
In order to seek a new ingredient in formulating islamic law, the teaching of fiqh is combined with other sciences such as philosophy, sociology, and anthropology. It shows a high tolerance and respect for differences. However, in Ma’had Aly, not only one school of thought is taught, but fiqh of four schools of thought. In some pesantrens, the teaching of fiqh is limited to one school or madhhab, particularly school of Shafi’i. Fiqh, or islamic jurisprudence, is one the branches of islamic science. One of them is Ma’had Aly (higher education), one of the education institution in Pesantren Salafiyah Syafiiyah Sukorejo Situbondo which focuses its teaching on fiqh. This article is willing to show that not all pesantrens limit their students’ freedom of thinking. In some positions, the pesantren is well known as a conservative institution in which freedom of thinking is limited.

Various studies on Pesantren have been conducted through various lenses and perspectives however its attractiveness is still there.
