The Internationalization of Islam a la President Prabowo
Historically, the role of santri (Islamic boarding school students), kiai (Islamic scholars), and pondok pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) in Indonesia's governance is undeniable. This is recorded in the contributions of kiai and santri who defended Indonesia's independence from the colonial powers that once occupied the nation's territory.
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| Prof. DR. Imam Subchi, MA |
Consequently, the existence of these social entities naturally commands the government's primary attention, especially following the enactment of Presidential Decree (Keppres) Number 22 of 2015 concerning Santri Day. Furthermore, the significance of santri and kiai is not merely a focus for the government; it is also an extensive focus for politicians vying for their political support.
Unsurprisingly, these social dynamics often emerge in the public sphere, as described by Habermas regarding the social arena. This is where politicians forge social bonds by visiting pesantren led by kiai who command a following of santri. This is attributed to the fact that kiai possess charisma and significant competence, including their large followings. Generally, santri will heed the words of the kiai from whom they gain knowledge. Therefore, it is only natural that politicians and the government strive to accommodate the interests of the santri and kiai who have defended and maintained Indonesia. One such way is through the National Santri Day commemoration, which is held regularly on October 22.
In this context, October 22 has become a social symbol. The Presidential Decree (Keppres) Number 22 of 2015 concerning Santri Day refers to a pivotal event in the nation's dynamics: the "Jihad Resolution" (Resolusi Jihad) delivered by K.H. Hasyim Asy’ari on October 22, 1945, to oppose the colonial state. Thus, the presence of kiai and santri in this social discourse is substantive, as they successfully mounted a vis-à-vis resistance against the colonial power, simultaneously preserving the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).
This government commitment to kiai and santri is also being demonstrated today by President Prabowo Subianto. Factually, President Prabowo Subianto has also shown great attention to this social entity by establishing the Directorate General of Pesantren under the Ministry of Religion. This is intended to provide comprehensive educational services and ensure the welfare of santri, especially given the relatively large number of pesantren in Indonesia. It is recorded that in 2025, there are 42,391 pesantren in Indonesia, clustered into traditional and modern types. There are 24,634 recorded traditionalist-based pesantren and 16,036 modern pesantren (Ministry of Religion, 2025).
In fact, President Prabowo Subianto, through the Minister of State Secretary, has stated that the government will give greater attention to the pesantren, which today number approximately 42,000 spread throughout Indonesia. At the same time, this attention is also directed towards science, technology, and the economy. This has become a primary concern for the government, especially under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto.
In general, the establishment of this Directorate General of Pesantren explicitly shows the government's commitment to santri in Indonesia, aiming for them to become leaders with superior competence, capacity, and capability amidst global competition. Therefore, this commitment to forming the Directorate General was also inherently met with a swift response from the Minister of Religion, Nasaruddin Umar, through letter number B-617/M/D-1/HK.03.00/10/2025 on October 21, 2025. In this regard, the formation of the directorate general, according to Minister of Religion Nasaruddin Umar, is to consolidate pesantren throughout Indonesia so they can be properly recorded. As a result, if the data is integrated, the government will certainly find it easier to provide services and support these santri, especially in the contexts of science, technology, and the economy, as mentioned earlier.
The concern shown by President Prabowo Subianto, as well as Minister of Religion Nasaruddin Umar and the actors who proposed this formation from the beginning, certainly holds great promise for santri and pesantren. It is especially hoped that this will enhance the competence of santri in the face of an increasingly complex contemporary civilization. This is particularly true under the leadership of Prabowo Subianto, as Indonesia has become a very active country on the international stage. Issues of Islam and humanity are consistently presented as crucial offerings for the world's complex problems. Consequently, President Prabowo Subianto, representing Indonesia in international forums, is increasingly respected for placing humanity above all else, much like K.H. Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) did. In other words, President Prabowo Subianto's concern is relevant to domestic political values.
These political values even extend to other substantial sectors, such as his involvement in international forums to aggregate the interests of Muslims as a whole. Unsurprisingly, President Prabowo genuinely believes in the meaning of international humanity. As a national figure who is well-traveled and experienced internationally, he understands that Indonesia cannot live by only managing its own problems. The nation's mindset must be opened wide to connect with the international community. The public has also rejoiced at this achievement. To some extent, this will impact Indonesia's bargaining position in the global arena.
At the same time, the President is vigorously promoting the internationalization of Islam as a strategic diplomatic paradigm. As a country with the social capital of having the world's largest Muslim population, Indonesia possesses a natural legitimacy to promote a moderate and inclusive face of Islam on the global stage. This paradigm does not merely treat Islam as an identity, but as a soft power asset that can be transformed into political and cultural influence. The President certainly realizes that to be intensively involved in these international forums, he first needs to extensively consolidate the pesantren institutions. Thus, the establishment of this directorate general is expected to integrate these key dimensions in detail.
Through the concept of Islam Nusantara, which emphasizes the values of tolerance, local wisdom, and a balance between tradition and modernity, Indonesia seeks to offer an alternative narrative to the global Islamic discourse that is often marked by polarization. Concrete initiatives such as serving as a mediator in conflicts within the Muslim world, initiating Islamic humanitarian forums, and strengthening educational cooperation between madrasas are manifestations of this paradigm.
The ideas of Islam and humanity are central issues that remain timeless. Of course, this does not stop at the conceptual stage. The President and his government are pushing this to the next level and are working on it in a relatively short period.
Hard Work
The most tangible action taken by President Prabowo, representing his most genuine and principled support, is his vocal advocacy on the global stage for Palestinian independence. Previously, in 2023, as Minister of Defense, he consistently affirmed Indonesia's support for Palestine's full membership in the United Nations (UN). In September 2023, his speech at the 78th UN General Assembly became concrete proof of this commitment, where he not only voiced solidarity but also emphatically championed Palestine's legitimacy and sovereignty before the international community.
More than just political support, Prabowo was also directly involved in humanitarian and reconstruction efforts for the Palestinian people. In February 2024, in a highly significant action, Indonesia, under his leadership as Minister of Defense, was appointed Co-Chair of the RECAAP (Reconstruction Committee for the Agreement on the Reconstruction of the Gaza Strip) Donor Conference. This strategic position allowed Prabowo to lead international efforts in fundraising and planning the rebuilding of Gaza, which had been devastated by war.
The most striking moment of public diplomacy occurred in May 2024, when Prabowo, then President-elect and awaiting inauguration, addressed the Extraordinary Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Riyadh. At this highest forum of Islamic solidarity, he not only condemned the injustice but specifically called for an immediate ceasefire and urged unhindered access for humanitarian aid, accompanied by an offer of Indonesian medical personnel.
To strengthen his position post-inauguration, Prabowo conducted direct diplomacy from late May to early June 2024 by visiting several key capital cities in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Egypt. These visits became crucial channels for discussing the latest developments regarding Palestine and building consensus among OIC member states.
The boldest and most strategic diplomatic step was Prabowo's attendance in mid-July 2024 at the NATO Summit in Washington D.C. Before a forum traditionally dominated by Israel's main allies, he loudly conveyed the concerns and position of the Muslim world regarding the Palestinian conflict. This courage to bring an often-opposing voice directly to the heart of the West's political headquarters is a tangible implementation of his vision to be a "bridge" or connector.
Furthermore, on January 12-14, 2025, Indonesia hosted the Ministerial Conference of Muslim-Developing Countries in Bali. In opening the forum, the President introduced the "Ummah-Based Food Security" initiative, which integrates Middle Eastern resources with Indonesia's agricultural capacity. The forum resulted in a joint commitment to form a technical working group scheduled to hold its first meeting in Jakarta in April 2025.
Following that, on March 3-5, 2025, President Prabowo conducted state visits to Pakistan and Bangladesh. In Islamabad, he officially launched the "Modern Pesantren Education Partnership Initiative," which includes an initial exchange of 200 students and a madrasa teacher certification program. The implementation agreement for this program was signed in Dhaka, with its execution scheduled to begin in the new academic year of July 2025.
Some time later, on May 20, 2025, Indonesia organized an Emergency OIC Summit in Jakarta in response to the humanitarian crisis in Africa. During the meeting, President Prabowo successfully secured an initial commitment to establish an Islamic Humanitarian Fund for Africa, with a first-phase commitment of 200 million USD from various member states. Indonesia itself committed 20 million USD and will also serve as the fund's trustee.
Nearing the end of the first half of 2025, precisely on June 18, 2025, President Prabowo attended the G20 Summit in Riyadh, bringing a special agenda: the "Framework for Islamic Green Finance." This proposal received a positive response from several member states and resulted in an agreement to form a joint drafting team, scheduled to complete the draft by the first quarter of 2026.
At the beginning of the second half of the year, on August 12, 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Indonesia's diplomatic success in facilitating a preliminary meeting between representatives of the conflicting groups in Sudan. The meeting, held in Bogor, was the result of second-track diplomacy conducted since March 2025 and produced an agreement to continue talks at a technical level in October 2025 in Doha.
The various strategic efforts above are just a few of the activities that have cultivated public trust in Indonesia's international Islamic politics under President Prabowo's administration. This will also push the discussion to the next realm, concerning three follow-up strategies for the internationalization of Islam to face the resounding waves of international political change.
Strategy
In facing increasingly massive changes in international politics, Indonesia should develop three sustainable, relevant, and adaptive strategies for the internationalization of Islam. First, a humanitarian diplomacy strategy based on universal Islamic values. Indonesia consistently positions itself as a mediator in conflicts within the Muslim world, as reflected in the efforts to resolve the conflict in Sudan and the establishment of the Islamic Humanitarian Fund for Africa. This strategy can withstand the turmoil of international politics because it is based on humanitarian principles that transcend political blocs, making it acceptable to various parties from both the Western and Eastern Blocs.
Second, the development of the Sharia economy as a soft power instrument. Indonesia is actively promoting the Framework for Islamic Green Finance in the G20 forum and various bilateral cooperations. This strategy demonstrates resilience in the face of geopolitical change because it touches on the practical interests of various countries, combining Sharia finance principles with the sustainable development agenda, which is a global concern. This approach allows Indonesia to build strategic alliances not limited by specific political polarizations, but rather based on mutual economic benefits.
Third, educational diplomacy and moderate Islamic cultural exchange. Through initiatives like the Modern Pesantren Education Partnership with various countries, Indonesia is building long-term intellectual and cultural networks. This strategy has high sustainability because it operates at the people-to-people connection level, which is relatively more stable than government political relations. In the face of international political fluctuations, this cultural network becomes a kind of shock absorber that maintains the continuity of Indonesia's engagement with the global Islamic world.
These three strategies demonstrate Indonesia's adaptability in reading global trends while simultaneously maintaining the basic principles of its Islamic diplomacy. What is interesting is that all three are mutually reinforcing—humanitarian diplomacy opens political access, the Sharia economy provides substantive content, and educational diplomacy ensures the sustainability of engagement. However, the biggest challenge remains in the consistency of implementation and the ability to maintain Indonesia's credibility as a neutral and legitimate actor amidst increasingly complex global competition.
Thus, President Prabowo Subianto's commitment to humanitarian values, especially concerning the dimension of santri and pesantren, has been intensively carried out, both on a national and global scale. This commitment is not mere rhetoric; it is being earnestly implemented. This is evident in the 2025 Santri Day commemoration, which will see the establishment of the Directorate General of Pesantren.
The author is a Doctoral (S3) Lecturer in Islamic Civilization History and Vice-Rector II of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta
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