The Koran at School

As a follow-up to My First Day at Madrasa, I wanted to share more about madrasa life. The following describes common happenings at school in which we can observe the role of religion, field notes style!

Education at an Indonesian madrasa is unique for the depth of Islamic influence and the focus on Indonesia’s neediest students. I’m sure I don’t need to remind my readers that not all madrasas in the world teach extremist values. Here’s one good report on Indonesia. Just like other schools here, madrasas are funded and administered by the state. Yes, madrasas are public schools! While regular schools also require uniforms, prayer, and obligatory religion class, madrasas go further.

Culture on campus is marked by tradition and formality. For example, one of the two acceptable forms of touch between men and women is a handshake (and the rare high-five when warranted). The other is known as “salim.” This gesture is initiated when an elder (or teacher) presents their hand palm down. The subordinate (or student) does a half bow and touches the hand to their forehead in deference. The gesture draws attention to power, status, and position in the same way “you” is translated into a higher or lower form in both Indonesian and Javanese. I participate, but I haven’t yet decided if I should dismiss my personal discomfort with the custom.

Faculty and students also reinforce convention through their linguistic choices. I typically greet people with “good morning” or “how are you?” in Indonesian. Here it is common to hear the elaborate Arabic greeting “Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh” used to open and close even the shortest of dialogues.

Dress codes are strict—I’m checking my privilege as a man now—but thankfully I do not have to wrestle with the dilemma of the jilbab or worry about exposing my elbows or collarbones. 100% of girls and women wear the head covering at my school. Straying from modesty norms is quickly corrected.

Even though Indonesia is a Muslim-majority country, state policies promote tolerance for religious diversity as mandated by Pancasila. This means religion is a required subject at all high schools whether students are Muslim, Hindu, or any other state-recognized religion (atheism is not an option). Compared to regular schools, madrasa students spend about 50% more time studying religion. My madrasa also offers Arabic language classes and a host of Islamic themed extracurricular activities. How does God fit into science lessons? My biology teacher friend assures me he teaches evolution–more than can be said for some schools in the US!

An Al-Qur’an in a windowsill.

Morning prayers at school.

A junior teacher takes the hand of a senior teacher in demonstrating “salim.”