'The history of pesantren closely linked with the history of Islam'

Lamongan, NU Online
The history of pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) in Indonesia is closely linked with the history of Islam itself. As a fact that the historical facets of pesantren in the archipelago are in line with the historical evidence of the socialization of Islam.  

Deputy chairman of the Lamongan's chapter of NU KH Ahmad Suyuthi told NU Online he on Monday.

According to the Dean of the Faculty of Islamic Studies, Islamic University of Lamongan (UNISLA) the historical evidence also shows that pesantren have always chosen a neutral position. Since the 16th century there has been a strong presumption that pesantren are such a dynamic factor in every process of the history and struggle of the nation.

He even came to a conclusion that the history of Indonesian Islam was the one of expanding the civilization of santri (students) and their influence on such fields as religious, social and political in the country.

"Islam has brought a new civilization, a system that is accessible to all levels of society. The system is built and based on an operational consequence of the concept of "ummah" in Islam that is egalitarian and put in common human dignity before God," he said.

"In addition, the model of teaching in pesantren is run massively and individually. It is run massively for being focused more on general subject matters and is run individually for being focused on those willing to deepen their knowledge."

While in terms of the system of madrasa (Islamic education) with formal curriculum began to be applied around the 19th or early 20th century, he added, Islamic educational institutions at that time were gradually run from the elementary to the higher level.

"Thus, the existence of pesantren in Indonesia's history has come to a hypothesis that the pesantren in social changes has always served as a platform for distributing and disseminating the teachings of Islam," he said. (Masdar)