LANGUAGE, FAITH, AND IDENTITY IN ENGLISH LEARNING AT DARUSSALAM BUNTET PESANTREN

Abstract

This study explores the interaction between language, faith, and identity in English learning at Darussalam Buntet Pesantren. Situated within an ethnographic framework, the research examines how English is ideologically positioned, how Islamic values shape learning practices, and how santri construct their identities in a religious educational setting. Data were collected through prolonged engagement, participant observation, in-depth interviews with santri and teachers, and document analysis of curriculum and institutional policies. The findings reveal that English occupies a peripheral yet symbolically important role, recognized as a global resource while remaining secondary to Arabic as the language of religious authority. Its use is largely limited to formal contexts and is shaped by institutional norms. Islamic values play a central role in mediating English learning, influencing teaching materials, classroom practices, and moral boundaries. English is selectively adapted through a process of cultural and religious filtering and is sometimes associated with purposes such as dakwah. Furthermore, the study shows that santri construct hybrid identities by negotiating their roles as devout Muslims and emerging English users. This negotiation is reflected in practices such as code-switching and the integration of religious expressions into English use. This study contributes to ELT by highlighting the importance of sociocultural and religious contexts in shaping language learning. It suggests that English in pesantren is not a neutral skill but a localized practice, requiring more context-sensitive approaches in non-secular educational settings.