The government must be firm about the polemic on deviations from Panji Gumilang, the leadership of the Al-Zaytun Islamic Boarding School

BONSERNEWS.com – The Al-Zaytun Islamic boarding school issue is rolling again. Now, even Sheikh Panji Gumilang, the leader of the al Zaytun Islamic boarding school in Indramayu which was founded in 1999, is facing legal cases at Bareskrim, administrative problems at the Ministry of Religion, and attitudes from the Indramayu MUI and West Java PWNU which forbid sending Santri to al Zaytun Islamic boarding school.

Most recently, the West Java Provincial Government investigation team and even the Governor of West Java and the West Java MUI recommended that the pesantren led by Panji Gumilang be disbanded. But is it possible for Islamic Boarding Schools to be disbanded?

MPR Deputy Chairman, Hidayat Nur Wahid, said that in accordance with the Islamic Boarding Schools Law, the Ministry of Religious Affairs could disband or revoke Islamic boarding schools’ permits, but they had to be based on legal facts.

Also Read: Let’s get to know Panji Gumilang, who is the leader of the Al Zaytun Islamic Boarding School, see his full profile

“Indonesia is a country of laws. The Islamic Boarding School Law gives the right to permit the establishment of Islamic boarding schools or revoke Islamic boarding school licenses to the Ministry of Religion. And the Ministry of Religion has revoked the permits for Islamic boarding schools in Bandung (namely the Manarul Huda Islamic boarding school) and Islamic boarding schools at OKU Sumsel (Darul Ulum Islamic boarding schools) because of moral crimes committed by Islamic boarding school leaders, whose guilt has been proven legally,” said Hidayat, Wednesday 5 July 2023.

Member of the Religious Commission (VIII) of the DPR, reminded that the controversy over the leadership of the Al-Zaytun Islamic Boarding School had been troubling for a long time and had become a public concern. This was in addition to the fact that Panji Gumilang himself and the Chairperson of the Indramayu MUI and PWNU West Java openly conveyed these problems which led to the conclusion that they forbid sending students to the pesantren.

Also Read: Following is the Profile of the Al Zaytun Islamic Boarding School, which is Viral Reaping Controversy, Check Out the Full Explanatory Reviews

Like the Panji Gumilang controversy that says the Koran is not the word of God, but the word of the Prophet because God does not speak Arabic. That is a fundamental problem because faith in Allah’s books including the Koran is part of the pillars of faith. If it is stated that the Koran is not the word of God but the word of the Prophet who is also a creature, then that downgrades the Koran and equates it with the creations of other creatures, that is already out of the aqidah of Ahlussunnah wal jamaah which applies in Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia. So it’s a pity that the students are taught knowledge and aqidah that deviates like this,” he said.

“Panji Gumilang is also reported to have taught the Hajj, one of the pillars of Islam, not having to go to Makkah, it can be in Indonesia, because Indonesia is also a holy land. This is clearly not true and deviates from the teachings of the Prophet and Islamic Scholars, as well as the mu’tabar (standard) books taught in all Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia. Coupled with various open controversies about issues that, although not ushul (principles) but furu’ (branches) are like
carry out Eid al-Fitr prayers mixed with male and female shaf which are also attended by non-Muslims. Then the prayer is made at a distance by reason of body odor, and how to pronounce the call to prayer at Al-Zaytun, and his opinion about the mosque, etc.

“The longer Panji Gumilang is, the more courageous he is to demonstrate his attitudes and actions that are not in line with the mainstream Islamic boarding schools and the religious attitudes of Muslims in Indonesia in general. Panji Gumilang did not take ibrah (lessons) and so far he has not been prosecuted by law for his various controversies, even though Panji Gumilang, as he himself admitted, had been locked up, detained for 10 months in prison in 2015 due to a case of “altering” the deed document of the Islamic Education Foundation,” he explained.

“If there is no correction, it will be like there is justification for various deviations from his teachings” -Hidayat Nur Wahid-

HNW supports the steps taken by the Police, Ministry of Religion, MUI, including the West Java Regional Government to take the Panji Gumilang case seriously this time, including taking strict legal action in accordance with Indonesia’s principles as a rule of law, as well as correcting the teaching controversy stated by Panji Gumilang, the leader of the Al-Islamic boarding school. Olive.

“I appreciate the legal steps taken by the Police. Now even Bareskrim has summoned and examined Panji Gumilang, and has raised it to the level of investigation. This means that the legal process is carried out. And that’s what should be done first with HTI and then with FPI. Because Indonesia is a rule of law country that recognizes the importance of legal justice. This really needs to be done and proven by law enforcers, including the police,” said HNW.

“If Panji Gumilang is proven guilty and is again subject to legal sanctions, it is the Ministry of Religion’s task to exercise its authority with the West Java Provincial Government, and MUI and Islamic Ulemas/Ormas to prepare steps related to the fate of students and Al-Zaytun Islamic boarding school as an Islamic educational institution which should only teach students The santri are things that are in accordance with the teachings of various types of Islamic boarding schools which are recognized by the Islamic Boarding School Law, in order to increase faith, piety, knowledge and noble character in order to educate the nation’s life in accordance with the provisions of the 1945 UUDNRI “he concluded. ()