Santri often becomes gatherers in dynamic spaces. Not only the reading part of the prayer, sometimes to embrace fellow Muslims who have different views, the santri act as mediators in determining the best decision. We are undoubtedly familiar with “Pak Mudin”, whose duties are not only related to talkin, taking care of corpses, or marrying people, but also often dealing with administrative matters, which are certainly different from his background as a santri. However, who would have thought that a Mudin could overcome administrative problems.
Furthermore, entrepreneurs who are santri will think about the benefit not only for themselves but for the benefit of others. My Khusnudzan, a businessman who is a santri, must have a spirit of sharing and great concern for others. A santri farmer will not infringe on other people’s land boundaries; he will reduce his land for common interests, such as walking paths and zakat from harvests. Civil servants who are santri, still related to my khusnudzan, will act honestly and fulfil social, moral, and administrative responsibilities in carrying out their duties. This means that any profession with a santri spirit will have more significant social sensitivity.
According to Kiai Yahya Cholil Staquf, one of the tasks of the santri is to find solutions to every public problem. “We must find a way out, together with other humans, and return to ukhuwah bashariah.” Santri is the close custodians of the love between fellow human beings, not based on the interests of certain groups, institutions, or political interests. In other words, santri are the central axis to maintain the stability of social life. The illustration of the joint cigarette santri is one of the efforts to share, in Javanese terms gathering, guyup harmonious, sesrawungan.
With that openness, Islam which will be at the milestone of the next generation, will not become a closed Islam, or Islam which is characterized by a gumedhe (arrogant) mindset, feels the most correct and the most “wow” itself. Still, Islam is in the hands of anyone willing to bebrayan. It is different, yes, but it does not become a limitation of synergy in maintaining the stability of social life.