Global Challenging or Local Warning?
Ahmad Musthofa Haroen
Many people consider Globalization as the prior reason why someone has to have any ability in conformity to what our world today is. As known, many changes are going on in the escalating way and leaving away those who has no quiet skill in adapting everything new. Thus, as Gus Dur frequently writes, living is about something token or something thrown away.
It will bring us to the debatable topic related to civilization. Major voices may set into a perception in positioning western products of culture as superiority, in while another are look like inferiority. This case will be more seriously misunderstood as we see that the contemporary world we are living in is crowded by prejudices and stereotypes.
Below, we are going to discuss about the trend of mastering English language in Pesantren and, at the same time, will try to solve the possible problems that covered in the preface above by better understanding.
Before, it necessarily need to know that semantic-field of pesantren today is wide and rich of meaning. It is almost impossible to generalize moreover, in this writing, we would like to carry out and pay attention to the effort of English proficiency in pesantren itself whether English is needed or not in the relationship of global context. However, Nahdliyyin group dominates the numbers of pesantrens; hence, we are merely discussing the logical consequences and potentials of accepting English in our environment.
We can use many approach or quote many idea surrounding us in seeing the diversity responses about English implementation. In pesantren, at least we can emphasize two points of view, agree and disagree. This is something nature and something must be in the track of history. All we need, in giving best response, is thinking deeply and acting wisely.
We should not make any blaming for idea in opposite of our mind. In this case, we realize that English subject in Pesantren Salaf is accounted strange. We have been accustoming to learn the literatures of middle age, from the golden age of Abyssinian dynasty. It proofs the great power of intellectuality and spirituality. It has been also successfully taught in Pesantren as golden legacy from time to time. Santri may consider them, as what western says, canonic. But, absolutely Pesantren is able to survive and contribute to the nation and society by using its own way instead.
So, what is the relevancy of English subject in pesantren? Is it no longer than apologia reflected by inferiority complex? Alternatively, is it an infiltration of discourse battle? Or, on the other hand, our way to reach our great civilization anymore? Or something else?
Through Hadith we know that mastering language of certain group of people will secure us from their conspiracy. Man ‘arafa lughata qaumin salima min makrihi. It seems to be okay that now we have been in the new mode of imperialism through economic way. We get great difficulties to control strategic post of economic that, meanwhile, handled by western. We are often tricked and trapped on disadvantage place in the global market.
Once more, we are talking about globalization in which as Moslem, moreover santri, we have to care to reform the corrupt system and culture. Of course, it takes a very long time. However, history notes that in struggling of Indonesian independence, santri had influential roles. It means, the spirit of a santri should be based on how he can take a part to be avant-garde (in vanguard) as agent of change. There is a time when silent is wrong. For that reason, santri must be aware to the reality he faces and, at the same time, tries to implement the core values of Islam ‘ala ahlissunnah wal jama’ah.
It will be heard itchy to force extremely vis a vis to idolatry of traditional in the meaning of rigidity. Pesantren has a principle: al muhafadzatu alal qadimi as shalih wal akhdzu bil jadidil aslah. The context of it enables us to choose which one proper and which one improper. The change movements of Pesantren never take place of extremism—rooted on great tradition to build the contextual and contemporary edifice of life.
This principle guides us to be, sorry, “opportunist” in positive meaning. Learning English is not tool to be western. Someone would not be western by learning the language only. We know that many orientalists who make any research about Islam very understand to what they study but it does not make them change from their background. In this frame, Hassan Hanafi, An Egyptian Islamic scholar, calls us to become occidentalists who can fight against intellectually toward the first. Therefore, we don’t need to afraid that our basic values will go away by learning English.
When santri involves in English learning, actually, he is not studying what western says to consume. Language in Pesantren is named ilmu alat, so English is tool and not result or aim. Some people worry too much if English implemented will raise the lost of old tradition, about the originality of pesantren. Nevertheless, who knows the meaning of originality? Is it silent and never care to environment? If yes, we are sure that it will be better to live in the middle of jungle and never know about world and what is going within it.
World today is in waiting to the better system. In Indonesia , we face the uneasy situation where degradation of morality and mentality become the essence of all damage. Pesantren should feel called. Once more, there is a time when silent is wrong. Yet, we need first step for the next million steps to begin these all. We have to remember that the art of communication is the key to interact. When we see that we are not permitted to live inside in feeling “oh…everything is in order”, we have to move outside. We have to prove that we are not in marginalized place. We have role, a big role.
How to communicate outsider is dealing with their qualifications. The using of language, therefore, is primarily need. Khatibin naas ala qadri ‘uqulihim. How the quality of interaction will be is depend on how someone masters the language used. Dakwah includes the way to bargain, about how something promoted will be acceptable. The approach used should intimate to those whom we aim the dakwah.
KH. A Mustofa Bisri ever said that the world today is walking toward two sides of extremism. George Bush who is using the issue of democracy as his killing weapon represents one belied and Usamah Bin Laden represents one belied. He said that Pesantren never want to be extremist. Pesantren is tawassuth, in the middle, but the voices of pesantren as if never heard.
How can it be? Surely, it caused by a reason: we have no the way to communicate. English, however, is something couldn’t be avoided. Although the most of interaction language santri uses to learn his subject is Arabic Fusha, it should not less the spirit to master English. Moreover, by English, santri is able to access unlimited information by books, magazines, journals and internet. KH. Ali Maksum, ex-Rais Syuriah PBNU, recommended the young santries to look and touch reality of live outside of pesantren only. Kyai Ali saw the urgency of his saying, that santri lives not only for himself but also for others.
Awareness to join in life building among santries should be raised as soon as possible. We may not silent and feel comfort become spectator or commentator only. We have to move ahead, handle the strategic post by mastering the modern knowledge and balance to the basic values we have in Pesantren.
Do we forget that some people account Pesantren as the other term of backwardness? We are going to proof that santri has many qualifications to do and work. When santri don’t care, he has become self-secularist in which the matters of hereafter is the prior orientation but forgetting that his leg still need to step on the earth. The claim of truth of secularism will be proven if santries can not show of force.
What we discuss may seem a utopia or exaggerated for a pessimist, but we know that we have to be optimist. Kun mutafailan wa laa takun mutasyaaiman. For santries, learning English is global challenging but answerable and local warning but undeniable. It is hard to do but not impossible. Let’s go and kick 'em all!
Guyangan, 25 June 2007