A Phenomenological Analysis of Netizens’ Perceptions of Trans7’s “Xpose Uncensored” Coverage of Traditions in Islamic Boarding Schools from the Perspective of the Etiquette of Seeking Knowledge

Abstract

The Xpose Uncensored Trans7 broadcast (October 13, 2025) on traditions at Pondok Pesantren Lirboyo triggered polarized public responses, revealing a tension between media representation and internal pesantren values particularly the concept of adab in seeking knowledge (adab menuntut ilmu), as taught in the Grade XI Al-Qur’an Hadith curriculum for Islamic Senior High Schools (Madrasah Aliyah). This study aims to analyze the lived meaning of netizens’ perceptions of the report through a descriptive phenomenological approach, following Moustakas (1994) and van Manen (2014). Data were collected via observation of 479 public posts on X (Twitter), in-depth interviews with 24 informants (active santri, alumni, PAI students, educators, and researchers), and document analysis of Ministerial Decree No. 183/2019 and the official Al-Qur’an Hadith Lesson Plan (RPP). Findings indicate that adab is not interpreted monolithically, but rather as a contextual construct shaped by intention, power relations, and subjective experience. Notably, 71% of informants proposed a critical ta’dhim modelrespect that upholds amar ma‘ruf nahi munkar (enjoining good and forbidding wrong) and institutional accountabilityas an alternative to the dichotomy of blind obedience versus radical rejection. This suggests a gap between the formal curriculum, which predominantly emphasizes vertical adab (toward teachers/Allah), and the contemporary societal need for horizontal adab in digital public spheres. The study recommends integrating media literacy and digital communication ethics into adab instruction, enabling classical Islamic values to evolve into 21st-century critical competencieswithout compromising their spiritual foundations.