Pesantren as More Than a Place for Religious Education
Islamic boarding schools, or pesantren, have traditionally been known as institutions for religious education, character development, preaching, and community empowerment. However, changing social and economic demands require pesantren to equip students with practical life skills, including entrepreneurship.
The article notes that some pesantren continue to place greater emphasis on religious knowledge, while economic skills and business management receive less attention. This situation can make pesantren dependent on financial assistance or donations to support their educational and organizational activities.
Al-Hikmah Islamic Boarding School in North Lombok has adopted a different approach. The pesantren has developed several business units where students can gain direct experience in economic activities. These units include a sewing vocational training center, a pesantren cooperative, livestock and fisheries activities, and snack-based micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Four Islamic Values Become the Foundation of Business Education
The model examined by Sazli Ra’is and his colleagues places four major Islamic values at the center of entrepreneurship education: shiddiq, amanah, tabligh, and fathanah.
Shiddiq is applied through honesty in transactions and business activities. Amanah emphasizes responsibility in managing tasks and resources. Tabligh encourages openness in business communication, while fathanah promotes intelligence in identifying opportunities and making decisions.
Through this approach, entrepreneurship education at the pesantren is not focused solely on financial profit. Business activities are also used to develop students who are honest, responsible, creative, independent, and socially aware.
Business Units Become Entrepreneurship “Living Laboratories”
One of the study’s important findings is that pesantren business units function as practical or “living laboratories” for students. Rather than learning entrepreneurship only through classroom theory, students participate directly in production, marketing, task distribution, capital management, customer service, and business evaluation.
Observations conducted on January 15, 2026, showed several students participating in goat farming and fish farming activities. Pesantren administrators also reported that several business activities were still operating, including snack-based MSMEs, the sewing vocational training center, the pesantren cooperative, and fish, chicken, and goat farming.
In the snack MSME unit, for example, around 20 students were reportedly interested in participating. The management then assigned responsibilities according to each student’s skills. Some students were more skilled in cooking, while others were better at marketing. This division of responsibilities became part of the students’ learning process in teamwork and organizational management.
Entrepreneurship Education Relies on Practice and Mentoring
The program is managed through several stages, including planning, task distribution, training, motivation, implementation, supervision, and evaluation.
During the planning stage, pesantren administrators hold meetings to establish goals and assign students to different business areas. The pesantren also works with government institutions to obtain support for capital and facilities.
Mentoring is provided through motivation and training. Pesantren leaders remind administrators of their responsibilities, while entrepreneurship managers provide students with both theoretical and practical instruction.
Supervision is conducted both directly and indirectly. Administrators visit business locations to monitor activities, while business reports and financial records are presented during evaluation meetings. In the snack MSME unit, students also prepare monthly reports on income and expenses.
Government and Foundation Support Remain Important
The development of Al-Hikmah’s business units has been supported by facilities provided by government institutions and the pesantren foundation. This support includes the construction of a sewing training facility, sewing machines, fish ponds, and other business equipment.
However, the study identified a significant problem related to maintenance. Funding for maintaining business facilities remains limited. As a result, some equipment and facilities have become damaged and cannot be used optimally.
The sewing training unit also reported that training support is available when programs are provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, but the available funding is mainly allocated to training activities. Facility maintenance remains a challenge.
This finding indicates that sustainable entrepreneurship programs in pesantren require more than establishing business units. Long-term funding, facility maintenance, professional management, supervision, and evaluation are also essential.
Research Method
Ra’is, Huda, Syarifudin, and Arzani used a qualitative approach with a case study method. Al-Hikmah Islamic Boarding School in North Lombok was selected as the research site. The informants included pesantren leaders, teachers involved in entrepreneurship education, administrators, and students participating in business units.
Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participatory observations, and documentation. The researchers directly observed student activities and compared interview findings with observations and documentary evidence. Data analysis involved data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing and verification based on the Miles and Huberman model.
Implications for Pesantren Education
The Al-Hikmah model demonstrates that religious education and entrepreneurship can be developed side by side. Pesantren can maintain their primary role as Islamic educational institutions while providing students with opportunities to develop practical economic skills.
For students, such experiences can become valuable preparation for life after graduation. They leave the pesantren with not only religious knowledge but also practical experience in managing business activities, working in teams, dividing responsibilities, and addressing real-world economic challenges.
For pesantren, business units can contribute to greater economic independence. For communities, graduates equipped with entrepreneurial skills may have greater potential to develop new economic activities and create employment opportunities.
The researchers emphasize that the main strength of the model lies in integrating spiritual values with business practices. Entrepreneurship education can therefore produce Muslim entrepreneurs who are economically productive while maintaining moral and spiritual integrity.
Author Profiles
All four authors are affiliated with UIN Mataram and examine issues related to Islamic education, entrepreneurship, pesantren economic independence, and student character development. The article identifies Sazli Ra’is as the corresponding author.
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