Three Prays, Three Loves, and Five Towers

You must be curious about this note’s tittle, what is the relationship between three prays, three loves and five towers? Or maybe some of you has gotten an idea about the topic of this note? Let me tell you then, one answer: pesantren (indonesian-islamic boarding school, mostly traditional, but few of them are modern and sophisicated).

A few months ago I saw a big movie poster attached on a biggest premises in town, offering two high-class movie stars who had been famous since they first debut in “Ada apa dengan Cinta” (What’s wrong with Cinta). This movie interested me much because their appereance looked very religious and fake. The producer’s choice on those actors succeeded in persuading me to buy a ticket and watch the movie. It is “Tiga doa tiga cinta” or “Three prays, three loves”.

Let me leaped into two weeks ago, when I found a book in the top-ten book list in Gramedia. It has been reprinted twice in less than a year. They claim this book as a national best seller and would be filmed soon. So many personages contribute testimonials which generally flattering the author and his novel as a brilliant, encouraging and must-to-read book. The most stupendous fact about this book is the author’s academic achievements. He studied in Pondok Modern Gontor (an elite pesantren in east java), Padjajaran University, and got two scholarships for his master and doctor degrees from fullbright and chevening programs, respectively. It is “Negeri lima menara” or “The land of five towers”.

Hence, what is the point? Both artistical produces take Pesantren as an inspiration to develop their ideas and enlarge their scopes of creativities. Although each has its own approach which I would like to discuss.

The director and script writer of “Three prays, three loves”, Nurman Hakim, indeed, emphasizes various social realities inside a Pesantren. Intriguingly, on some spots, he bring about some negative perceptions, such as morning erection, and homosexuality. Yes, I do not blame him for bravely revealing those improper but real facts. However, I do believe that there are a lot more notorious way of introducing Pesantren to the public which have been unaware to the existence of Pesantren.

Those (what I mean by) noble stories about Pesantren are fabulously narrated by Ahmad Fuadi, the author of “The land of five towers”. He vigorously entwines his journey as a Pesantren’s student by adding a plenty information about the high-competitive-quality of an underestimated educational institution. He writes about an obligatory of bilingual-usage inside Pesantren, english dan arabian. He also lets the readers know about how the regulation is strongly applied. The balance between spritual improvements and physical exercises are also delivered smoothly. I even imaginatively compare the Pesantren Madani (pesantren’s name) with Hogwart School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

In summary, Fuadi provides me, as a reader, a whole new positive perception about Pesantren. On the contrary, Hakim makes it worse and keeps Pesantren as a lousy and looks-like- rehabilitative-place for nasty juveniles.




Ratu Lanang Sejagat