Beyond Transmission: T-CAIM Framework for Navigating Religious Authority and AI Integration in Pesantren Education
Keywords:
T-CAIM, Knowledge Transmission, Religious Authority, Epistemic Authority, Beyond Transmission
Abstract
The Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies are fundamentally vibrating worldviews and reshaping the epistemological landscape of global education, raising urgent questions about the future of tradition-based institutions. This article critically examines the intersections between AI-driven educational transformation and the enduring pedagogical and religious authority structures of Pesantren, Indonesia’s indigenous Islamic boarding schools. Drawing on Bourdieu’s theory of field, capital, and habitus; Habermas’s communicative action theory; and the concept of epistemic authority in Islamic scholarship, this paper argues that Pesantren face a dual challenge: preserving the integrity of knowledge transmission (sanad) and spiritual formation (Tarbiyah) central to their identity, while simultaneously engaging with AI tools that threaten to disintermediate the Kyai–santri relationship and algorithmicise religious guidance. Through a systematic critical literature review of 47 peer-reviewed studies (2019–2025) and critical discourse analysis of institutional policy documents, this article identifies three key tensions: (1) the contestation between algorithmic knowledge and embodied scholarly authority; (2) the risks and opportunities of AI-mediated religious consultation; and (3) the emerging typologies of AI adoption across salaf and khalaf Pesantren. The article introduces Beyond Transmission as its central theoretical contribution, a paradigm shift that reconceptualises Islamic education from mere knowledge transmission to transformative human formation in the AI era, and proposes the Tarbiyah-Centred AI Integration Model (T-CAIM) as an operationalised normative framework for Pesantren AI governance.
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References
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Sugianto, Hendi, Rofiqi Rofiqi, and Zainuddin Zainuddin. “Charismatic Leadership And Digital Resilience: How Kyai Navigate Religious Moderation In Contemporary Indonesian Pesantren.” Jurnal Studi Pendidikan Agama Islam, 1, no. 2 (2025).
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Sya’diyah, Halimatus, Moh Syahrul Muzammil, Faiz Azizi, and Muthi’atur Rofi’ah. “Fiqh Algorithm: Finding A Common Ground Between Fatwa and Artificial Intelligence.” In Proceeding of International Conference on Education and Sharia, 2025.
Syihabuddin, Muhammad Arif. “Kepemimpinan Transformasional Kiai Dalam Pengembangan Pesantren Di Era Digital: Studi Kasus Di Pondok Pesantren Mamba’us Sholihin Gresik.” Miyah: Jurnal Studi Islam 20, no. 1 (2024).
Tegmark, Max. Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Alfred A. Knopf, 2017.
Tobing, M Alfarizi, Danny Abrianto, and Muhammad Yunan Harahap. “Reconstruction of Islamic Religious Education in the Artificial Intelligence Era: A Critical Review of Teacher Roles, Digital Ethics, and Epistemic Authority.” In Proceedings of International Conference on Islamic Community Studies. Medan: Universitas Pembangunan Panca Budi, 2025.
Ulya, Faizatul, and Khoirun Nikmah. “Upaya Pesantren Dalam Menjaga Tradisi Sanad Keilmuan Di Era Society 5.0.” Mudarrisuna: Media Kajian Pendidikan Agama Islam 14, no. 1 (2024).
Young, Robert E. A Critical Theory of Education: Habermas and Our Children’s Future. New York: Teachers College Press, 1990.
Zuhri, Achmad, M Sofyan Alnashr, Hamidatun Nihayah, Ihsan Ihsan, Imam Khoirul Ulumuddin, Darnoto Darnoto, and Siti Maryam Munjiat. “How Madrasahs Build Students’ Character in Indonesia’s Society 5.0 Era: Emerging Challenges.” Nazhruna: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam 9, no. 1 (2026): 166–186.
Abidin, Muhammad Zainal, and M. Yusuf Fadlullah. “Adapting Artificial Intelligence in Pesantren: Institutional Typologies, Kyai Leadership, and Adaptive Optimism.” Journal of Pesantren and Diniyah Studies2 2, no. 2 (2025).
Azra, Azyumardi. The Origins of Islamic Reformism in Southeast Asia: Networks of Malay-Indonesian and Middle Eastern “Ulam?” in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries. Hawai: University of Hawaii Press, 2004.
Bourdieu, Pierre. Language and Symbolic Power. Edited by Gino Raymond and Matthew Adamson. IV. Cambridge: Polity Press, 1995.
———. Outline of a Theory of Practice. Edited by Richard Nice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1977.
———. The Logic of Practice. California: Atanford University Press, 1990.
Braun, Virginia, and Victoria Clarke. Thematic Analysis : A Practical Guide. California: Sage Publications Ltd., 2021.
Choudhury, Masudul Alam. The Tawhidi Methodological Worldview: A Transdisciplinary Study of Islamic Economics. Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore, 2019.
Dhofier, Zamakhsyari. Tradisi Pesantren, Studi Pandangan Hidup Kiai Dan Visinya Mengenai Masa Depan Indonesia. Jakarta: LP3ES, 2011.
Elmahjub, Ezieddin. “Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Islamic Ethics: Towards Pluralist Ethical Benchmarking for AI.” Philosophy & Technology 36, no. 4 (2023).
Fairclough, Norman. Analysing Discourse: Textual Analysis for Social Research. London: Routledge, 2003.
García-Peñalvo, Francisco José. “The Perception of Artificial Intelligence in Educational Contexts after the Launch of ChatGPT: Disruption or Panic?” Education in the Knowledge Society 24 (2023).
Habermas, Jurgen. The Teory of Communicative Action. Boston: Beacon Press, 1984.
Habibi, Najib, and Mar’atus Sholikha. “Kontekstualisasi Teori Bourdieu Dalam Pembentukan Karakter Santri Di Pondok Pesantren Darul Falah Amtsilati.” DIMAR: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam 6, no. 2 (2025).
Haidar, M. Ali, Mizanul Hasanah, and Muhammad Anas Ma`arif. “Educational Challenges to Human Resource Development in Islamic Education Institutions.” Munaddhomah: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam 3, no. 4 (2022).
Hakim, Lukman, and Muhamad Risqil Azizi. “Otoritas Fatwa Keagamaan Dalam Konteks Era Kecerdasan Buatan (Artificial Intelligence/AI).” Ar-Risalah Media Keislaman Pendidikan dan Hukum Islam 21, no. 2 (2023).
Hallaq, Wael B. The Origins and Evolution of Islamic Law. Montreal: McGill University, 2004.
Holmes, Wayne, Maya Bialik, and Charles Fadel. Artificial Intelligence in Education. Promise and Implications for Teaching and Learning. Boston: Center for Curriculum Redesign, 2019.
Kementerian Agama Republik Indonesia. “Data Pondok Pesantren.” Https://Data.Goodstats.Id/Statistic/10-Provinsi-Dengan-Pondok-Pesantren-Terbanyak-2025-LlZsK.
Lövheim, Mia, and Stig Hjarvard. “The Mediatized Conditions of Contemporary Religion: Critical Status and Future Directions.” Journal of Religion Media and Digital Culture 8, no. 2 (2019).
Maimun, Muhamad, Syaifuddin Zuhri, Zaenal Arifin, and Babun Suharto. “Dissemination and Contestation of Kyai’s Religious Discourse in Digital Spaces and Its Impact on Followers.” Al Yasini : Jurnal Keislaman, Sosial, hukum dan Pendidikan 10, no. 6 (2025).
Malik, Shoaib Ahmed. “Artificial Intelligence and Islamic Thought: Two Distinctive Challenges.” Journal of Islamic and Muslim Studies 8, no. 2 (2023).
Mantalean, Vitorio, and Dani Prabowo. “NU: Haram Minta Fatwa Ke ‘Artificial Intelligence.’” Kompas. Last modified 2023. https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2023/09/19/15551621/nu-haram-minta-fatwa-ke-artificial-intelligence.
Mutmainah, Siti, Khurin’In Ratnasari, and Dukan Jauhari F Ratnasari. “Building Digital Skills and Introducing AI for Santri Through a Training Program at the As-Sunniyah Islamic Boarding School in Kencong Jember.” International Journal of Community Service Learning 8, no. 1 (2024).
Nugroho, Apriyanto, and Anita Puji Astutik. “Digital Transformation of Islamic Boarding School Education.” IJIS: Indonesian Journal of Islamic Studies 12, no. 2 (2024).
Pedró, Francesc, Miguel Subosa, Axel Rivas, and Paula Valverde. Artificial Intelligence in Education: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Development. ED-2019/WS/8. Paris, 2019. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000366994.
Rahmawati, Yeni Tri Nur, Hamdanah Hamdanah, Suheri Suheri, and Wildan Miftahussurur. “Digital Knowledge Systems and Islamic Epistemology: Artificial Intelligence Adoption in Pesantren Education.” FALASIFA: Jurnal Studi Keislaman 17, no. 1 (2026): 17–32.
Russell, Stuart, and Peter Norvig. Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach. Victoria BC: Pearson College Div, 2021.
Sani, Azwar, and Muhammad Kashif Majeed. “Transforming Kitab Kuning Literacy in the Digital Era: Challenges and Future Prospects for Islamic Education.” Al Adalah 28, no. 1 (2025).
Sugianto, Hendi, Rofiqi Rofiqi, and Zainuddin Zainuddin. “Charismatic Leadership And Digital Resilience: How Kyai Navigate Religious Moderation In Contemporary Indonesian Pesantren.” Jurnal Studi Pendidikan Agama Islam, 1, no. 2 (2025).
Suncaka, Eko. “Bridging Spirituality and Technology: Ethical Integration of Artificial Intelligence in Pesantren Education.” Tafkir: Interdisciplinary Journal of Islamic Education 5, no. 4 (2024): 735–748.
Sya’diyah, Halimatus, Moh Syahrul Muzammil, Faiz Azizi, and Muthi’atur Rofi’ah. “Fiqh Algorithm: Finding A Common Ground Between Fatwa and Artificial Intelligence.” In Proceeding of International Conference on Education and Sharia, 2025.
Syihabuddin, Muhammad Arif. “Kepemimpinan Transformasional Kiai Dalam Pengembangan Pesantren Di Era Digital: Studi Kasus Di Pondok Pesantren Mamba’us Sholihin Gresik.” Miyah: Jurnal Studi Islam 20, no. 1 (2024).
Tegmark, Max. Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Alfred A. Knopf, 2017.
Tobing, M Alfarizi, Danny Abrianto, and Muhammad Yunan Harahap. “Reconstruction of Islamic Religious Education in the Artificial Intelligence Era: A Critical Review of Teacher Roles, Digital Ethics, and Epistemic Authority.” In Proceedings of International Conference on Islamic Community Studies. Medan: Universitas Pembangunan Panca Budi, 2025.
Ulya, Faizatul, and Khoirun Nikmah. “Upaya Pesantren Dalam Menjaga Tradisi Sanad Keilmuan Di Era Society 5.0.” Mudarrisuna: Media Kajian Pendidikan Agama Islam 14, no. 1 (2024).
Young, Robert E. A Critical Theory of Education: Habermas and Our Children’s Future. New York: Teachers College Press, 1990.
Zuhri, Achmad, M Sofyan Alnashr, Hamidatun Nihayah, Ihsan Ihsan, Imam Khoirul Ulumuddin, Darnoto Darnoto, and Siti Maryam Munjiat. “How Madrasahs Build Students’ Character in Indonesia’s Society 5.0 Era: Emerging Challenges.” Nazhruna: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam 9, no. 1 (2026): 166–186.
Published
2026-10-29
How to Cite
Khairul Basyar, M., & Rosyita, U. (2026). Beyond Transmission: T-CAIM Framework for Navigating Religious Authority and AI Integration in Pesantren Education. Islamic Review: Jurnal Riset Dan Kajian Keislaman, 15(2), 189-212. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.35878/islamicreview.v15i2.2299
Section
Articles
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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