Third, this is the majority, accept modernism selectively. In this pattern, there is a creative process from the pesantren circles in taking modernism, namely getting some modernism and then combining it with the pesantren tradition. This pattern is seen in the majority of NU pesantren in Jombang, Krapyak, Yogyakarta, and several other pesantren. In this pattern, Islamic boarding schools apply modern methods in the teaching system, including references to general knowledge in education. However, classical books are still used in their pesantren-style teaching patterns.
In addition to these three patterns, in line with the increasing intensity of social interaction of figures and leaders of the Islamic movement, in the 1990s, new Pesantrens are emerged, which were led by people who had networked with several international Islamic movements. This type of Islamic boarding school was formed not based on the social cohesiveness of the community where the pesantren was founded but instead on the network built by its founder. This boarding school is usually closer to the surrounding community; its religious understanding is more exclusive, never involving the community in its activities. As a result, conflicts often occur between the community and this type of pesantren because of the social and ideological gap.
Islamic Boarding School’s Critical Attitude
The explanation shows that there has been pluralism in the world of Islamic boarding schools. Pesantren no longer reflect a single reality as in the colonial era. There has been a change in values, patterns, understandings, and ideologies in the pesantren world. Pesantren is no longer a religious education institution that teaches religious politeness, the spirit of tolerance. It’s based on the social reality of society.
Factually, pesantren have no connection with the local community, do not interact with the surrounding social reality, but are more oriented towards their social network outside the surrounding community.
This fact needs to be considered by observers, analysts, academics, and the caretakers of Islamic boarding schools. Because the face of pesantren is no longer single and homogeneous, it is challenging to create a single stigma against pesantren. This means one pesantren may become a terrorist nest because of the network, shared understanding, and religious approach between the pesantren and the group. However, this does not mean that all Islamic boarding schools become terrorist nests; because, in reality, there are still many Islamic boarding schools that struggle to disseminate tolerant and inclusive religious values, even in traditional ways. Thus, we cannot generalise pesantren as a den of terrorists. On the contrary, we generalise pesantren as a subculture that promotes tolerant and traditional Islam.
Wisdom and criticality are needed in dealing with this reality. Nevertheless, Islamic boarding schools do not require to dismiss the issue of theoretical linkages with the world of pesantren by closing themselves off to all investigations and legal action against perpetrators of violence.
This attitude is tantamount to reinforcing the accusation of pesantren as being a hotbed of terrorists. What needs to be done by pesantren leaders is to intensively clarify to the community that their pesantren has no connection with the ideology of violence, then act actively against all forms of violence.
Thus, the public will know which pesantren have a radical Islamic ideology with a violent approach and which pesantren have an Islamic ideology with a more tolerant and inclusive cultural-substantial approach.
For pesantren with the characteristics and ideology mentioned above, there is no need to worry and be offended by various accusations of terrorists and radicals because they are not part of a radical movement that uses violence to disseminate ideas.