the structure of
society. Particularly, according to Azyumardi Azra, there are at least, three functions of pesantren, which are: the transmission of Islamic knowledge, the maintenance of Islamic tradition, the
reproduction of ulama.
28
Ulamas have taken a pivotal role, as leader, preacher, as well as patron of
society.
III. E
DUCATIONAL
S
YSTEM IN
P
ESANTREN
In pesantren,the students are educated in order to have good personality based on Islamic teaching. Pesantren attempts to implant a proper understanding, reflection, and implementation of
Islamic teaching tafaqquh fî al-dîn in daily life of the students.
29
The students are taught to believe in God, have good characters, devote themselves to society, be independent, and so on.
30
According to Mukti Ali, in pesantren, we will find such characters of pesantren as: close relation between santri student and teacher kyai; students’ obedience to their kyai; economical and
simple life; helping each other; an emphasis on discipline; Islamic environment, and a good religious life.
31
Pesantren is an Islamic boarding school in which the teacher teaches the students various Islamicsubjects. Studentssantristay and learn in pesantrenduringtheir education period. Their full
day involvement in pesantren makes them have a huge amount of time to study. Pesantren provides a good environment to practice Islamic teachings. More than that, the kyai also
supervises the students at almost all time of students’ daily life. Typologically, pesantren existing nowadays can be divided intothree types, i.e.: traditional
Salafiyah, modern ’Ashriyah, and a mix oftraditional and modern combination. According to Raihani, salafiyah pesantren teachesonly Islamicknowledge, with Arabic books called kitab
kuning as its references. This typeof pesantren does not adopt any elements of secular curriculum
from thegovernment. The kyai has his own curriculum. Different from the traditional one, ’Ashriyah
pesantrens adopt several general subjects, but do notfully follow the government curriculum.While the last is a combination of the two. Statistically, from 21,521of the total
numberof pesantren in Indonesia, 37.2 are classified as Salafiyah pesantren, 18’Ashriyah and 45 Combination.
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With regard to the education system in pesantren, it actually has several unique characteristics. Binti Maunah mentions some characteristics of education system in pesantren, they are:
theocentric, ready to serve, wise, modest, collective, guided freedom, independent, seeking knowledge and serving, applying religious teaching, without certificate, and in kyai’s blessing.
The implementation of educational system in pesantren comprises three components; studying religious subjects; supervisory of a kyai; and practicing religious teachings.
33
In pesantren’s life, especially in traditional pesantren, the role of kyaiis pivotal.
34
Kyai plays an
essential role. Kyai is thehead of pesantren. He is a single leader with absolute power. He is the center of all policies who manages all pesantren resources. He is also recognized as an Islamic
Pendidikan dalam Perspektif Islam, p. 91 and A. Mukti Ali, Peran Pondok Pesantren dalam Pembangunan,
Jakarta:Karya Berkah, 1980, p. 3.
28
Azyumardi Azra, ”Pesantren: Kontinuitas dan Perubahan”, in Nurcholish Madjid, Bilik-bilik Pesantren: Sebuah Potret Perjalanan,
Jakarta: paramadina, 1997.
29
Dinamika Pondok Pesantren di Indonesia , Jakarta: Direktorat Kelembagaan Depag RI, 2003, p. 8-9.
30
Mastuhu, Dinamika Sistem Pendidikan Pesantren,p. 56.
31
A. Mukti Ali, Peran Pondok Pesantren dalam Pembangunan, p. 17-18.
32
Raihani,“Report on multicultural education in pesantren”, 42:4, p. 588
33
Binti Maunah,
Pesantren In The Perspective Social Change, p. 266
34
Zamakhsari Dhofier, Tradisi Pesantren: Studi tentang Pandangan Hidup Kyai, Jakarta: LP3ES, t.t, p. 55.
7
scholar, ‘ulama, with expertise in the Qur’an, Hadith, Arabicand other sciences.In short, he is the only one who is responsible for leadership, knowledge, and pesantren missions.
35
Kyai in pesantren life is similar to the function of heart for human life.
36
He manages the development and the continuation of pesantren with his expertise, depth of knowledge, charisma,
and skill.
37
Akyai even becomes a patron not only for the students but also for villagers living around him.
38
Beside Kyai, one other important thing in pesantren is Kitab Kuning. Kitab Kuning Indonesian means a yellowbook. It is a religious book written in Arabic. It is sometimes called
Kitab Gundul a bald religious book because thealphabets do not have phonetic signs harakat,
shakl . Kitab Kuning functions in formating knowledge tradition. In pesantren life, it functionsas a
source of values and rules.
39
Kitab Kuning and pesantren cannot be separated. It is not only the
source of knowledge but also of life.
40
According to Zamakhsyari Dhofier, as quoted by Binti Maunah, Kitab Kuning used in pesantren
can be divided into: 1.Nahw and Saraf, 2. fiqh, 3.Usul al-Fiqh, 4.Hadith, 5.Tafsir, 6.Tawhid, 7.Tasawwuf and ethics, 8. other subjectssuch asTarikh, and Balaghah.
41
Based on his study, Martin van Bruinessen reports that from around 900 Kitab Kuning circulating in pesantrens
in Indonesia, around 20 isfiqhbook, 17 is‘Aqidah Usul al-Din book, 12 of Arabic language Nahw, Saraf, Balaghah, 8 of Hadith, 7 of Tasawwuf, 6 of morals, prayer
guidance, passage of al-Qur’an, 5 of Mujabarat and 6 related to the Prophet pbuh qisas al- anbiya’, mawlid, manaqib
.
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Pertinent to its subject content, Kitab kuningused in pesantren, particularly in East Java pesantrens, is mainly about two disciplines: tawhid and fiqh.With regard to tauhid theology, the
Kitab Kuning used is Asy’ari’s theological thoughts. The books usually used are:Al-‘aqoid al-
Shubra, ‘Aqidahal-Syamsyiah, Matn Al-Jauharat, Matn Al-Bajuri, and Al-Kharidat Al-Baliyat.
While, pertinent to fiqhjurisprudencediscipline, the books usually used are:Taqrib, Safinat Al- Shalat, Safinat Al-Najah, Masail As-Sittin, Minhajul Qowim, Al-Hawasyi al-Madaniyat, FathAl-
Qarib, Al-Iqna, and Fath Al-Muin.
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From the the four schools of Islamicyurisprudence in Sunni Islam, most of those books are Syafi’i school of thought. It can be understood since the majority of
Indonesian Muslims are Syafi’iyah. The writers could argue that Kitab Kuning read in pesantrens in Java is somewhat the same. At
PesantrenAl-Muayyad Windan, Solo, Florian Pohl reports finding of his research that confirms this statement. That is, various Islamic disciplines taught include: the study of the Quran and the
Prophetictraditions hadith, Quranic recitation tajwid, Quranic exegesis tafsir, Islamicjurisprudence fiqh, principles and sources of Islamic law usul al-fiqh,principles of
35
Mastuhu, “Kyai Tanpa Pesantren: KH. Ali Yafie dalam Peta Kekuatan Sosial Islam Indonesia”, in Jamal D. Rahman et al. eds., Wacana Baru Fiqh Sosial 70 Tahun KH. Ali Yafie, Bandung: Mizan, 1997, p. 259.
36
Yasmadi, Modernisasi Pesantren: Kritik Nurcholis Madjid Terhadap Pendidikan Islam Tradisional, Jakarta: Ciputat Press, 2002, p. 63.
37
Hasbullah, Kapita Selekta Pendidikan Islam di Indonesia, Lintasan Sejarah Pertumbuhan Dan Perkembangan
, Jakarta: Raja Grafindo Persada, 1996, p. 49.
38
Binti Maunah,
“Pesantren In The Perspective Social Change”, p. 256
39
Binti Maunah,
“Pesantren In The Perspective Social Change”, p. 269 and 271
40
Nasuha Chozin Epistemologi Kitab Kuning Dalam Pesantren, Jakarta: P3M, 1985, p. 2.
41
Binti Maunah,
“Pesantren In The Perspective Social Change”, p. 269
42
Martin van Bruinessen, Kitab Kuning, Pesantren dan Tarekat: Tradisi- tradisi Islam di Indonesia, Bandung: Mizan, 1995, pp. 228-229.
43
Joko Sayono, “Perkembangan Pesantren di Jawa Timur 1900-1942,” Bahasa Dan Seni, Tahun 33, No. 1, February 2005, p. 59
8
religion usul al-din, Islamic ethics akhlaq, history tarikh,and Arabic grammar nahwu. Later on, English language hasalso been taught.
44
In pesantren, Kitab Kuning is read and analyzed in traditional methods, such as: soroganthe student is asked to recite Kitab Kuning in front of their kyai, wetonan the kyai recites Kitab
Kuning in front of students and the students listen, bandongan the student recites Kitab Kuning
and the kyai usually only reads and translates easy vocabularies, and discussion.
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The educational and instructional process is held by using simple media, including mosque, simple
classroom or other place as long as it can be used, blackboard, pen, and ink. To see the ultimate goal of a pesantren educational system, we can look at its vision and
mission, because it will reflect the Kyai’s big dreams. For instance, Pesantren Al-Muayyad Windan’s missionsare the development intellectual aspects, character formation, and the
acquisition ofoperative skills. In this pesantren, various formal andinformal learning activities are all considered partof its educational program.
46
A number of research studies on pesantren related to the issue of radicalism have been conducted. They sought to know the educational system and instruction in pesantren. For example,
Florian Pohl had conducted fieldwork in Pesantren Al-Muayyad Windan, Solo, in 2004 and 2005.
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The aims of his study are relatively the same with this writing, that is, to know educational system conducted in pesantren and to see the relation between pesantren and radicalism.
In addition to studying the Kitab Kuning, at Al-Muayyad Windan pesantren, santri can actively search for knowledge, by participating in seminars, courses, training sessions,and informal
learning groups. These activities are to obtain additional knowledge and skills. Pertinent to the pesantren’s effort in responding radicalism, at this pesantren, santri are encouraged to involve in
such activities as peace building, conflict resolution,reconciliation, interfaith dialogue, crisisintervention, women’s empowerment, economic empowerment, journalism,environmental
protection, conservation of energy, and organic farming.In short, Pohl found that this pesantren has geared their educationalactivities,both thought and praxis, on supporting antiviolence,
civility,justice, and pluralism.
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Another research is conducted by Syarif Hidayatullah et al, who have studied three pesantrens in which radicalism or terrorism are usually alleged to, they are: al-Mukmin Ngruki, Ihya al-
Sunnah Yogyakarta and al-Islam Lamongan. At last, they conclude that instead of religious
factors, including curriculum and doctrines they learned, there are many other factors that make these pesantrens’ alumnus decide to do jihad in such a terrorism way, those are: political interest,
capitalism, economic unfairness, social disorder, the doctrines and experience that they find after they leave the pesantren, such as being mujahidin in Afghanistan and South Philippines wars.
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IV. CASE STUDY
