Muhammadiyah is the Pioneer in the Establishment of Islamic Boarding Schools Integrating Religious Teachings and Science

MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, SLEMAN—Muhammadiyah is well known for a modern and tajdid movement. President of Muhammadiyah Haedar Nashir mentioned tajdid has two definitions: purification of worship and faith; and dynamics of mundane issues. Through the two definitions, Muhammadiyah promotes moderate and proportional Islamic understanding and instills a forward-thinking ethos.

The ethos is implemented in Muhammadiyah educational institutions, including Islamic boarding schools, as part of a great tradition of Muhammadiyah. Thus, Islamic boarding schools belong to all traditional and modern groups. Muhammadiyah Islamic boarding schools teach students religious teachings and science.

“Before Muhammadiyah was established, people had thought religious Islamic boarding schools were places to learn Islamic teachings and tended to be resistant to modern education,” Haedar said in the inauguration of the Male Building of Pondok Pesantren Modern Muhammadiyah Boarding School Yogyakarta on Saturday (21/10).

Integration between Islamic teachings and science in Muhammadiyah was the courage of Ahmad Dahlan. Before the reform, Indonesian Islamic schools only focused on ‘kitab kuning’ (the yellow book). Ahmad Dahlan gradually shifted the image of Islamic schools. His struggle was not easy, and he was labeled an infidel scholar.

“Many Islamic boarding schools objected to Dahlan’s notion. They assumed that Ahmad Dahlan did tasyabbuh (an effort to imitate others) because he applied modern Western methods to flourish educational institutions,” Haedar said.

Moreover, Haedar highlighted the Islamic boarding school development should have foundations aligned with Muhammadiyah thoughts. Muhammadiyah education is holistic and must integrate religion and all life aspects. Muhammadiyah school graduates should ideally retain both Islamic teachings and science.

“Although Muhammadiyah establishes boarding schools, people’s thoughts may not back to the past. They have to think about present and future. Islamic boarding schools should be managed as demands of time and space,” Haedar mentioned.