Professor Jajang Jahroni: Support From Local Muslim Leaders Strengthens Salafi-Wahabi Islamic Boarding Schools in Indonesia

Main Auditorium, UIN News Online – Some of Indonesia's Salafi-Wahhabi-oriented pesantren have managed to defend themselves and still able to play a role in spreading their influence among local Muslims. The financial support of local Muslim leaders is the reason why Salafi-Wahabi pesantren can survive in the country.

This was said by Jajang Jahroni in his scientific oration titled “Munculnya Kelompok Salafi-Wahabi di era Indonesia Kontemporer”. Hewas inaugurated as History of Islamic Civilization Professor at the Main Auditorium,campus I of UIN Jakarta, Wednesday (05/11/2022).

Jajang said that his dissertation research almost 12 years ago found that no less than 300 Salafi-Wahabi-oriented Islamic boarding schools, had developed in the country. However, along with the decline in financial support from the Salafi-Wahabi center, these pesantren are experiencing difficulties in financing their educational activities.

However, a number of these pesantren have been able to survive and continue to provide Salafi-Wahhabi-oriented religious education to this day. Sympathetic local Muslim leaders have provided financial assistance to support this pesantren.

“There is financial support from local Muslims,” said Jajang.

Most of the surviving Salafi-Wahhabi pesantren are scattered in a number of cities in Java such as Solo, Yogyakarta, and several areas in East Java such as Madiun and Jember. Then in a small part of Jakarta and several areas in West Java such as Bogor, Sukabumi, and Cirebon.

Jajang said that after aid from the Salafi-Wahhabi center declined due to various international conflicts in the early 2000s, some Salafi-Wahhabi pesantren tried to build relations with Muslim groups in Indonesia.

“This is done so that they can survive, defend themselves, provide education, and establish good relations with the government,” he added.

In a scientific speech he adopted from his doctoral dissertation research titled 'Reproduction of Salafi-Wahhabi in post-Soeharto Indonesia', Jajang identified that Salafi-Wahhabi-style pesantren often use terms that are close to trying to revive the Sunnah. “Ihya as-Sunnah, Ihya at-Turats, and others whose names are associated with sunnah, turats, then it is very likely that the madrasa or pesantren is Salafi-Wahhabi oriented,” he said.

The existence of the Salafi-Wahhabi group in Indonesia itself, said Jajang, cannot be separated from the development project of the Institute for Islamic and Arabic Language Sciences (LIPIA), established in 1980. This institution accepts many Indonesian students with full support from the Government of Saudi Arabia.

In addition to education, students at this institution are introduced to salafiyah da'wah introduced by Salafi-Wahhabi scholars. However, of the many students who study at this institution, the graduates display various styles, both moderate Salafis and extreme Salafis. (zm/usa)