‘’Pesantren’’ The First Traditional Islamic Education in Indonesia

Abstract

Pesantren is the oldest and unique educational institution which has Indonesian characteristic. The first stage of religious education in Indonesia begins with the teaching of Muslims in their own homes, the teaching of the Qur'an in small places of worship called langgar (neighborhood mosque), and religious knowledge about rhetoric and worship. Higher levels of religious education are provided in traditional religious education institutions called pesantren, which means ‘santri places'. There are terms other than pesantren which have the same characteristics, that is in Java known as pesantren, pondok or pondok pesantren, while in Aceh it is known as Dayah, rangkang or Muenasah and while in Minangkabau it is called surau. Pesantren in İndonesia has become a center of learning and da’wa. İt has played an important role in İndonesia because it is the oldest system of learning and education. Before the modern education was introduced by the Netherlands, pesantren was the only educational institution available in İndonesia. Socially pesantren has played an important role in the spread of islam in indonesia. İt has become a means of formal socialisation through which İslamic belief, norms and values are trasnsmitted and inculcated through teaching. İt also constitutes a medium for developing islamic percepts and maintaining orthodoxy. In connection with the explanation above, this library research which aims to describe the history of traditional Islamic education in Indonesia (pesantren) which has an important role in spreading Islam especially in Indonesia and its role in fighting for Indonesian independence against colonialism. The development of pesantren is an important indicator for the positive progress of Muslim cultural achievements, given the reality of education as seen in the long-standing pesantren phenomenon. Therefore the existence of pesantren is a reflection of the excellence of scientific, intellectual and cultural achievements that are able to control human behavior, so that humans act according to their nature.