Journal of Islamic Studies and Culture December 2015, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 28-38 ISSN: 2333-5904 (Print), 2333-5912 (Online) Copyright © The Author(s). All Rights Reserved. Published by American Research Institute for Policy Development DOI: 10.15640/jisc.v3n2a4 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.15640/jisc.v3n2a4 Modernization Of Islamic “Surau” Traditional Education In West Sumatera, Indonesia Muhammad Mawangir1 Abstract Since Indonesian reformation era, west sumateran society (Minang) echoed the emergence of slogan ‘back to the surau’ to bring back Islamic educational institution. Surau is the mosques dubbed by west sumateran society that has the function not only as the worshipping place but also as the center of community education. Law Number 22 of 1999 on Regional Autonomy and Regional Regulation No. 9 of 2000 on the nagari, west sumateran system of society are the cornerstone of the initial desire. Although there is no direct connection between the surau and those regulation, but those affect the attention of people who want return the missing old tradition revived. In addition, it is also very closely related to the community creed adaik basandi Syarak, Syarak basandi Kitabullah, customs based on syariah, and syariah based on the book of Allah. This paper tries to offer the process to modernize the Surau as the integration of Islamic traditional society with the modern education system in Indonesia. The surau education models that can be offered in the present era, among others, are at least the surau has to build Islamic center, boarding school or something, a mosque itself, dormitories, classrooms, seminar rooms, a wellness area, a consultation room, a library, means of sports, laboratories, and park. It has to cultivate integrative science both Islam and modern, broad and high insight, adequate skills, and noble character. On the other hand, the role of the surau seems to preserve its original function; as the initial and basic institutions for minang children at least to learn the Koran. And, If possible, surau can be functioned as the place to revitalize the Minang traditions. Keywords: Modernization, surau and Minangkabau Introduction Minangkabau is a tribe of West Sumatera region in Indonesia, which is known as one of the center of Islam in the archipelago. The history and development of Islam in this region attract many observers of Islam in the archipelago, including western indonesianits’. The struggle of Islam with the local culture (Minangkabau tradition) also gives an attraction, due to the uniqueness found in matrilineal in kinship system that still preserved in this era. In other hand, the Minangkabau region has always been considered as one of the initial point of modernist Islamic idea, due to intellectual contact between the Minangkabau and the Arab world, especially through the medium of the Hajj. The presence of economic improvement in this area as a direct result of the internationalization of trade in coffee and other agricultural products made the voyage to the Arab world possible. In summary, the dynamism of this region has made such a prominent Islamic modernization in many ways. Endang Saefuddin Ansari said that the modernization process is intended as an activity that brings progress and reforms-changes in the composition and mode of human society, from static to dynamic, from traditional to rational, from the feudal to the populist society.2 The process changes the way of thinking so as to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of all apparatuses and procedures. Undoubtedly, the modernization also provides color and style of the constant changes according to the time and space. 1 Islamic State University, Raden Fatah Palembang, Indonesia. 2 Endang Saefuddin Anshari, Wawasan Islam: Pokok-pokok Pikiran tentang Islam dan Umatnya, (Jakarta: Rajawali, 1986), pp. 230-231 Muhammad Mawangir 29 The emergence of modernism is based on several assumptions, namely: First, today is the development and progress of anytime that indicate a change in the various aspects of human life; second, religious teachings in each period should be related to the actual conditions in society, consciously or not, as the old doctrine might be no longer relevant to the present condition of society; Third, the view of every age on the nature of religion is relative which is according to the development of knowledge at that moment. Thus, what might be considered to be true in the past, it may be false right now.3 Based on the theory above, it could be assumed that modernization resulted in the emergence of the changes. These changes occur both institutionally and instrumentally, including Islam in Nusantara. According to Noer in the 18th century, many Indonesian Muslims began to realize that they would not likely compete with the forces that opposed the penetration of Christian mission and struggled in facing the modernity if they still had continued their traditional ways.4 Then, they realized the need for the changes, both by digging Islamic traditions of the past and adapting the new development rendered by west. The changes in both institutionally and instrumentally, occurred within Islam itself and from outside that affect the progress of Islam. Therefore, this article tries to discovered the change and development of Surau institution from the era of Dutch East Indies in Minangkabau to present modernization of surau education model in response to the slogan “back to the surau” in reformation era, that implemented in the new Indonesian system of local autonomy. According to Azyumardi Azra, surau in the context of autonomy believed that Minang community could generate batang tarandam (sinking rod), that will produce such great scholars of the past, such as. Prof. Dr. Buya Hamka.5 Surau tarandam (collapsing of surau) Surau was originally introduced by Sheikh Burhanuddin both as a praying place and educational institutions especially for traditional Islamic mysticism. Then it could quickly become socialized well in the life of Minangkabau society. In addition, surau was also as a gathering place for boys who have already bocome adult (baligh) and stopover place for the nomads (perantau).6 The early existence of surau was very strategic institution for disseminating Islamic lessons,7 but since the Dutch colonial implemented policy on education, economy, and religion, the function of Surau among community had been marginalized.8 Secular educational institutions established by Dutch colonists began to have a place in the hearts of most of the indigenous peoples. In contrary surau as Islamic educational institutions began to be marginalized, meanwhile the Islamic scholar there began to be separated. In 1882, the Dutch government formed a special body to oversee the religious life and Islamic education that was called Priesterraden. The Dutch government policy regulated the course of education. Since the beginning of the 20th century, Islamic Minangkabau society was in a depressed situation. The society had faced economic pressures and political weight of the colonial Dutch, and on the other hand, ideas about religious renewal in all aspects seem increasingly vociferous echo. In 1908, the Dutch colonial government practiced the new tax system (belasting) to change the monopoly system of trade commodity in Indonesia, especially for coffee that since the quarter of 19th century, the production had declined. Indeed, from an economic standpoint, the policy seemed lucrative for the people, because crops could be sold on the free market. 3 Bustami Muhammad Said, Gerakan Pembaharuan Agama antara Modernisme dan Tajdiduddin, translated by. Abd Rahman. (Bekasi: Wacana Lazuardi Amanah, 1995), pp. 224 4 Deliar Noer, Gerakan Modern Islam di Indonesia 1900-1942, (Jakarta: LP3ES, 1996), pp. 37 5 Azyumardi Azra, Surau: Pendidikan Islam Tradisional daI Transisi dan Modernisasi, (Ciputat: Logos, 2003), pp. VII 6 Christine Dobbin, Kebangkitan Islam dalam Ekonomi Petani yang Sedang Berubah: Sumatera Tengah 1784-1847, translated by Lilian D. Tedjasukandhana, (Jakarta: INIS, 1992). pp. 142. Azyumardi Azra, "Surau di Tengah Krisis: Pesantren dalam Perspektif Masyarakat", in Dawam Rahardjo, (ed.), Pergulatan Dunia Pesantren: Membangun dari Bawah, (Jakarta: P3M. 1985), pp. 156 7 Azyumardi Azra, The Rise and the Decline of the Minangkabau: A Traditional Institution in West Sumatra During Dutch Colonial Government, (Colombia: Colombia University, 1988), pp. 22 8 Ramayulis, Sejarah Pendidikan Islam: Napaktilas Perubahan Konsep Filsafat dan Metodologi Pendidikan Islam dari Era Nabi SAW sampai Ulama Nusantara, (Jakarta: Kalam Mulia, 2012), pp. 299 30 Journal of Islamic Studies and Culture, Vol. 3(2), December 2015 However, people saw it from the other side, where the new rule of the Dutch colonial government was no longer impressed as a protector of Minangkabau, but showed his attitude as a ruler of Minangkabau because of levied tax, although Plakat Panjang Treaty9 stated that there would not be a direct levied tax on the Minangkabau people by Dutch colonial government . The Dutch colonial government policies were significant to the economic changes in Minangkabau. Increasingly dominant economic sector of the city influenced economy of nagari (villages), and this turn the economic condition of society to be more self sufficient. For instance, there were weekly alternative markets rotated into several adjoining villages. Furthermore, the cities in Minangkabau had been growing and visited by many immigrants with their children from the surrounding villages.