Transcending Epistemological Binaries: Harmonizing Bayani And Burhani Reasoning In Contemporary Pesantren Education In The Global Era

Abstract

Abstract

The discourse on Islamic education in Indonesia, particularly within the pesantren tradition, is often trapped in a persistent epistemological binary: the traditionalist approach focusing on textual authority (bayani) vis-à-vis the modern educational paradigm emphasizing empirical rationality (burhani). This dichotomy results in an educational schizophrenia where religious piety and scientific competency are perceived as mutually exclusive domains. This article aims to propose a comprehensive epistemological reconstruction for contemporary pesantren by harmonizing bayani and burhani reasons. Using a philosophical approach based on Muhammad Abed Al-Jabiri’s Critique of Arab Reason and Amin Abdullah’s Integration-Interconnection theory, this study argues that the preservation of tradition (turats) and the adoption of modern science are not contradictory but complementary. The findings suggest that harmonizing these reasons creates a 'Spider Web' of knowledge where Revelation serves as the ethical foundation and normative guide, while modern science functions as the analytical tool to decipher natural and social realities. This synthesis allows pesantren to produce 'Ulama-Scientists' who possess both spiritual depth and the intellectual agility to address global challenges such as ecological crises, bioethics, and digital disruption.

Keywords: Epistemological Binary; Bayani and Burhani; Pesantren Education; Islamic Philosophy of Science;  Spider Web Theory