The emergence of terrorism has disturbed the pesantren community because the issue has created a negative stigma for Indonesia’s pesantren. On this basis, a polemic emerged among the public regarding the involvement of Islamic boarding schools in the terrorist movement.
Several parties were against the authorities plan to investigate the pesantren. This plan seems to insult Pesantren as religious, educational institutions that were sacred and needed to be protected.
On the other hand, the supporting parties argue that for the sake of law enforcement and to prove that Pesantren is not involved in terrorist movements. Therefore, it is permissible for the authorities to investigate suspected ones with the proper procedures. As a result, the debate on theory has shifted from crimes against humanity to become a religious issue.
The question that arises then is, is it true that pesantren become a nest of terrorists? How should Islamic boarding schools respond and respond to these accusations? This question is essential to answer to avoid stigmatisation of Indonesia’s pesantren. Furthermore, this question will clarify the relationship between Islamic boarding schools, Islamic movements, and terrorism, thus minimising unrest among pesantren regarding the emergence of terrorism issues. Besides that, it can also straighten out public misunderstandings about the pesantren group.
Struggle Base
Pondok Pesantren is a unique educational institution because of its long existence and the religious institution’s culture, methods, and networks. Because of its uniqueness, Clifford Geertz calls it a subculture of Indonesian society (especially Java).
During the colonial era, pesantren became the basis for the struggle of the indigenous-nationalists; Most of the time, Pesantren kept lots of resistance to the colonials. Pesantren as religious education has a clear social basis because it has been well integrated with the community since its inception.
When other social institutions were not functionally operational, pesantren became the centre of community social activities. The community always engages with Pesantren the following activities: people studying religion, self-defence, treating the sick, consulting agriculture, finding a mate, and even setting up resistance against the colonisers.
The Kiai figure is not only a religious leader but also a leader of the socio-political movement of the community. Because of its integrated position with the people, the pesantren has strong roots to become the basis of the people’s struggle. In addition, to have a robust social network with the community, pesantren also build a strong network with fellow pesantren, since most pesantren caregivers are bound by the same religious mindset and understanding and have a reasonably close kinship relationship (Jamakhsari Dhofir; 1982).
Another thing that causes the cohesiveness of the Indonesian pesantren to be assertive is ideological similarities. Almost all Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia have the same teaching methods and religious understanding. Based on the notes of Martin van Bruenssen, 46 primary Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia, all of which use the same reference book, especially in the book of fiqh (Pesantren; 1989). The similarity of references to the yellow book in the world of pesantren occurs because of a reasonably strict selection among pesantren. For example, there are mu’tabar and ghairu mu’tabar books, where mu’tabar books only are studied in pesantren.