Lily Zakiyah Munir
\nCenter for Pesantren
\nand Democracy Studies
\n(CePDeS)
\nJakarta
\nlilyzm@hotmail.com<\/p>\n
Five years ago in a pesantren (Islamic boarding school) in the
\nsmall city of Jombang, East Java, amid the tranquil light of
\ndawn, a congregation of male santri (pesantren students)
\nperformed their prayers in the mosque. While absorbed in the
\nritual, a Dutch Catholic priest -- who had spent the previous
\nnight at the school -- observed them. Sitting cross-legged at the
\nedge of the mosque, he patiently waited to talk with some of the
\nsantri.<\/p>\n
Indeed, later that day, the priest engaged in warm and
\nfriendly conversation in Arabic with the kyai (teacher and leader
\nof the pesantren) on various religious and humanitarian issues.<\/p>\n
The priest -- upon returning to his country -- wrote that his
\nstay at the pesantren and his talks with the students and their
\nkyai was one of the most beautiful moments in his life. He
\nthanked them for their hospitality and warm welcome.<\/p>\n
Three years later, the pesantren hosted a multireligious
\ndelegation from a Norwegian-based interfaith organization, that
\ncame to Indonesia to see how religious pluralism is internalized
\nand practiced here. The dialog between the delegation and the
\nsantri was genuine, open and punctuated with laughter.<\/p>\n
The santri, especially the teenagers, enjoyed stories about
\nfar away life and the opportunity to practice their English.
\nThey were not prejudiced against the delegation, moreover because
\nthe group leader was a "veiled" Norwegian Muslim woman. The
\nsantri and the European guests exchanged perspectives on various
\ntopics, including the lives of Muslims and Christians in Europe.<\/p>\n
These stories illustrate the activities of many pesantren in
\nIndonesia, including Jombang, which is known as the city of
\n1,0000 pesantren. Countless Western and non-Muslim researchers
\nand activists have visited and lived in the schools for different
\npurposes.<\/p>\n
Some of them have conducted anthropological studies using the
\npopular method of participant observation; others taught English,
\nstill more were interested in a deeper knowledge of Islam. This
\ndirect contact with "outsiders" has been invaluable to the
\nsantri, nurturing awareness and appreciation of differences and
\ndiversities.<\/p>\n
Not surprisingly, the pesantren in Indonesia have produced
\nbroad-minded and tolerant personalities and alumni, such as
\nAbdurrahman Wahid and Nurcholish Madjid, two out of many Muslim
\nintellectuals and scholars, widely reputed for their religious
\npluralism.<\/p>\n
When questioned on the religious justification for their
\nopenness to outsiders -- including non-Muslims -- santri
\nimmediately refer to the Prophet Muhammad's saying, that whoever
\nbelieves in God and in the hereafter must respect his guests.<\/p>\n
This prophetic saying (hadith) is a strong basis indeed for
\nthe santri's hospitality and does not limit such inclusion to
\nMuslims only. A limitation applies only in terms of time -- three
\ndays -- whereby if a guest stays longer than this period, the
\nhost is not obliged to treat them specially.<\/p>\n
The teaching of "brotherhood" in santri -- that is prevalent
\namong members or followers of Nahdlatul Ulama, or NU, (literally
\n"the resurgence of ulema") the largest Muslim organization in
\nIndonesia -- can also be referred to.<\/p>\n
The teaching advocates three levels of brotherhood that should
\nbe embraced in the pursuit of the peaceful coexistence of
\nhumankind. First is brotherhood among Muslims (ukhuwwah
\nIslamiyah); second, brotherhood among people of the same nation
\n(ukhuwwah wathoniyah), and third, brotherhood among all human
\nbeings (ukhuwwah basyariyah) -- regardless of race, ethnicity,
\nreligion or nationality.<\/p>\n
These indications of tolerance and pluralism in pesantren
\nmight jar with the emerging stigmatization of such schools,
\nparticularly in the aftermath of the JW Marriott Hotel bombing.
\nThe alleged suicide bomber, Asmar Latin Sani, was reportedly an
\nalumnus of the Al-Mukmin pesantren in Ngruki, led by cleric Abu
\nBakar Ba'asyir.<\/p>\n
The association of a suicide bomber with pesantren disables
\nthe image of moderate and tolerant santri.<\/p>\n
But pesantren may actually be divided into two categories
\nquite contradictory in nature. From the outside -- indicated by
\nthe names or physical appearance -- these two types of pesantren
\nlook alike. But in terms of teaching and moral values they are
\nlike night and day.<\/p>\n
In pesantren like Ngruki, dialog with "the other" (people with
\ndifferent interpretations of Islam or those who are non-Muslim)
\nis not possible. These people are regarded as kafir (infidels)
\nand thus, there is no point in communicating with them. Their
\nblood is even considered halal, meaning that it is allowable to
\nshed their blood.<\/p>\n
So, there are moderate pesantren, but there are also radical
\npesantren. There are as few as five, according to Sidney Jones of
\nthe International Crisis Group.<\/p>\n
One unique characteristic of moderate pesantren, enabling them
\nto produce tolerant and pluralistic people, is their balance in
\nteaching Islamic legal aspects (fikih) and spirituality (sufism).<\/p>\n
This approach derives from the nine saints (wali songo) who
\nspread Islam in Java. The spiritual dimension is probably what is
\nmissing from radical pesantren that prefer to stand in a binary
\nposition: Right-wrong, halal-haram, me-the other, heaven-hell,
\netc. As a result, they produce Muslims with an exclusionary
\nstance, who see the world as black and white and who lack a sense
\nof the beauty of religion: Peace, tolerance, respect, love and
\ncare for others, and other esoteric and humanitarian traits.<\/p>\n
This type of radical Islam is not typical to Indonesia. Islam
\nin Indonesia has been known as tolerant, pluralistic and
\nadaptable to local culture. But the last three decades have
\nwitnessed the growing phenomenon of this Islamism. Moderate
\npesantren should take note.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/lily-zakiyah-munir-1447899208",
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