Revitalizing pesantren's role in era of globalized education<\/p>\n
M. Yunus, Contributor, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
Reproduksi Ulama di Era Global: Resistensi Tradisional Islam
\n(Reproducing ulema in he global era; Traditional resistance of
\nIslam)<\/p>\n
Dr. H. Muhtarom H.M.<\/p>\n
Pustaka Pelajar, Yogyakarta, July 2005<\/p>\n
xvi + 318 pp<\/p>\n
Post-modernism has marked an era of the reawakening of capitalist
\nidentity. From a global economic viewpoint, post-modernists are
\ncharacterized as "seeking instant results in whatever you have".
\nThe vitality of post-modernists will be more apparent as we take
\na look at the domain of neo-liberalists, with their typical
\ntendency toward instrumental and capitalist thought.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, neo-liberalists' core principle is "liberalizing
\ntrade and finance, ending inflation, and leaving prices to the
\nmarket".<\/p>\n
Post-modernists and neo-liberalists are not only engaged in
\nthe economy, and their influence has had increasing hegemony over
\npolitics, law, culture and education. Particularly in the last
\nfield, the paradigm, system and operational mechanism inculcated
\nby post-modernists and neo-liberalists seem so fixed, instead of
\ndeveloping the traditional system so far maintained by Islamic
\nboarding schools (pesantren), so that many circles in
\ncontemporary society consider it unworthy.<\/p>\n
These two groups of thinkers no longer care whether or not the
\nparadigm and system applied to education remain capable of
\ncreating cadres and future generations with good morals, but
\nrather, their concern is whether or not the paradigm and system
\ncan follow current developments.<\/p>\n
To most members of contemporary or post-modernist society, the
\npattern and system of education developed by pesantren are
\nconsidered too old-fashioned, conservative and uncooperative as
\nregards the present era and environment.<\/p>\n
Reproduksi Ulama di Era Global; Resistensi Tradisional Islam
\n(Reproducing ulema in he global era; Traditional resistance of
\nIslam) appears to respond to the misinformation of contemporary
\nsociety.<\/p>\n
Its author, Dr. H. Muhtarom H.M., elaborates systematically on
\nthose factors that have led to the birth of contemporary thought
\nabout the instant, yet instrumental, system and paradigm of
\neducation. Then he deals thoroughly with the urgent role of
\npesantren-style education in facing today's global era, in which
\nulema -- often called the heirs of prophets -- as leaders of such
\ntraditional schools, provide the backbone in creating future
\ngenerations that are not only well versed in religious science
\nand management, but are also capable of warding off the snares of
\nglobalization.<\/p>\n
In general, the globalized and instant system of education in
\nIndonesia started when the government joined the General
\nAgreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) meeting on April 15, 1994,
\nin Marrakesh, Morocco, which established the World Trade
\nOrganization (WTO) on Jan. 1, 1995, as initiated by a number of
\ncapitalist countries through global corporate sponsorship. This
\nglobalization of education was programmed along with other areas
\nlike information and communication, economy, law, politics,
\nculture and religion.<\/p>\n
In view of the adverse implication that will arise from the
\ncapitalist version of globalized education, intellectuals and
\nreligious figures have been verifying the significance of this
\nsystem. In this process, the position of ulema and traditional
\npesantren concerned with Islamic sciences automatically become
\nvery important.<\/p>\n
Pesantren should be acknowledged as part of the various forums
\nof scientific transformation that are not to be ignored, though
\ntoday, we inevitably have to accept the demands of instrumental
\nnature in all sectors, including educational development.<\/p>\n
Even in medicine, for instance, the study of classical books
\ndealing with fiqih, or religious law, is relevant to of biology,
\nwhich is a prerequisite to gain entry into the medical sciences.<\/p>\n
The urgency of pesantren-style education is also reflected in
\nthe form of communication constructed on an egalitarian basis. In
\nsocio-anthropological terms, coexistence without regard to social
\nclasses, ethnic groups, races and nationalities is a doctrine
\nstrongly fostered in pesantren communities. This is unlike the
\nsociety projected by neo-liberalists, in which men are dragged
\ninto the vicious circle of social stratification based on
\ncapital.<\/p>\n
A number of pesantren thinkers have further explored the
\ndoctrine of "being together in joy and sorrow".<\/p>\n
Apart from Reproduksi Ulama di Era Global, Fiqih Sosial
\n(Religious law for social relations) by Sahal Mahfudh is another
\nwork that analyzes the social system and paradigm more oriented
\ntoward religion, for which pesantren communities have strived.<\/p>\n
Another side to the pesantren educational system and related
\ncommunities worthy of praise is their flexible attitude toward
\ndiverse thinking, by not only limiting themselves to Eastern
\nideas, but also adopting Western concepts. This flexibility makes
\nthem unique and open, so it is a mistake to assume pesantren are
\nisolated enclaves that do not -- or are prohibited from --
\naddress the changes of the times.<\/p>\n
Conversely, these communities better realize contemporary
\nchanges, which enabled them to make a distinction between one
\nperiod and another.<\/p>\n
This typical feature has prompted domestic and foreign
\nintellectuals to study and research the role of ulema as well as
\npesantren in Indonesia, such as Nurcholish Majid, former
\npresident Abdurrahman Wahid, Dawam Raharjo, Zamakhzyari Dhofier,
\nMartin Van Bruinessen and Breg Barton.<\/p>\n
Reproduksi Ulama di Era Global will therefore expand the
\nbibliography of references that can be used to appraise pesantren
\naffairs and the role of ulema in the era of globalization.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/revitalizing-pesantrens-role-in-era-of-globalized-education-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}