Technology has given various kind of easiness to santri (students of Islamic Boarding School). If in the past, Santri need a lot of times to cook rice, to boil water, to wash clothes, and to move here and there, now they could use rice cooker, water dispenser, washing machine, and motorcycle or even a car. Also, formerly, students used to wait long enough for receiving money from their parents via Wesel, lining up in a Wartel (a call shop) to call their parents, now they can utilize ATM and mobile phones. Similarly, in teaching-learning process, technology enables the santri to have thousands of yellow books (Kitab Kuning) without buying in a bookstore because the applications of those books have been already provided. For instance, Maktabah Syāmilah contains 6111 of yellow books which comprise various kinds of Islamic Studies disciplines from classical to modern one. For pesantren (Islamic Boarding School) that just want to access those books of Ahlussunnah wal Jamaat (Aswaja) stream can download the application of Syumila NU which also contains of books and amaliyah (tradition) of NU and there is no distortion (tahīf) conducted by the Salafi Wahabi in those books. The santri are now able to enjoy teaching and learning methods which are more creative and varied by using laptop and LCD. The subject like history will not be boring anymore because it can be done by watching and discussing relevant films, for instance, the history of great scholar of Ibn Rushd in the film Le Destin or al–Mashir.
But, on the other hand, technology also overwhelms santri with various unlimited information which include fake information, which are incompatible with their belief, which contains racism or pornography. For santri who have handphone connected to the Internet, such information can be easily accessed by them without any censors from their caregivers and teachers. Day by day, this information settles in their mind and then influences santri’s behavior. In addition, the development of communication technology also causes a value shifting. A conversation about sexuality which is taboo in the beginning now can be openly discussed in social media and can be accessed by any children. Unfortunately not all information about sexuality contains education element. Even, generally, it is misleading. There are so many pornographic viruses so that the internet users, including children and teenagers can easily get lost in the websites containing information about sexuality which indulge themselves with lust.
So, the development of information technology gives many benefits and harms in the same time for the santri. A total ban for santri to use that kind of information technology may cause them unskilled and unable them to respond the incursion of information proportionally when they are outside pesantren. But, let them browsing in the virtual world to access the information freely is similar to let them being a victim of any various irresponsible information. Thus, in this era of globalization, pesantren has a serious work to accompany the santri in order to be able to respond the development of information technology wisely. Because, finally the santri will return to their communities without the assistance of their caregivers and teachers.
One of the ways to encourage the wise and responsible attitude to the santri in using the information technology is to give an opportunity to discuss scientifically the information on sexuality which is considered as taboo, which has been openly discussed in social media and virtual world in general.
Alquran itself does not consider as taboo to discuss about sexuality. Sex organ (furūj) is mentioned seven times in QS. al-Ahzab / 33: 35 and an-Nur / 24: 30-31, al-Mukminun / 23: 5, al-Ma’arij / 70: 19, sperm in QS. ath-Thariq / 86: 6-7, menstruation in QS. al-Baqarah / 2: 222, sexual intercourse in QS. al-Baqarah / 2: 197, 187223, 228, pregnancy in QS. al-Mukminun / 23: 12-14, as-Sajdah / 32: 7-9, az-Zumar / 39: 6, al-Ahqaf / 46: 15, QS childbirth in QS. al-Ahqaf / 46: 15, Luqman / 31: 14, and breastfeeding in QS. al-Ahqaf / 46: 15, Luqman / 31: 14, al-Baqarah / 2: 233.
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