PURWOKERTO — Integrating religious doctrines with the global sustainable development agenda has proven to be an effective strategy for driving community-based environmental action across Indonesia. Recent research conducted by Kholid Mawardi, Supriyanto, and Zein Muchamad Masykur from UIN Prof. K.H. Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto reveals that the "One Santri, One Tree" Ecotheology Movement successfully translated classical Islamic environmental jurisprudence, known as fiqh al-bi'ah, into practical ecological action within Islamic boarding schools. The study demonstrates that faith-based framing transforms global sustainability goals into moral imperatives that mobilize millions of students nationwide.
The background of this research highlights Indonesia's unique position as the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, hosting over 42,000 Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) with approximately 1.37 million resident students (santri). Secular environmental campaigns often face operational limitations in shifting public habits at a fundamental level. In contrast, pesantren leverage moral authority, spiritual leadership, and daily pedagogical routines to internalize ecological stewardship directly as an expression of faith and religious duty.
The research methodology employed a qualitative document analysis and netnographically informed digital content analysis. The authors analyzed a corpus of institutional press releases, policy documents, news media reports, and ethnographic documentation centered on Pesantren Ekologi Ath-Thaariq in Garut, West Java. Utilizing a Triadic Vernacularization Model, the study traced how theological doctrines, state policy mechanisms, and local pedagogical practices converge to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The empirical results show that the national ecotheology initiative evolved through a multi-year policy assemblage, tracing back to Indonesian Ulema Council fatwas on mining in 2011 and waste management in 2014, culminating in a national movement launched in late 2025. The researchers identified the mechanism of "Barokah Infrastructure," wherein physical environmental practices carry a dual purpose. Tree planting, ablution water recycling for agriculture, and pesantren-based waste management serve as spiritual acts seeking divine blessing while simultaneously operating as measurable environmental interventions for climate action, water conservation, and waste diversion.
The implications of this research provide actionable insights for public policy architects and faith-based environmental governance. The Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry are advised to establish robust, institution-level monitoring frameworks to verify long-term tree survival rates and waste reduction metrics across participating schools. Furthermore, this pesantren-based model offers a scalable blueprint for other Muslim-majority and developing nations seeking to harness faith-based educational networks for global climate action.
Author Profiles
Kholid Mawardi, UIN Prof. K.H. Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto
Supriyanto, UIN Prof. K.H. Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto
Zein Muchamad Masykur, UIN Prof. K.H. Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto
Research Source
Article Title: One Santri, One Tree, One Ummah: Vernacularizing the Sustainable Development Goals through Fiqh al-Bi'ah and Pesantren Ecotheology in Indonesia
Journal Name: International Journal of Scientific Multidisciplinary Research (IJSMR)
Publication Year: 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/ijsmr.v4i9.160
Official URL: https://journalijsmr.my.id/index.php/ijsmr
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