THE ROLE OF PESANTREN IN THE DECENTERING OF ISLAMIC STUDIES….. Page 1 | Haryani Santo Hartono THE ROLE OF PESANTREN IN THE DECENTERING OF ISLAMIC STUDIES: A CASE STUDY OF PONDOK MODERN DARUSSALAM GONTOR Haryani Santo Hartono Master of Arts in Islamic Studies Program International Open University haryanihartanakahar@gmail.com Abstract Islam had spread to all corners of the world but no longer had one centralized authority. Even though, in reality the existence of a religion still requires a unity under an authority. Every Muslim should at least be able to determine their own leadership in their respective territories. Pesantren, as an Islamic educational institution originating from Indonesia, has become an icon and has many roles in the development of Islam and Islamic Studies. Especially in its home country, with the largest Muslim population in the world. Pesantren is a formal educational institution that is the closest institution to Muslim society. Pesantren has distinctive elements consisting of kyai figures, the teachers called ustadz and the students called santri. This study aims to describe the roles of pesantren in the decentering of Islamic Studies. This research takes a case study at Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor. The results of this study indicate that pesantren has been implementing the decentering authority of religion. Pesantren has been taking part in decentering Islam and Islamic Studies since a long time ago. The success of one pesantren can be role model for other pesantrens and other Islamic educational institutions to be able to support the decentering of Islamic studies. Keywords: Pesantren, Islamic Studies, decentering authority, Muslim society