The Traditions of Pluralism, Accommodation, and Anti-radicalism in the Pesantren Community

Western media and Western policy makers sometimes perceive traditional Islamic schools throughout the Islamic world as a source of radicalism. The history of pesantren in Indonesia shows that this is not only mistaken but also a perspective that leads the West away from a potential ally in the efforts to create a world of peaceful coexistence. The mystical traditions of pesantren form a strong basis from which most Indonesians have eschewed radical Islamism. These traditions are rooted in the popular Muslim folklore surrounding the foundation of Islam in Indonesia. This paper argues that more recent history shows the foundations of current debates regarding the establishment of shari`ah as the law of the land as well as some actions of the Suharto regime inadvertently encouraged the growth of radical Islamism. Finally, the paper concludes that, in order to fully understand the current situation and the future, more research is needed. A few starting points are discussed in this paper

MADRASA by ANY OTHER NAME: Pondok, Pesantren, and Islamic Schools in Indonesia and Larger Southeast Asian Region

After more than a decade studying the Indonesian pesantren, the author had an opportunity to visit similar institutions in Thailand. After placing them in historical context, this paper explores how these institutions vary in Southeast Asia. Although it is reasonable to presume that pondok between different countries and areas in the region started out virtually indistinguishable in form and function, local and national histories have shaped them differently. This paper explicitly compares pondok in three distinct areas: Indonesia, Nakhon Sri Thammarat, and the Deep South in Thailand; the former two based on fieldwork and the latter based on literature review. It is common for some analysts and governments to associate pondok with violence. The evidence suggests that this is misplaced. The paper concludes that before an authoritative statement can be made on this point, more research is needed

Negotiating Continuity and Change in Indonesian Islamic Higher Education

Pendidikan Tinggi Agama Islam Negeri adalah komponen penting Islam di Indonesia dan menjadi sarana di mana pemerintah dan masyarakat Muslim Indonesia masing-masing berusaha untuk mendefinisikan Islam Indonesia. Lembaga ini telah terlibat dalam perdebatan tentang karakter Islam Indonesia sejak awal berdirinya. Baru-baru ini, IAIN dan UIN mengalami pergeseran dari mandatnya semula yaitu mencetak tenaga pendidikan Islam dan pejabat pemerintah Islam Indonesia. Hal ini telah menimbulkan kekhawatiran tentang masa depan lembaga itu sendiri. Selanjutnya, sebagian kalangan mulai mengkhawatirkan tentang apa yang disebut perspektif “liberal” atau “progresif” yang banyak ditemukan di beberapa kampus. Akhirnya, mengedepankan tradisi pesantren di kampus-kampus IAIN/UIN selama ini menjadi salah satu cara untuk menangani isu tersebut. State Islamic Higher Education is a critical component of Islam in Indonesia and the ways in which the government of Indonesia and the Muslim community each seek to define Indonesian Islam. These institutions have been embroiled in debates about the nature of Islam since their beginning. Recently, IAIN and UIN have moved beyond their original mandate of training Islamic teachers and government officials. This has raised concerns about their future. Further, some have been concerned about so called “liberal” or “progressive” perspectives found on the campuses. Finally, an emphasis of the pesantren tradition on IAIN/UIN campuses has been one way in which these concerns have been addressed

The Political Use of Islamic Variation in Indonesian Islamic Higher Education

The Indonesian State Islamic Higher Education (PTAIN) system was created to encourage a progressive form of Islam to oppose political Islam and to be apolitical. Because PTAIN are the official government form of Islamic higher education, PTAIN faculty members can be important opinion makers in the Indonesian Islamic community. PTAIN are critical to understanding the Indonesian Islamic community because they engage in innovative scholarship on Islamic theology, ethics, law, and practice and in the education of young Muslim leaders in many fields. This article explores some of the ways PTAIN have been politicized to play a role in the debates about the future of Indonesian Islam which is developing (or at least showing) more complex variations. It offers a theoretical model for understanding the variation found in Islam