Media Director Tebuireng Discusses the Integration of Religion and Science at UPSI Malaysia

Tebuireng.online— The discourse on the integration of religion and science knowledge emerged in a talk show held by the Tebuireng Magazine Team, at the Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI), Malaysia, Thursday (8/1/2026). This discussion becomes a reflective space to reread the direction of Islamic boarding school education amidst the challenges of modern science and the increasingly complex needs of the times.

The discussion was opened by moderator M. Syahrul Ramadhan who emphasized that today’s students are no longer only faced with the yellow book, but also with the reality of modern science which demands new competencies. A big question arises: do Islamic boarding schools need to produce experts outside of religious scholarship, or should they instead remain focused on the classical scientific tradition that has been their identity.

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As the main resource person, Ustadz Anang Firdaus, Director of Media Group Tebuireng and lecturer at Ma’had Aly Tebuireng, invited participants to look at this issue from the perspective of the long history of Islamic boarding schools. He explained that in the past santri were known as figures bachelornamely individuals who master many scientific disciplines and receive scientific legitimacy directly from society.

“In the past, scientific recognition was not always based on diplomas. Qualified students would have their authority recognized by society,” he said.

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However, according to Anang, the educational landscape is changing when the modern system places diplomas as the main measure of expertise. He believes that this change has also influenced the position of Islamic boarding schools in the national education system. In fact, he alluded to a decline in the quality of ulama if viewed from a historical context.

He gave an example of how during ancient Persia, Islamic institutions were centers for the study of religious knowledge as well as astronomy. However, when under royal rule, freedom and scientific dynamics stagnated. According to him, a similar thing also happened in Indonesia after the issuance of the Three Ministerial Decree in 1975.

“Since then, the state has only recognized Islamic boarding schools that offer formal education, while the diniyah curriculum is not fully recognized. As a result, parents prefer formal schools, and Islamic boarding schools are slowly potentially being abandoned,” he explained.

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In the context of scientific integration, Anang questioned the meaning of integration which is often talked about. He believes that integration is not just about combining religious knowledge and general science in one institution, but placing science in its respective sources and authorities.

He gave the example of the educational pattern of Islamic boarding school families in the 1970–1990s. The sons of KH Wahid Hasyim, for example, were placed on a different scientific path with strong religious provisions. Gus Dur was trained in Islamic boarding schools and Al-Azhar, Gus Sholah studied engineering at ITB, while Gus Umar studied medicine.

“They do not become half-finished humans because they study from authoritative scientific sources,” he stressed.

According to Anang, today’s educational problems actually give rise to many “half-finished people”, namely those who do not have clear scientific authority, but force themselves into areas where they do not have the capacity. This phenomenon has the potential to give birth to wrong practices in the scientific and professional world.

He added that today Islamic boarding schools and students are actually starting to open. Tebuireng, for example, is often criticized for not having a clear identity. However, according to Anang, that is precisely where its uniqueness lies.

“Tebuireng is not completely a Salaf Islamic boarding school, but it is also not completely modern. It stands in between the two,” he said.

The Islamic boarding school education approach is now program-based, including at the Tebuireng girls’ boarding school. Students are given space to choose paths according to their interests and talents, starting from tahfidz, Al-Qur’an, languages, to other fields. However, when students are projected as potential religious leaders, they still have the opportunity to become anything.

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“The kiai’s message is simple: if you become a kiai, be a pious kiai. If you become a doctor, be a pious doctor,” said Anang.

Meanwhile, Ustadz Syahrul added that the spirit of scientific integration is actually present in various countries, only different in pattern and approach.

In the question and answer session, participants mentioned the dilemma between religious knowledge as fardhu ‘ain and general science as mandatory task. Responding to this, Anang emphasized that Islamic boarding schools are not distorting science, but rather reorganizing roles.

“Religious knowledge as a provision formukallaf must be studied first. After that, knowledge mandatory task “Someone has to take a role,” he explained.

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He also reminded that the tahfidz program should not sacrifice tahsin, because tahsin is part of it fardhu ‘ain. According to him, these views are an important foundation so that scientific integration in Islamic boarding schools does not eliminate the identity of the students, but remains relevant to current developments.

Reporter: trough
Editor: Rara Zarary