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Al Zaytun and the politics of religious education in Indonesia
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In the spotlight: Rahmatan Lil Alamin Mosque stands out at the compound of Al Zaytun Islamic boarding school in Gantar village in Indramayu regency, West Java on July 4, 2023. The mosque was inaugurated in 1999. (Antara/Dedhez Anggara)
Al Zaytun Islamic boarding school in Indramayu, West Java, has made the headlines yet again due to its controversial educational model, which is contested by some Islamic groups and organizations.
West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil, like other government officials, has spoken out against the boarding school and formed a joint team to investigate into Al Zaytun for possible breaches of law and Islamic teachings. As a leader, Ridwan has no political opinions or policies regarding the public objections to the boarding school, which in my view shows his lack of comprehension of the political framework of religious education in Indonesia.
Ridwan seems to have come under public pressure, including from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) that has demanded the closure of the boarding school because of what it considers its aberrant and controversial teachings that constitute blasphemy to Islam.
Al Zaytun principal Panji Gumilang refuses to budge, filing a lawsuit against the MUI with the Central Jakarta District Court.
The decades-long controversy surrounding Al Zaytun reflects the political dynamics of religious education in the country. To be more specific, Al Zaytun is deemed as running against the mainstream politics of religious education. Interestingly the issue of Al Zaytun has resurfaced ahead of the elections.
Since Indonesia's independence, religious education has occupied a prominent and unique position in national law. It is unique because religious education is a compulsory subject at all levels of education, at least since 1966 (Suhadi Cholil, 2013). During the era of democratization, the 2003 National Education System Law reinstated religious education as a required subject.
