The website www.duniasantri.co is a news site written by santri, pesantren alums, and people active in the world of pesantren. As a pesantren alumnus of Fathul Hidayah Karanganyar, I found a place to express creative writing online. Previously, I was involved in the campus-level press organization and was often a filler in literacy activities in various formal and non-formal activities.
There is a strong relationship between santri and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) as a community organization symbolized by the existence of Islamic boarding schools (aka. Pesantren). In addition, the Ahlussunah wal Jamaah online media platform is actively competing with conservative or fundamentalist Islamic websites that try to undermine the basis of the state and the nation’s culture.
The emergence of moderate websites such as duniasantri.co, islami.co, gusdurian.net, alif.id, to the parent of NU Online has calmed the public about the fear of evading the caliphate ideology, which has begun to campaign in online media. In addition, of course, there is hope that the santri will contribute against the takfirism narrative that targets the millennial Muslim generation with Islamic symbols such as monotheism, hijrah, and returning to the Quran and Sunnah.
Although it is not the only method to stem the flow of fundamentalist Islam, at least duniasantri.co can become a forum for santri to issue literacy creativity. Not only is it a scientific treasure for the wider community, but it can also be a means of earning additional income from writing.
Understandably, my experience in writing for almost four years in national newspapers and publishing several books cannot be used as my main livelihood. Writing does not get commercial space when the literacy interest of the Indonesian people is still low. But at least the writer is reminded of the legend of Pramoedya Ananta Toer, “A person may be intelligent as high as the sky, but as long as he does not write, he will be lost in society and from history. Writing is a work to eternity.”
During my observation of the development of the duniasantri.co website, I saw many young and novice writers who were exceptionally qualified in compiling articles. In this case, duniasantri.co becomes an experimental forum for santri to develop their literacy capability. Therefore, develop an interest in reading and practice an exciting writing style.
When there is a skewed view of the academic quality of students compared to those, who take formal education, duniasantri.co opens the world’s eyes that santri also have the quality of writing, writing and conveying a unique perspective on the reality of religious and state life. This reminds the role of santri in the process of independence; to become the fortress of the Republic of Indonesia to this day.
Although Islamic boarding schools have two types of learning (classical and modern), students have a harmonious goal regarding the concept of nationality and the attitude of religious moderation. Santri is the state’s potential from an academic, social and political point of view. Many politicians actively donate to Islamic boarding schools to get votes in elections.
In the upcoming HARLAH (Birthday) of the duniasantri, which coincides with Indonesia’s Independence Day, I have many hopes regarding the role of the media in advancing Islamic boarding schools and non-popular ulama to appear in cyberspace. However, I’m sure many santri agreed that in Indonesia, many “Gus Baha” has not appeared in the media.
Next is the strategy to generate literacy passion in regional Islamic boarding schools that are still lagging in following the development of digital technology. For this reason, the duniasantri must have social and religious affiliations to help and play a role in the progress of Islamic boarding schools, especially classical ones. First, however, solid collaboration is needed, supported by stable capital strength to hold online and offline training or seminars.
Whatever it is, so far, duniasantri has been able to become a platform that consistently survives in the rapid flow of digital information that is flooded with information on SARA, clickbait, hoaxes, pornography, and radicalism—just waiting for the momentum of the emergence of potential santri that can be seen from the perspective of writing and revealing national problems.
Santri must have the motivation to “show off” their scientific quality so that they are not distorted by narratives of radicalism and terrorism that threaten the millennial generation. At least, so far, the study of Islamic boarding schools has reduced all forms of arguments from radicalism, terrorism, and intolerance to the concept of the Islamic caliphate.
Furthermore, it is just a matter of how organizations, communities, and other ahlussunah wal jamaah organizations facilitate potential students to be idolized by the wider community, such as the emergence of the clerics like Gus Baha, Gus Miftah, Gus Muwafiq, Gus Nadir, and so on.
Note: translated by editor from www.duniasantri.co/semarak-dunia-santri-digital