When Politics Loses Its Moral Compass, Santri Must Become the Nation’s Guiding Light
By: Dr. Abdul Wadud Nafis, Lc., MEI Politics should fundamentally be a form of public service aimed at realizing justice, prosperity, and the common good. However, when politics becomes more concerned with the struggle for power than with serving the public, the nation faces a serious moral crisis. In such circumstances, the commemoration of National Santri Day becomes an important opportunity to reaffirm the role of santri as guardians of Islamic values, national identity, and humanity. Santri are not merely associated with traditional sarongs, caps, classical Islamic texts, and life in Islamic boarding schools known as pesantren. More importantly, they represent an intellectual and spiritual tradition that cultivates honesty, simplicity, discipline, and responsibility. These values should serve as the foundation for building a dignified political culture. When political practices are…




