ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND RADICALISM PREVENTION IN SCHOOLS

Abstrak

This study examines the strategic role of Islamic Religious Education (IRE) in preventing radicalism in schools through an integrative conceptual, pedagogical, and social approach. Departing from the growing phenomenon of intolerance and religious-based violence among students, this research aims to analyze how IRE functions as a means of internalizing wasathiyah (religious moderation) values to shape a balanced, inclusive, and humanistic religious character. Employing a qualitative approach with a literature review method, this study explores various scholarly works, including Chamidah et al. (2022) on wasathiyah-based IRE learning models, Irfan et al. (2020) on the transmission of Islamic tradition (turāth) as a mechanism of deradicalization, and Irfan (2023) on civic-political education as a social dimension of Islamic education. The findings indicate that, conceptually, IRE plays a fundamental role in constructing an epistemological foundation that harmonizes students’ intellectual and spiritual dimensions. Pedagogically, the effectiveness of IRE lies in the teacher’s exemplary conduct and the application of reflective, collaborative, and contextual learning approaches that cultivate moderate religious awareness. Socially, Islamic Religious Education serves as an instrument for fostering civic consciousness, tolerance, and social responsibility through collaboration between schools, families, and communities. This study concludes that strengthening wasathiyah values within Islamic educational systems is an effective strategy for developing a faithful, ethical, and resilient young generation capable of resisting radical ideological infiltration.