Ibas: Islamic Boarding Schools Are the Moral Bulwark of the Nation, Source of Community Leaders

Deputy Chair of the People’s Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia, Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono (Ibas), attended an iftar gathering at Pondok Pesantren Al Muqoddasah on Saturday, 28 February. Organised under the theme “Religious Ramadan, Strengthening the Nation” with the subtheme “Knowledge, Faith, and Service,” the event brought together Islamic scholars, pesantren leaders, teachers, and Qur’an memorisation students from primary, junior secondary, and senior secondary levels.

In his address, Ibas emphasised the strategic role of Islamic boarding schools in safeguarding the nation’s moral standards and unity. “Islamic boarding schools are the moral bulwark of the nation. Pesantren are the source of community leaders. Pesantren are the cradle of civilisation,” Ibas stated in a statement released on Monday, 2 March 2026.

During his remarks, Ibas noted that Ramadan is not merely a month of worship, but also a month of education, self-reflection, and spiritual reinforcement. He argued that these values form an essential foundation for developing a generation of strong character.

Citing the message of Hasyim Asy’ari, Ibas conveyed that religion and nationalism cannot be separated. “Love of homeland is part of faith. Protecting the Unitary Republic of Indonesia is part of service,” he stated.

Ibas noted that Indonesia currently has more than 39,000 Islamic boarding schools with millions of students. He contended that this number represents a tremendous force in building national character and the nation’s future.

However, he cautioned of various challenges facing young people today, ranging from digital disruption and unfiltered information flows to the threats of radicalisation and intolerance. “For this reason, pesantren students must be strong. Not only in Islamic jurisprudence, but also in science and technology. Not only in remembrance of God, but also in critical thinking,” he said.

On this occasion, Ibas reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening pesantren through support for educational budgets, technology access, and economic empowerment of students. “We will promote economic independence of pesantren, access to training, and strengthen character education so that students can become guardians of the nation’s moral standards and unity,” he asserted.

He also reminded of the importance of strengthening the Four Pillars of Nationhood—Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution, the Unitary Republic of Indonesia, and Unity in Diversity—as the foundation of national and state life.

Ibas also commended the discipline of pesantren students, whom he valued for their courtesy, ethics, moral standards, and strong character, which he deemed essential for shaping the leadership of Indonesia’s future generation.

As a show of support for Islamic boarding school education, Ibas distributed copies of the Qur’an, prayer mats, women’s prayer garments, and one computer unit to ten male and ten female high-achieving students. These donations were intended to support learning activities within the pesantren environment.

Concluding his address, Ibas expressed optimism that pesantren would produce scholars, statesmen, and future leaders who are knowledgeable, faithful, and ready to serve Indonesia. Through this Ramadan momentum, he also hoped that pesantren would continue to advance, students would achieve greater success, and Indonesia would become stronger.

Meanwhile, Khoirul Fata, a lecturer at UNIDA Gontor and teacher at Mahad AL Muqoddasah, stated that Ibas’s visit brought renewed spirit to pesantren students. He hoped that this momentum would encourage students to grow as the nation’s successor generation, successful and steadfast in Islamic values.