JP/5/REPORT1

JP/5/REPORT1

One view of the history of 'pesantren'

The term pesantren comes from the word santri (Islamic boarding
school student) and when affixed with pe- and -an forms the
meaning in the Indonesian/Malay languages -- of an Islamic
boarding school.

The word santri, according to linguists, originated from the
Tamil (ethnic group/state of southern India) word meaning a
recital teacher. In his book Zamakhsari, published in 1983, CC
Berg explained that santri came from the word shastri, which in
Hindi language means the one who knows, or a guru of the Hindu
holy book. Shastri alone comes from shastra which means holy
books, religious books or knowledge.

Pesantren, usually mentioned with the word pondok (dormitory)
pesantren on Java island, basically means a traditional Islamic
boarding school.

All students live there full-time and courses are devoted to
the study of Islam under the guidance of a teacher, better known
as a kyai.

The students' dormitory is located inside the pesantren
complex where the kyai lives, in addition to a mosque.

The complex is usually surrounded by walls to inhibit the
entry and exit of the students. From the aspects of leadership,
the kyai reigns supreme with absolute control over the pesantren.

Besides the study of Islamic teachings, many santri also
practice the Islamic way of life as described in the Koran
(Muslim holy book). Female santri dress according to the Koranic
dress code and wear the head covering (jilbab), while male santri
wear traditional clothing, usually sarongs or long pants.

In general, there are two types of pesantren, the salafiah
(traditional) and khalafiah (modern), based on their respective
teaching methods and curricula.

A salafiah teaches religious knowledge including the study of
the "yellow" books on traditional Islamic law and Arabic lessons.
The santri are trained to live independently such as doing their
own laundry. Some of the pesantren even require students to cook
their own meals.

A khalafiah blends its teachings between religious studies and
modern thoughts. Besides Arabic, students might be introduced to
English or the Internet to expand their knowledge of the world.

Irrespective of the debate on the use of the term pesantren,
these learning institutions have existed since 1852. The Langitan
pesantren, in Tuban, East Java, is said to be the oldest of its
kind in Indonesia. It was under the auspices of Nahdlatul Ulama
(the largest Muslim organization in Indonesia), and was founded
in 1852 in Mandungan village in what is now East Java province.
It now accommodates more than 5,500 santri.

Since 1966, the government has categorized pesantren on the
list of organizations, which must receive guidance from the
Ministry of Religious Affairs.