Islamic Boarding School (Pesantren)

Oleh: Muhammad Dhofir*

Islamic boarding school, or it is often called the cottage or Ponpes (Pondok Pesantren), is the school of Islam in Indonesia. An education of Islamic boarding school has a purpose to deepen about knowledge of Al-Qur’an and Sunnah Rasul, with learning Arabic language and theory of Arabic language. The students of traditional Muslim (Santri) learn in this school, all at once they stay in dormitory that has been prepared by school of Qur’anic (pesantren).

An Islamic boarding school is begun from a kiai (teacher of Islam) in that place, coming the students who want to learn religion. Those traditional Muslim students come to the Islamic boarding school  to learn together with the kiai.

Islamic boarding school is the center of value development and broadcasting of Islam religion, but in its development, this institution is wider not only applying  the religious lessons in the vertical mobility, but also in the horizontal mobility (social awareness). At the present, Islamic boarding school also attends to the society problem (society-based curriculum). Thereby, Islamic boarding school is not only missionized as the religious institution, but also it should become a social institution that responds in around of its social problem.

Islamic boarding school is an old Islam education institution that makes up a culture product in Indonesia. It is there begun since Islam comes to this country with adopting system of religious education that has been long-time developing before the coming of Islam. As an education system has been long time ingraining in this country, Islamic boarding school have a big contribution in the historical way of this nation.

Many students of traditional Muslim are only burdening the students with cheaper cost, although several modern Islamic boarding schools burden cost more expensive. Although it is like that, if it is compared with other education institutions, the modern Islamic boarding school is cheaper.

Indeed, Islamic boarding school is an education institution of religious always facing vis a vis in the learning holy book directly, but this will form the students more seriously and reciting deeper in this system. It is different with the system of formal school.

The real educational nature of Islamic boarding school does not loose from Islam, this education begins after Islam comes to Indonesia. Its reason is very simple. Islam is as missionary religion spreaded through the process of science transmition from clergy (alim ulama) to the society. This process continues through school of Qur’an.

An educational character of school of Qur’an is comprehensive. It means all potential idea and form of worship. The will and work are developed through the various of educational media that is organized in one community which is designed as integral for educational purpose. Other systems are like the center schools which its education separated and even almost one and others do not relate. In the class or in mesjid these traditional Muslim students touch a cognitive knowledge, and out of this learning they get guidance also by watching a good example from their teachers and friends. So, life in Islamic boarding school has formed an important lesson for the students of traditional Muslim. Doctrines about beliefs in the text are completed with ethics lessons, social science, education, and others in out of class. Curriculum in Islamic boarding school is not only limited to the holy book that is used, but also all activities in the life of Islamic boarding school students.

Thereby, the educational purpose of Islamic boarding school is like a life human purpose, that is worship in the world. An educational center of school of Qur’an functions as “melting pot”, it means the place to process the potentials of students of traditional Muslim become human intact (insan kamil). They are not only prepared teaching human life but also preparing hereafter. They also are not useful for society but to become obedient to their God. Processing those potentials is supported by spiritual, the value system and a strong discipline of soul to get what they want as long as in Islamic boarding school.

*Muhammad Dhofier is studying English Literary at UTY, Yogyakarta. 
He is an alumnus of PP Raudlatul Ulum I, Ganjaran

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