Lecturer at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta (FISIP UIN Jakarta, Saifudin Asrori, succeeded in obtaining the title of Doctor of Islamic Studies for the concentration of Sociology-Anthropology from the Postgraduate School (SPs) UIN Jakarta. He succeeded in becoming the 1,462nd Doctor to be graduated SPs UIN Jakarta after passing the Doctoral Promotion exam at the Prof. Dr. Suwito Auditorium, SPs Building, Monday (7/8/2023).

In this exam, the Lector of the Sociology Study Program, FISIP UIN Jakarta, defended his dissertation entitled ' Islamic Modernism of the Santri: Reproduction and Variation of Islamic Education at the Gontor Alumni Islamic Boarding School '. This dissertation was written under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Jamhari MA, Prof. Dr. Ali Munhanif MA, and Prof. Jajang Jahroni MA Ph.D.

Apart from his three supervisors, his dissertation examination featured a number of other examiners such as Prof. Dr. Didin Saepudin MA, Prof. Dr. Masri Mansoer MA, and Prof. Dr. Yusron Razak MA. The dissertation examination itself was led directly by the SPs Director, Prof. Dr. Zulkifli MA. In an exam that lasted approximately two hours, Saifudin succeeded in achieving the  Cum Laude title .

As explained in the promotional exam, Saifudin placed the focus of his study on the Mu'allimin education system implemented by the Gontor alumni Islamic boarding school (Pesantren Darussalam Gontor, East Java). In this case, Saifudin saw it from the experience of the Al-Amien Prenduan Islamic Boarding School in Madura, the Darunnajah Islamic Boarding School in Jakarta, the al-Syeikh Abdul Wahid Islamic Boarding School in Bau-Bau Buton, and the Mawaridussalam Islamic Boarding School in Deli Serdang.

His dissertation research noted that the Mu'allimin education system was quite an attractive education system for the Muslim community in the country. Apart from providing education with a modern learning curriculum, the education system also offers Islamic teaching simultaneously.

"That is a group of people who are able to send their children to school far from home in the hope of getting a good education, while still being able to practice Islamic teachings in their daily lives," he explained.

According to Saifudin's notes, quite a large number of Gontor alumni Islamic boarding schools have adopted the Mu'allimin education system. "Based on data at the Gontor Alumni Islamic Boarding School Forum (FPAG) meeting, there are around 450 Islamic boarding schools," he said.

The Mu'allimin education system developed by the Gontor Islamic Boarding School, he explained, has developed into a management pattern for Islamic boarding school education spread across various regions in Indonesia. The proliferation of the mu'allimin Islamic education system not only marks a form of knowledge transmission and modern Islamic boarding school institutions based on the learning experiences gained by Alumni. "However, it is also proof of the ability to adapt this education system to developments in the surrounding environment," he said.

The majority of Islamic boarding school alumni, he continued, are trying to adapt to the education system recognized by the government. In this case, the management, supervision and funding structures are embedded in the complex bureaucratic network of the Ministry of Religion, Ministry of Education and Culture, Ministry of Home Affairs, and Provincial, Regency/City Governments.

The Alumni Lodge has also developed to represent a portrait of the diversity of religious orientations of kiai and religious organizations. Many alumni have become the basis for the development of transnational ideologies such as Hizbut Tahrir, Salafi, Wahhabi, Tarbiyah, as well as the revival of several Sufi spiritual groups and mysticism.

Saifudin said that the various variants of Alumni Islamic boarding schools, both in terms of differences in grading systems, curricula and religious orientation, are proof that the term 'modern' or 'modernism' has various, layered and not single meanings.

"This also shows the important contribution of Pondok Alumni in producing culture or traditions in line with the development of the society where the Islamic boarding school is located," he concluded.