These reformers face takfir (excommunication) from exclusive circles and often lose their sanad (chain of knowledge transmission)—a devastating social death.

This has historically created a unique cultural tapestry. For example, the Seblang tradition in Banyuwangi or Peringatan 10 Muharram in Surakarta blends Islamic spirituality with Javanese ritual. However, exclusivity breeds friction. As Santri communities become more exclusive in their orthodoxy, they risk alienating the Abangan (nominal Muslims) and non-Muslim minorities, leading to social segregation.

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In many exclusive pondok (pesantren), female students are taught Qiwamah —the doctrine that men are protectors over women. While this is mainstream Islamic thought, the exclusive interpretation often forbids women from:

As religious education becomes commodified, a divide grows between the "elite santri" and the traditional "rural santri." This mirrors broader wealth inequality in Indonesia.