Pesantren in the Digital Era: Reaffirming the Moral Compass of Santri Amid Transparency and Transformation
Dr. H. Ahmad Tholabi Kharlie, M.A., M.H.
Professor at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta
The commemoration of the National Santri Day on October 22 this year invites a deep reflection on the evolving face of pesantren (Islamic boarding school) and its students, santri, in this digital age. Once known as quiet sanctuaries, far removed from the noise of modernity, pesantren have now become open spaces.
Today’s santri are no longer anonymous figures behind their dorms. They are digital users whose words, actions, and expressions can be recorded, shared, and judged openly in the court of public opinion.
This transformation calls for a renewed perspective on the pesantren ecosystem. It can no longer retreat behind tradition as a pretext for isolation. Tradition should not mean seclusion from change but rather serve as a foundation for creative adaptation. As sociologist Zygmunt Bauman (2000) observed, modern life flows in a “liquid state” which requires flexibility and resilience without losing one’s core identity. The same must apply to pesantren: they must remain adaptive, open, and solution-oriented.
Public Reflection
Social media has significantly opened up opportunities for pesantren. From one perspective, this openness brings tremendous advantage. The reach of pesantren-based da'wa has expanded beyond its traditional circles. Classical Islamic papers (kitab kuning) are now available through mobile applications, and sermons by the Islamic scholars can reach millions via YouTube or TikTok. Today’s santris have become content creators who promote the universal values of Islam.
Yet, great power comes with a great responsibility. Every act within the pesantren sphere has entered the public domain. Cases of misconduct, violence, or moral abuse involving certain pesantren figures spread quickly and become national debates.
According to a 2024 report by the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI), there were 573 cases of violence in educational institutions, with approximately 20 percent occurring in pesantren or other religious schools. Quite an iceberg tip, however, pesantren must build governance systems that are transparent, accountable, and professional.
Therefore, we should view public criticism as a shared space for reflection. This criticism often arises from the public's concern for the institutions they love and respect. The most constructive response is wisdom, which provides factual, relevant, and ethically grounded opinions.
In fact, public transparency can strengthen public trust when paired with systematic and measurable reform. Thus, pesantren demonstrates moral and institutional maturity according to their role as beacons of moral light in a fast-changing modern world.
The “Open Text” Generation
Today’s santris can be described as an “open text”—readable by anyone. Their identities are no longer singular. A santri may be a Qur’an memorizer or a fiqh scholar, while also serving as an active social media user, digital preacher, or technology enthusiast. This is why digital literacy within pesantren has become increasingly crucial.
A 2024 study by the Agency for Religious Moderation and Human Resource Development (BMBPSDM) of the Ministry of Religious Affairs revealed that over 70 percent of santri use social media daily, yet only 28 percent have received basic digital literacy training. This gap between enthusiasm and ethical preparedness is significant. Digital literacy, therefore, must be understood not merely as a technical skill but as a moral and spiritual capacity to navigate the online world responsibly.
As a result, pesantrens have the moral foundation to lead this transformation. As Ali Shariati (1971) cautioned, modernity without morality produces mechanical humans devoid of spiritual direction.
To adapt effectively, pesantren must undertake three key transformations:
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Pesantren should establish professional governance and protection systems for their students, known as santri.
Incidents of violence or sexual misconduct must no longer be covered. Pesantren should establish student protection units, create complaint channels, and collaborate with professional agencies for objective case handling. -
Expand the curriculum to include digital literacy, public communication, and media ethics.
Santri must understand the moral consequences of their digital footprints. As Yuval Noah Harari (2015) noted, “data has become the new form of power” in a sleepless world. -
Reform the communication paradigm of pesantren to better engage with the public.
Pesantren must engage proactively in the digital sphere—not merely defending against criticism, but leading positive narratives. Official social media accounts, websites, and creative works by santri can serve as modern channels for sharing Islam’s enlightening and compassionate values.
Moral Transformation
Adaptation does not mean abandoning identity. Amid the waves of modernity, pesantren must demonstrate their moral superiority. Digital openness must be tempered with spiritual wisdom.
National Santri Day, therefore, should commemorate the 1945 Jihad Revolution and remind today’s santri of their dual responsibility: to preserve knowledge and uphold moral integrity in the face of digital disruption. If the jihad of their ancestors was to expel colonialism, the jihad of today is to combat digital ignorance, misinformation, and moral decay on social media.
The pesantren tradition is rooted in akhlakul karimah (noble character) and intellectual discipline. From here on out, may Indonesia’s santri continue to grow as a generation of knowledge, virtue, and wisdom by harnessing technology for enlightenment in the era of digital transparency.
This article was originally published in DetikHikmah on Wednesday (22/10/2025)