Responding to Issues Surrounding Islamic Boarding School Incidents with Reason and Conscience

In the last few days, social media has been busy discussing the collapse of the Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School building in Sidoarjo. The incident claimed lives and left many people in mourning. However, behind this tragic event, a wave of opinion emerged that was no less exciting. There are those who highlight the quality of the building, there are those who criticize its management, and there are also those who think this is part of a systematic effort to bring down the dignity of ulama and Islamic boarding schools.

Not all criticism can be considered hate speech or other negative comments. Sometimes it actually comes from a sense of caring as a fellow human being or as an assessment of something. When the public questions building construction, building permits, or student safety standards, this can be seen as concern and concern so that incidents like this do not happen again. Criticism delivered in a good manner and based on reality in society will also form a good response. If there is a response that leads to negative things that are considered an attack on Islam, do not rush to judge.

Also Read: Transformation Behind Islamic Boarding School Walls

On the other hand, if it is true that there are parties who take advantage of a tragedy to spread hate speech or denigrate Islamic boarding schools, this shows the importance of people’s social and spiritual intelligence in responding to information. The public, especially Muslims, must have the ability to sort out which information is correct and which is provocative. Not all criticism of Islamic boarding schools or religious institutions must be rejected outright, because some criticism can actually be valuable input for introspection and improvement.

However, not all issues circulating on social media should be trusted without a process tabayyun first. This selective attitude is the key so that people are not easily provoked by negative narratives that can divide the brotherhood. Thus, a balance between openness to criticism and caution against provocation is a form of religious intelligence and communication in the digital era.

Tebuireng Magazine

Upholding the Honor of the Ulama through Transparency and Morals

Maintaining Islamic boarding school ideology by maintaining the honor of ulama does not have to be done by giving impassioned arguments or appearing forceful on social media. The best way is to show that Islamic institutions, including Islamic boarding schools, are capable of being managed professionally, accountably and open to constructive criticism.

When an incident or problem occurs involving a religious institution, the wisest step is to explain the problem honestly and openly. For example, how the construction process is carried out, who is the implementing party or contractor, are there any technical negligence, and what kind of follow-up steps will be taken. This kind of openness will not weaken the authority of Islamic boarding schools, but will actually foster trust among the community.

Islamic boarding schools are a moral and spiritual fortress for the nation. However, a strong fortress must stand on responsibility, honesty and openness. Therefore, building people’s trust is much more important than just defending oneself emotionally. Trust will be born from the good morals and professionalism of an institution, not from narratives that accuse Islamic institutions of ‘attacks’.

Filtering the Narrative to Maintain the Integrity of the Community

We now live in an era where information spreads more quickly and at risk due to the development of modern communication technology, especially social media and the internet, which allows instant and massive distribution of content. This is also accompanied by a tendency to share information without verification, as well as an algorithm that prioritizes viral content. Sometimes even before official news comes out, opinions have already gone viral. This is where digital literacy and religious literacy are important.

Also Read: Tebuireng Islamic Boarding School Distributes Donations to Al Khoziny Sidoarjo Islamic Boarding School

Muslims must be able to refrain from prejudice. Not everything that goes viral is necessarily true, and not everything that is critical can be considered evil. We need to return to the principle of tabayyun, examine the truth before concluding. If we immediately interpret every criticism as part of a conspiracy to bring down Islam, we will be busy suspecting everyone and forget to fix things that really need to be fixed. Islam teaches balance about husnuzan (good -preach) and opinion (think healthy). These are two things that we need to revive in the midst of the current social media noise.

The incident in Al Khoziny should be a lesson for all, not a source of attack. We still respect the ulama, we still protect the Islamic boarding schools, but we also need to improve the system. Maintaining the dignity of the ulama does not mean closing your eyes to weaknesses. In fact, by having the courage to improve and being open to criticism, that honor will be even higher. On the other hand, people also need to be wise. Don’t easily believe in divisive narratives, but also don’t ignore things that really need to be criticized. Strong Islam was born from qualified ulama and intelligent people. If the two go hand in hand, there is no narrative that can separate us from belief and affection for religion.

Writer: Helfi Livia Putri
Editor: Rara Zarary