They were not only celebrating National Santri Day, but were also practicing to control their personal desires that the ball of fire symbolized.
By
Abdullah Fikri Ashri
·6 minutes read
Barefooted, 10 santri (Islamic boarding school students) of the Kebon Pring Islamic boarding school in Cirebon regency, West Java, were playing with a ball of fire. They were not only celebrating National Santri Day, but were also practicing to control their personal desires that the ball of fire symbolized.
The match was held in an empty field illuminated by torches in Gamel village, Plered district, on Sunday (20/10/2019) evening. Dozens of santri and locals at the peripheries of the field cheered. Occasionally, they shouted and ran away when the ball, made of coconut fiber, was kicked their way.
On the other hand, the santri never screamed in agony while they were scrambling for the ball. The goalkeepers even held the ball casually.
This was how the Islamic boarding school that still rented its student dorms commemorated Santri Day on 22 October. There was also a “creative arts and culture night” event and a complete Koran recital by students. In truth, the competitions were not just for fun.
“The ball symbolizes personal desires. You need to burn and control it. You can’t let it be the other way around,” Kebon Pring Islamic boarding school manager Syahrudin said.
Before playing with the fireball, the santri performed ablutions. Syahrudin said the students should purify themselves in order to control their desires. Afterward, they chanted the adzan (Islamic call to prayer).
The fireball’s symbolization is close to Syahrudin’s heart. In 1993, he played with it at the Kebon Jambu Islamic boarding school in Babakan, Ciwaringin, Cirebon. “When I first built the Kebon Pring Islamic boarding school in 2006, people threw feces at the window,” said the East Lampung native. Many believed he was teaching heresy.
However, Syahrudin did not get angry or give up. He kept teaching his santri despite having to make loans to build the dorms, which remain unfinished today.
His work is not in vain. His boarding school today houses 235 santri from Cirebon, Indramayu and Lampung. The majority of these students do not live in the boarding school, as dorm rooms are only available for 25 students. However, this does not reduce the education quality. The boarding school often saves souls deemed “almost lost”.
“If I didn’t go to the boarding school, maybe I would have become a robber,”
“If I didn’t go to the boarding school, maybe I would have become a robber,” said santri Muhamad Agus, 23.
Eight years ago, the middle school graduate worked at a gas station in East Lampung. Every day from 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. he could hold up to Rp 10 million (US$709.21) in his hands. His monthly wage was only Rp 500,000.
One day, his friends gave him a machete, marijuana and a T-wrench —the equipment of a robber. He knew for sure where the money was kept. Fortunately, his common sense kicked in. Refusing to take the path of becoming a criminal, Agus decided to enroll at Syahrudin’s boarding school.
In Cirebon, the farmer’s son studies Islam while selling toast. His earnings help him send his little brother Supriharto to a middle school in Cirebon.
“I don’t want to be a burden to my parents,” he said.
If he surrendered to his desires, he would have had plenty of money as a robber. However, he chooses to control his desires. This is why, when playing with the fireball, Agus did not feel any pain from the heat despite the black soot all over his feet.
Fighting radicalism
Joy can also be seen at Pondok Buntet Islamic boarding school in Astanajapura district, Cirebon. Around 20 santri were practicing singing the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) march “Syubbanul Wathon”, written by KH Abdul Wahab Chasbullah.
Male santri enthusiastically played the snare and bass drums. They seemed to be beating the drum of resistance against whatever threatens their nationalism. Their stomps seem to bury the seed of radicalism.
“Radicalism and terrorism can destroy national unity built through the struggles of clerics and santri. We right radicalism by reciting [the Koran] at the boarding school,” said Fais Indra Fauzi, 17, a Buntet student skilled at playing the bass drum.
Antiradicalism and love for their homeland are two subjects at Buntet as part of the NU studies. Ideas about establishing an Islamic state and replacing Pancasila and the constitution are sharply rejected.
Fais is one of around 7,000 students at 54 boarding schools in Buntet, ranging from a madrasah ibtidaiyah (elementary boarding school) and a Buntet Education Sciences College.
Apart from learning common school subjects, the santri also learn about religious and cultural diversity. “Last month, around 50 students of a Christian school from Ciledug, Cirebon, visited us. The students and teachers said that, after the visit, they found that Islam was not as scary as they had thought,” Buntet teacher Akhmad Rofahan said.
Islamic radicalism has given the religion, of which one of the main tenets is to become a blessing for the universe, a frightening image. Pondok Buntet Islamic boarding school has fought radical ideas for centuries. Established by Mbah Muqoyyim in around 1750, the boarding school prioritizes love for the homeland.
During colonial times, Buntet clerics and students fought against colonial forces. Other boarding schools in Cirebon, including Gedongan and Babakan Ciwaringin, did the same. When celebrated Islamic historical figure KH Hasyim Asy’ari and the NU central board issued the Jihad Resolution for NU clerics and santri on 22 October 1945, Buntet followed.
“Nowadays, the greatest challenge for students is to face their own friends. Now we see many Muslims accusing each other of being heretics. If we do not anticipate this well, we can have civil wars like in the Middle East,”
The Buntet school manager at the time, KH Abbas, and students departed for Surabaya to join the battle on 10 November 1945. The story was shared by Buntet Islamic Education Foundation secretary KH Aris Ni’matulloh.
“Nowadays, the greatest challenge for students is to face their own friends. Now we see many Muslims accusing each other of being heretics. If we do not anticipate this well, we can have civil wars like in the Middle East,” he said.
According to Aris, radicalism targets young people, academics with a poor understanding of religion, businesspeople who love to do good deeds but do not understand religion, political parties and people easily triggered by racial, religious, ethnic and intergroup sentiments. Therefore, clerics and students must serve as society’s defense against radicalism. Happy Santri Day.