The Pesantren Tradition: The Role of the Kyai in the Maintenance of Traditional Islam in Java

The Javanese pesantren system is among the largest and most complex educational networks in the Muslim world. It was the primary educational system in Java prior to 1900, and it continues to play a vital role both in education and in the social, cultural, and religious lives of Javanese and other Indonesians. Despite its size and importance, very little has been written in European languages about the pesantren and the type of Islamic learning and piety they promote. Illustrated.