Ministry of Religious Affairs Organises Pesantren Takjil to Promote a Joyful Spirit of Faith

Jakarta — The Directorate of Pesantren of the Ministry of Religious Affairs has again organised Takjil Pesantren, paired with a Talk Show and Ngaji Bareng Santri at Pesantren Daarul Rahman in South Jakarta on Tuesday. The second series of Takjil Pesantren lifts the theme ‘Beragama dengan Asyik’ as a strengthening of religious culture thriving within the pesantren environment. ‘In pesantren, routines in carrying out worship are applied so that religious practice emerges as a fundamental, enjoyable activity and has become a routine, a culture in pondok pesantren,’ said Arskal Salim, Secretary of the Directorate General of Islamic Education, in Jakarta on Wednesday. Arskal emphasised pesantren shape religious experience that is not rigid but grows from daily worship habits. Traditions making religion present as a routine that is enjoyable while building a sense of national character. ‘Santri should not be limited to studying religion, but must also be aware of developments in times and technology so that it can combine religious knowledge with technological progress. Their Ngaji should not be overly formal but must suit the forum receiving the knowledge,’ he said. Gus Faiz added culture, innovation in learning methods, and early habituation are foundations for santri to adapt without losing direction. Pesantren, he said, must produce a generation that grows in step with the times. ‘Pesantren require culture, tradition, innovative learning methods, learning how to innovate, learning how to blend and engage in the community. Hopefully santri can enjoy the facilities provided by the state to pesantren,’ he said. ‘In strengthening pesantren, the state is present for pesantren. Therefore there is a need for a forum to bring together pesantren across DKI Jakarta to gather input from pesantren in DKI Jakarta,’ said Basnang. He also highlighted the importance of optimising the Pesantren Endowment Fund as a tool for economic empowerment. The business incubation scheme is seen as a concrete step so that pesantren are not only strong academically but also economically self-reliant. ‘Dana Abadi Pesantren exists for pesantren in the form of business incubation assistance for pesantren,’ he said.