Jurnal Lektur Keagamaan (ISSN: 2620-522X (online), ISSN: 1693-7139 (print), DOI: 10.31291/jlka, Accreditation No. 152/E/KPT/2023 (SINTA 2)) is a scholarly journal published twice a year (June and December) by the Puslitbang Lektur dan Khazanah Keagamaan Badan Litbang dan Diklat Kementerian Agama (Center for Research and Development of Religious Literature and Heritage, Agency for Research and Development and Training, Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia) since 2003. Based on the Regulation of the Minister of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia Number 33 of 2024 concerning the Organization and Work Procedures of the Ministry of Religion, the name of the Level II unit, originally called the Research and Development Center for Religious Literature, Religious Treasures, and Organizational Management, which was under the Level I unit, the Agency for Research, Development, and Training, has changed to the Center for the Assessment of Religious Books, Literature, and Religious Literacy [Pusat Penilaian Buku Agama, Lektur, dan Literasi Keagamaan] under the Secretariat General of the Ministry of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia. 2003-2023 The focus and scope JLKa: The focus and scope of this study are studies on religious literature and heritage, including the studies of classic and contemporary religious manuscripts, religious history and society, religious archaeology, and religious arts on the scope of Nusantara. 2024 - Now, The focus and scope JLKa: Since Vol. 21 No. 01 2024, the focus and scope of this study are studies on the Religious Literature of Nusantara/Indonesia and beyond, including: Religious Books: Researching the historical development, textual analysis, and cultural significance of religious books. Modern Literature: Examining traditional and contemporary literary works that encompass religious themes, analysing their significance and relevance. Digital Literature: Exploring the impact of digital technologies on religious texts, examining new forms of digital religious literature, and studying the implications for interpretation and transmission. This journal adopts a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating sociological, anthropological, ethnographical, hermeneutic, critical discourse analysis, post-modernism, linguistic, big data and public policy methodologies. By engaging in these diverse perspectives, the journal seeks to contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the Religious Literature of Nusantara/Indonesia and beyond, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and advancing knowledge in this field.
Center for Research and Development of Religious Literature and Heritage, Agency for Research and Development and Training, Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia
Ethical Witnessing, Home, and Return in Ghassan Kanafani’s Returning to Haifa: A Decolonial and Religious Humanities Reading
Palestinian exile in Ghassan Kanafani’s fiction deeply reshapes the relationships connecting individuals to home, memory, and historical existence. While existing scholarship has largely emphasized political nationalism, trauma, and structural settler-colonial violence, the ethical dimensions and processes of cultural sacralization sustained within disrupted domestic spaces remain underexplored, particularly in relation to how secular resistance narratives resonate within religious readerships. This article examines how home, memory, and return are represented in Returning to Haifa through an integrated framework of settler-colonial studies and the religious humanities. Employing qualitative textual analysis and close reading of both the Arabic original and its English translation, the study focuses on narrative structure, spatial description, and intergenerational dialogue. The analysis shows that home functions not merely as a domestic setting but as a culturally sacralized space where moral attachments endure against colonial erasure. Memory emerges as a form of ethical witnessing, while the transformation of Khaldun into Dov exposes the intimate violence of intergenerational rupture. This study contributes to religious literary studies by demonstrating how Kanafani’s secular narrative undergoes religious re-signification within contemporary Muslim horizons of expectation, demonstrating how such a moral reframing is enacted by specific communities of reading through shared ethical imaginaries of dignity (al-karamah) and historical continuity.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dadang Ismatullah, Sri Rijati Wardiani, Titin Nurhayati Ma'mun, Sangidu Sangidu https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The Epistemology of Spiritual Education in the West Sumatran Syattariyah Manuscript Tradition: A Living Manuscript as Epistemological Instrument of Sufi Reception
This article examines how a Syattariyah teaching manuscript, copied by Shaykh ʼAlī ʼImrān and actively used as a pedagogical text at Pondok Pesantren Nūr al-Yaqīn Pakandangan, West Sumatra, epistemologically receives the teachings of ʼabd al-Raʼūf al-Sinkilī and constructs a framework of spiritual education within the living manuscript tradition of the Syattariyah Order. Previous studies on this order have focused primarily on historical transmission, ritual practice, scholarly networks, and doctrinal debates surrounding waḥdat al-wujūd, while the epistemological role of teaching manuscripts in the production and transmission of spiritual knowledge remains underexplored. This study employs a qualitative, manuscript-based philological-critical analysis guided by Jaussian reception theory, supported by limited contextual interviews with practitioners of the tradition. The analysis reveals three forms of Sufi reception: the preservation of metaphysical substance, the modification of theological terminology, and the localization of spiritual teachings into pedagogical categories. Through these processes, the manuscript constructs an epistemology of spiritual education oriented toward maʼrifatullāh through the integration of metaphysical knowledge, self-knowledge, and transformative spiritual practice. The article demonstrates that the receipt of al-Sinkilīʼs teachings is not merely textual transmission but an epistemological process through which spiritual knowledge is constructed, validated, and transmitted. This contributes to the study of Sufi pedagogy and Nusantara Islamic manuscript traditions by demonstrating that the tarīkat text functions as an epistemological instrument for producing, selecting, validating, and transmitting spiritual knowledge.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ahmad Rivauzi, Halomoan Halomoan, Muhammad Yusuf, Wirdati, Mohd Roslan Mohd Nor https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The Construction of Tarbiyyah Ruhiyyah in Al-Zintani’s Asasu Al-Tarbiyatu Al-Islamiyatu: A Discourse Analysis
This article examines the construction of Tarbiyyah Ruhiyyah in Asasu al-Tarbiyatu al-Islamiyatu fi al-Sunnati al-Nabawiyati by Abdul Hamid al-Sayyib al-Zintani within the fields of religious literature and Islamic educational thought. While recent scholarship has addressed spirituality, Islamic education, and character formation, limited attention has been given to how Tarbiyyah Ruhiyyah is discursively constructed within a religious book as a textual object of analysis. This study aims to analyze the textual construction of Tarbiyyah Ruhiyyah, identify its main discursive elements, and explain the relationships among religion, faith, fitrah, morality, and personality formation. Using a qualitative design and discourse analysis, the study focuses on the chapter on spiritual education, treating definitional passages, Qur'anic verses, hadith citations, and normative arguments as its primary units of analysis. The study finds that Tarbiyyah Ruhiyyah is constructed as a core component of integrated Islamic education, grounded in a theology of human nature derived from Islamic revelation that links innate religiosity, faith, morality, and holistic human development, and that its authority is rooted in the Sunnah and operationalized through Prophetic methods including exemplarity, worship habituation, gentleness, environmental guidance, and gradual instruction directed toward forming a balanced human personality. The article contributes to religious literature studies by demonstrating that an Islamic educational text can be analyzed as a religiously authorized discourse in which spiritual formation is constructed through definitional strategies, scriptural sequencing, and moral argumentation.
Copyright (c) 2026 Hasan Basri, Andewi Suhartini, Asep Nursobah, Siti Nuraeni Muhtar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Hadith Interpretation in Contemporary Acehnese Sufism: A Hermeneutic Analysis of Abuya Amran’s Texts
Despite growing scholarship on Acehnese Sufism, the textual practice of hadith reading within local Sufi communities has received little systematic analysis, as prior studies have privileged sociological or normative approaches over literary and hermeneutic ones. Drawing on living text theory and Sufi hermeneutics, this study examines how hadith are selected, structured, interpreted, and transmitted within contemporary Acehnese Sufism through Abuya Amran's corpus. Using qualitative library research with textual and hermeneutic analysis, we analyzed 30 documents produced by Abuya Amran and the MPTTI community (1998–2024), identifying 21 hadith fragments and subjecting 17 foundational hadith to systematic takhrij. Five dominant interpretive patterns emerged: isyari (symbolic-inner), moral-ethical, ma'rifat-analogical, narrative-illustrative, and praxis-command, all oriented toward irfānī (ethical-spiritual) meaning rather than sanad criticism or fiqh normativity. This study makes two original contributions: it demonstrates that hadith authority in this tradition is constituted through pedagogical function rather than transmission chains, and it establishes a living-text model for analyzing hadith as dynamic religious literature, an analytical framework absent from existing Nusantara Sufi scholarship.
Copyright (c) 2026 Sulidar Sulidar, Mawardi Mawardi, Ishak Sulaiman https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Paradigmatic and Syntagmatic Relations in the Qur’an: A Structural-Semiotic Reading of Qur’anic Human Creation Verses
This article examines the phases of human creation in the Qur'an through Ferdinand de Saussure's structural linguistic framework, with particular attention to paradigmatic (lexical selection) and syntagmatic (sequential arrangement) relations operative in key verses: QS al-Mu'minūn [23]:12–14, al-Ḥajj [22]:5, as-Sajdah [32]:7–9, and al-Insān [76]:2. Employing a qualitative descriptive method with content analysis, the study draws on primary data comprising Qur'anic texts and secondary data from classical and contemporary exegetical works. The analysis demonstrates that lexical variations, including ṭīn (clay), turāb (soil), sulālah (essence of earth), and nuṭfah (seminal fluid), constitute a system of paradigmatic oppositions that encodes a graduated ontological progression from material origin to spiritual endowment. Syntagmatic relations, realized through conjunctions such as ṡumma and fa, organize these stages into a coherent narrative sequence that moves from physical formation to the bestowal of cognitive and spiritual faculties. Accordingly, the language of the Qur'an functions not merely to describe biological processes but to construct a conceptual framework through which human identity, origin, and existential purpose are discursively represented. This study concludes that the Qur'anic linguistic structure constitutes a theologically organized semiotic system in which lexical selection and syntagmatic patterning jointly produce a layered discourse of human existence — one that integrates the material, biological, spiritual, and cognitive dimensions of personhood within a unified sign system.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ubaidillah Ubaidillah, Bambang Hariyanto, Amin Nasir, Samsul Anam, Ghazali Zainuddin, Siti Rosilawati Ramlan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Constructing Social Critique as Ethical Discourse in Indonesian Popular Religious Literature: A Content Analysis of Husein Ja‘far Al-Hadar’s Tuhan Ada di Hatimu
Religious intolerance and exclusivism remain challenges in Indonesia’s plural society, particularly when religious practices tend to be confined to symbolism and formalism that do not adequately reflect ethical values. Previous studies have positioned religious literature as a medium for transmitting moral and inclusive values; however, most of them focus on normative and philosophical aspects and provide limited empirical explanation of how social critique is constructed and articulated within popular religious works. This gap is significant given the broad reach of popular literature in shaping public perceptions of religious practice. Addressing this gap, this study aims to analyze the forms of social critique in Tuhan Ada di Hatimu (God Resides in Your Heart) by Husein Ja‘far Al-Hadar and examine their relevance to contemporary Indonesian religiosity. The study employs a qualitative library-based approach using content analysis to identify key themes of critique, including excessive conservatism, judgmental culture, and the politicization of religious symbols. The findings show that the work not only reflects socio-religious conditions but also constructs critique through a narrative that emphasizes self-reflection, empathy, and contextual understanding of religious teachings. These results indicate that popular religious literature can function as a medium for articulating social critique that bridges religious texts and social realities. Theoretically, this study contributes by demonstrating how content analysis can be used to uncover the construction of social critique in popular religious narratives, while also expanding discussions on religious literature as a site for articulating social critique within contemporary religiosity.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ahmad Farid Fanani, Muhammad Taufik, Aisah Bella-Salsa, Muhammad Zainal Abidin, Muhammad Yusuf Pratama https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Narrative Hermeneutics as Digital Tafsīr: Reconstructing Qur’anic Meaning and Religious Authority on Instagram @NadirsyahHosen_Official
This study examines emerging trends in digital Qur’anic interpret-tation by analyzing how Nadirsyah Hosen employs narrative hermeneutics on his Instagram account @nadirsyahhosen_official. Existing research on digital tafsīr has largely focused on thematic content, presentation style, or audience interaction, yet little attention has been given to the use of storytelling as an interpretive method. This study fills that gap by investi¬gating how narrative structures function as hermeneutic tools in interpret¬ting Sūrah al-Falaq and al-Nās. The research employed a qualitative design that integrates two forms of data: Instagram posts containing Hosen’s story-based interpretations and user comments responding to these posts. Narrative analysis based on Labov and Waletzky’s framework is applied to identify the structural components of the stories, while netnographic analysis is used to examine audience reception patterns. The findings show that Hosen’s interpretations consistently incorporate key narrative elements such as orientation, complication, evaluation, resolution, and coda, which enhance communicative clarity and contextual relevance. Audience res¬pon¬ses cluster into four dimensions: emotional spiritual engagement, epis¬te¬mic trust in religious authority, social communitarian bonding, and educational pragmatic learning. These results demonstrate that narrative hermeneutics strengthens interpretive authority and fosters participatory religious discourse in digital environments. The study concludes that storytelling functions not only as a rhetorical device but also as an epistemic strategy that reshapes Qur’anic interpretation in the digital age. It recommends further exploration of narrative based tafsīr across diverse platforms and audiences.
Copyright (c) 2025 Yusrina Salma, Zahrotul Kamilah, Ahmad Zaidanil Kamil, Fejrian Yazdajird Iwanebel, Muhamad Irfan Maulana https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Qawāʿid al-Tafsīr as an Epistemological Model for Valid Qur’anic Interpretation: A Comparative Analysis of Marāḥ Labīd and al-Miṣbāḥ
The growing circulation of ideologically driven and methodology­cally inconsistent Qur’anic interpretations highlights the absence of a clear epistemological standard for assessing interpretive validity. This study addresses this gap by examining Qawāʿid al‑Tafsīr as a structured episte­mo­logical model capable of guiding reliable Qur’anic interpretation. Using qualitative data derived from primary tafsīr texts, the study employ­yed a comparative hermeneutical method and critical textual analysis to evaluate two influential works in the Nusantara tradition: the nineteenth century Marāh Labīd by Shaykh Nawawi al‑Bantani and the contempo­rary Tafsīr al‑Miṣbāḥ by M. Quraish Shihab. The analysis is organized around five epistemological pillars that function as analytical domains, namely exegetical competence, ethical integrity, textual understanding, socio cultural contextual awareness and methodological coherence. The findings show three key patterns. First, both exegetes consistently apply these principles, demonstrating their normative relevance across historical contexts. Second, Nawawi al‑Bantani emphasizes textual stability and doctrinal continuity through classical linguistic analysis and transmitted readings. Third, Shihab prioritizes contextual relevance by employing thematic coherence and maqāṣid oriented reasoning. These differences illustrate the adaptability of Qawāʿid al‑Tafsīr to diverse interpretive orientations. The study concludes that Qawāʿid al‑Tafsīr provides a dynamic and universal framework for safeguarding interpretive validity. Its application strengthens Qur’anic hermeneutics in pluralistic societies and offers a practical tool for mitigating deviant interpretations while promoting responsible exegetical practice.
Copyright (c) 2025 Abdur Rokhim, Sahlul Fuad, Cemal Sahin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Gender and Religiosity in Indonesian Popular Media: An Anthropological Reading of Cultural Representations
Digital media have become central sites for the production, circulation, and negotiation of religious meaning among young Muslims in Indonesia. While existing studies on religion and social media often rely on quantitative indicators of religiosity or focus on isolated platforms, they rarely examine how everyday digital practices function as culturally meaningful religious texts. This study addresses this gap by conceptualizing social media content as a form of popular digital religious literature within the broader Nusantara Islamic literary tradition. Drawing on qualitative digital ethnography and digital literary analysis, the study examines multimodal content produced by Indonesian Muslim youth on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter/X, including captions, visual Qur’anic quotations, personal narratives, and performative displays of piety. The analysis situates these digital texts within anthropological theories of lived religion, gender, and mediated authority, highlighting how religious identity is constructed through narrative, aesthetics, and platform-specific affordances. The findings show that digital platforms do not merely transmit religious messages but actively reshape religious expression by generating new genres, redefining authorship, and reconfiguring religious authority, particularly in relation to gendered piety. By framing social media practices as platformed religious literature, this study contributes to scholarship on digital religion, Islamic studies, and anthropology by demonstrating how contemporary Indonesian Islam is articulated through hybrid literary forms shaped by both tradition and algorithmic culture.
Copyright (c) 2025 Nuraisa Jafar, Munsi Lampe, Marlisa J. Muhammad, Darlisa Muhammad, Ahmad Ismail Guntur, Andi Hasyim https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Religious Legitimation of Early Marriage in Indonesia Through Nusantara Islamic Classical Texts
This study explores how religious legitimate early marriage by referring to Nusantara Islamic classical texts (kitab kuning). The study treats kitab kuning not only as collections of legal rules but also as formative religious literature that actively shapes social values and cultural norms. Using textual analysis, critical discourse analysis, and interpretive anthropology, the research examines influential texts such as Uqud al-Lujjayn, Fath al-Qarib, and I’anat al-Talibin. The analysis identifies three central findings. First, the texts themselves display inter­nal ambiguity because they simultaneously promote ethical protection and allow permissive legal interpretations. Second, religious leaders interpret these texts in divergent ways, as some adopt literal readings while others apply contextual approaches. Third, these interpretive choic­es operate within broader socio-economic and patriarchal power relations that selectively activate textual authority to justify early marriage practices. The study argues that the persistence of early marria­ge does not stem directly from textual commands. Instead, it emerges from ongoing negotiations among textual ambiguity, interpretive autho­rity, and social structures. By emphasizing this process, the study highlights the decisive role of interpretive communities in managing contradictions within classical texts and stresses the importance of addressing both textual meaning and social context when designing intervention strategies.
Copyright (c) 2025 Isra, Hamka Naping, Ahmad Ismail Guntur, Ahmad Arham Mallu https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Religious Language in Kalindaqdaq (Mandar): Lexicon and Metaphor in an Islamic Oral Tradition
Academic research on religious expression in Indonesia has long emphasized written sources, while it often overlooks oral traditions such as Kalindaqdaq, an oral poetry of the Mandar people that actively conveys Islamic teachings. This research gap appears because previous studies rarely examine how lexicon and metaphor operate linguistically within this tradition. This study therefore examines how Kalindaqdaq constructs religious values by combining philosophical, linguistic, and anthropolo­gical perspectives. This qualitative study analyzes Lontara manuscripts through philological methods, observes Kalindaqdaq performances ethno­g­raphically, and examines recorded performances using content analysis. The metrical analysis shows that performers consistently apply an 8-7-5-7 syllabic pattern in 98% of the verses. The lexical analysis reveals that Arabic theocentric terms account for 45% of the religious vocabulary and undergo systematic phonological adaptation. The meta­phor analysis further demonstrates how conceptual metaphors translate abstract Islamic ideas into concrete Mandar cultural experiences. These findings show that the study contributes methodologically by combining Scheler’s value theory with systematic linguistic analysis of lexical and metaphorical patterns. At the empirical level, the study documents an endangered oral tradition and clarifies how Islamic doctrine interacts with local cultural cognition in Nusantara’s religious oral literature.
Copyright (c) 2025 Muhammad Iqbal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Textual Orality in Pesantren Tafsir: Reimagining Mangaji Tudang Through Tafsir Surah ʿAmma by AGH. As’ad Al-Bugisy
This article examines the relationship between oral and written traditions in the corpus of pesantren Qur’anic tafsir through Tafsir Surah ʿAmma bil-Lughah al-Bugisiyyah by AGH. As’ad Al-Bugisy, a work that emerged from the mangaji tudang tradition of the As’adiyah Pesantren in South Sulawesi. Although studies of pesantren tafsir have extensively explored philological, linguistic, ideological, and social dimensions, the dimension of orality within tafsir texts as a representation of pesantren teaching traditions has received limited systematic attention in tafsir scholarship. This study aims to reveal how the practice of mangaji tudang is represented in the tafsir text through the concept of textual orality and how the tradition has been transmitted and transformed after AGH. As’ad. This study employs a qualitative textual approach, using Tafsir Surah ʿAmma as its primary corpus. The analysis is supported by field observation, digital documentation of contemporary Mangaji Tudang practices at the As'adiyah Pesantren, as well as relevant scholarly literature and historical sources. The findings demonstrate that orality in the tafsir is manifested through three principal forms: a presentation structure that follows the rhythm of religious instruction, pedagogical strategies that reflect pesantren teaching practices, and the use of terms and experiences closely connected to the everyday life of Bugis society. The study further finds that the tafsir functions as a record of mangaji tudang, preserving not only AGH. As’ad’s pedagogical experience but also serving as a medium for the transmission and transformation of Islam based on Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah (ASWAJA) within Bugis culture. These findings advance pesantren tafsir studies by establishing textual orality as an analytical framework for non-Javanese exegetical traditions, and by demonstrating that local Qur’anic commentaries function as living archives in which pedagogical practice, cultural memory, and Islamic knowledge transmission are simultaneously encoded and sustained.
Copyright (c) 2026 Muhammad Alwi HS, Muharrahman Muharrahman, Muhsin Mahfudz, Hamzah Harun, Muhammad Yusuf, Witry Octasari Aritonang, Daffa Rizqi Prayudya https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Digital Religious Literature and Its Role in Shaping Religious Moderation among Indonesian University Students
Digital religious literature circulating on social media has reshaped how university students access and interpret Islamic teachings, yet limited research has examined how the narrative structure of these digital texts influences the formation of religious moderation. This study addresses this gap by analysing how digital interpretations of QS. Al Hujurat 49:13 construct specific emphases of meaning and how students internalise these messages. The research employs a descriptive qualitative design using two types of data: digital religious texts from tafsir applications, YouTube, and Instagram, and interview data from university students. These data were analysed through content analysis and hermeneutic interpretation to identify narrative patterns, framing strategies, and interpretive tendencies. The findings show three key patterns. First, digital interpretations consistently highlight equality, diversity, and social harmony, producing simplified moral messages that are easily circulated. Second, the structure of digital texts compresses and fragments Quranic meaning, reducing engagement with socio historical context and limiting interpretive plurality. Third, students’ levels of digital literacy significantly shape how they evaluate and internalise moderation narratives, functioning as an epistemic filter that distinguishes reflective understanding from superficial acceptance. These findings indicate that digital platforms do not merely transmit religious messages but actively shape interpretive outcomes through narrative design and algorithmic visibility. The study contributes to digital religion scholarship by demonstrating that religious moderation in the digital era is a mediated interpretive product. It recommends strengthening critical digital literacy and improving the contextual quality of digital religious content to support deeper and more balanced interpretations among students.
Copyright (c) 2025 Amirudin, Suyono, Soeprijanto, M. Hudri https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
From Sakinah to Cyber-Conflict: Paul Ricoeur’s Hermeneutics and the Surplus Meaning of BP4 Texts in the Digital Era
This study examines the construction of meaning in the official text of the Marriage Advisory, Development, and Preservation Agency (BP4), which has rarely been analyzed through a hermeneutic lens. Previous research has focused primarily on BP4’s institutional performance, leaving a gap in understanding how its textual discourse shapes the concept of a harmonious family and how these meanings shift in the digital era. The purpose of this study is to analyze the symbolic structure of the BP4 text, interpret its key concepts, and explore how its meanings are recontextualized within contemporary digital family dynamics. This research employed Paul Ricoeur’s hermeneutic framework, combining structural analysis, symbolic interpretation, and appropriation. Primary data are drawn from the BP4 book Foundations of a Sakinah Family, particularly chapters on sakinah family ideals, family communication, and conflict management. Data were analyzed through textual coding, thema¬tic mapping, and interpretive triangulation. The findings show that the BP4 text constructs a harmonious family as a dynamic ethical process grounded in sakinah, mawaddah, and rahmah. The text frames commu¬nication through the principle of qaulan as a moral discipline that regulates emotional expression and relational balance. The study also identifies a transformation of meaning when the text interacts with digital realities, including the reinterpretation of sakinah and islah in relation to cyber infidelity, platform-based communication aggression, and digital psychological stress. These findings highlight the need to update BP4 materials to address digital-era challenges. The study concludes that Ricoeur’s hermeneutics provides a productive framework for renewing state religious literature and strengthening its relevance for contemporary Muslim families.
Copyright (c) 2025 Elismayanti Rambe, Nanang Arianto, Nurliana, Siti Rahma Harahap, L.L.M Nur Syakirah Binto Mohd Adnan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Digital Religious Literature and the Construction of Islamic Educational Quality on Institutional Websites in Indonesia
This article examines how Islamic educational quality is constructed in the digital religious literature of Islamic educational institutions in Indonesia. Rather than evaluating institutional performance outcomes, this study examines how quality is defined, legitimized, and represented through official institutional website texts. Although studies on digital religion, Islamic educational transformation, and institutional quality have developed significantly, limited attention has been given to official websites of Islamic schools and pesantren as religious-literary texts that shape public meanings of Islamic education. Using a qualitative design with digital textual analysis and thematic content analysis, this study examines 26 website texts from seven Islamic educational institutions collected between January and March 2026. The corpus includes vision and mission statements, institutional profiles, principals’ messages, flagship program descriptions, tahfiz and tahsin narratives, and routine religious activity pages. The findings show that Islamic educational quality is constructed through three interconnected textual operations: integration, metrification, and habituation. Integration appears in the fusion of academic competence, Qur’anic achievement, moral character, leadership, and social usefulness. Metrification appears in measurable Qur’anic indicators such as 30 juz, 3 juz, 7 juz, juz 30, tahsin, and tasmi’. By repositioning institutional websites as digital religious literature, this article shows that these texts do not merely report educational programs but actively produce Islamic educational quality as a normative public discourse
Copyright (c) 2026 Dian Dian, Muhammad Haikal, A Rusdiana, Muhamad Luqman Nuryana, Wafiq Fadhilah Anwar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Water Symbolism in John and Martutu Aek: A Biblical-Theological Reading of Religious Literature
This article examines water symbolism in the Gospel of John and the Martutu Aek ritual as two forms of religious literature, namely, a canonical written text and an oral performative ritual text. Previous studies have separately analyzed Johannine water imagery through textual-exegetical lenses and the Martutu Aek through ethnographic-cultural frameworks, leaving largely unexplored the systematic comparison of these traditions through a unified analytical framework. This study aims to compare how water symbolism is constructed and interpreted in both traditions through a biblical-theological and hermeneutic-comparative approach. Employing a qualitative hermeneutical approach, the study analyzes John 3:1–21 and 4:1–42 as primary textual data and scholarly documented ethnographic sources of the Martutu Aek ritual as secondary data, using six structured deductive categories. The findings reveal functional convergences, as both traditions employ water as a sacred medium for rites of initiation, spiritual purification, and the reconstruction of communal identity. A fundamental theological divergence nevertheless emerges: the Johannine narrative directs water symbolism toward an eschatological-transcendental transformation for eternal life, whereas the Martutu Aek ritual emphasizes a restorative-immanent transformation to reestablish socio-cosmic harmony. This article contributes to religious literature studies in the Nusantara by demonstrating how a biblical-theological reading can engage seriously with oral ritual traditions, demonstrating that oral ritual traditions warrant the same analytical rigor as canonical written texts, while also offering implications for contextual theological reflection and ecological awareness in Indonesia.
Copyright (c) 2026 Sukanto Limbong, Daniel Razsekar Panjaitan, Sigamoney Shakespeare https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Hadith on Neighborly Conduct and Bugis Ethical Values: An Anthropological Reading of Sipakatau, Sipakalebbi, and Sipakainge’
Hadith studies in the Indonesian archipelago have predominantly focused on normative, legal and theological dimensions, while the literary and cultural reception of hadith within local traditions remains underexplored. This study investigates how prophetic teachings on neighborly conduct are mediated, interpreted and embodied within Bugis cultural practice, with particular reference to the Pau-Paunna Budisettihara manuscript. Drawing on selected hadiths concerning neighborly ethics and passages from the Pau-Paunna Budisettihara manuscript, this study employs a qualitative, library-based approach through a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), informed by the anthropology of hadith and Jauss's Reception of Religious Texts theory. The hadiths examined include those commanding people to speak good, honor their neighbors, and respect guests, analyzed with textual passages that embody the values of sipakatau (humanizing others), sipakalebbi (mutual respect), and sipakainge' (mutual moral reminder). The findings reveal that hadiths on neighborly conduct are not merely understood theologically but are deeply internalized within Bugis social practices that emphasize harmony, dignity, reciprocity and social solidarity. This study contributes to contemporary hadith scholarship by demonstrating the applicability of reception theory in hadith studies and by advancing an interdisciplinary framework that integrates hadith studies, anthropology, and local cultural wisdom in understanding living hadith within the Indonesian context.
Copyright (c) 2026 Muhammad Sabir, Ibrahem Narongrasakhet, Andi Mujahidil Ilman SM, Zulfahmi Alwi, Ahmad Jamin, Zikri Darussamin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The Construction of Muslim Womanhood in a Hadhrami-Indonesian Manuscript: A Philological Reading of Daf‘ al-Turraḥāt ‘an Wājibāt al-Ummahāt (1939)
This article examines the construction of Muslim womanhood in Daf‘ al Turrahāt ‘an Wājibāt al Ummahāt (1939), a Hadhrami Indonesian manuscript authored by Habib Salim bin Jindan, to address the limited scholarly attention to early twentieth century religious manuscripts in gender studies. Existing research on Indonesian Muslim women has focused on reformist thinkers, fatwas, and modern interpretations, while the gender discourse embedded in Hadhrami textual traditions remains largely unexplored. This study fills that gap by producing a critical edition of the manuscript and analyzing its linguistic, thematic, and discursive features. The research employed qualitative philological methods, drawing on a single codex preserved at the Al Fachriyah Library. Data consist of the manuscript’s textual content, which is examined through textual criticism, transliteration, and contextual analysis to reconstruct the most reliable version of the text and interpret its gender concepts. The findings show, first, that the manuscript frames Muslim womanhood as a moral and ethical identity shaped by piety, religious knowledge, and social responsibility. Second, it articulates women’s roles through a biologically grounded framework that emphasizes motherhood, education of children, and moral cultivation. Third, the text reflects tensions between normative Islamic prescriptions and contemporary debates on women’s education and public participation. These findings demonstrate that the manuscript functions both as a religious treatise and as a cultural response to moder­nity. The study concludes that early Hadhrami Indonesian texts offer valuable insights for expanding gender discourse in Nusantara Islam.
Copyright (c) 2025 Andhika Tiara, Rizqi Handayani, Safurotun Ziah https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Lexicalization, Ideology, and Identity in Kyai Salih Darat's Javanese Pegon Exegesis of Surah Al-Fatihah: A Critical Discourse Analysis
Nineteenth-century Indonesian scholars developed a distinctive mode of ijtihad by producing local Nusantara interpretations of Qur'anic exegesis. Despite extensive research on Javanese tafsir traditions, the systematic study of lexicalization as an ideological and identity-constructing mechanism remains conspicuously absent. This study addresses that gap through Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), examining how lexicalization constructs the ideology and identity of Islam Jawa (Javanese Islam) within Kyai Salih Darat's Javanese Pegon exegesis of Surah al-Fatihah. The central research question asks: how do lexical choices in Fayd al-Rahman construct Javanese Islamic ideology and identity through the exegesis of Surah al-Fatihah? Using van Dijk's socio-cognitive framework of lexicalization, ideology, and identity, this descriptive qualitative study employs discourse-linguistic analysis of digital manuscripts. The findings disclose three lexicalization patterns: the preservation of Arabic lexical items to maintain the epistemic authority of Qur'anic referents; the adaptation of Javanese honorifics and speech-level terms to recontextualize Islamic ethics within culturally intelligible moral frameworks; and the hybridization of Arabic and Javanese expressions to negotiate localized Muslim identity while preserving doctrinal orthodoxy. These patterns demonstrate that lexicalization functions as a socio-cognitive and discursive mechanism through which religious authority, ideological meanings, and collective identity are simultaneously reproduced in vernacular Qur'anic interpretation. This study extends van Dijk's framework by demonstrating its applicability in a non-Western religious manuscript context and contributes to comparative scholarship on Islam Nusantara
Copyright (c) 2026 Ali Wafa, Segaf Baharun, Asep Rahmatullah https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Textual Formation, Islamic Excellence, and the Limits of Civic Plurality in Elite Islamic Schools: A Multiple-Case Study in Medan, Indonesia
Religious literacy has become an important educational issue in plural societies where religion shapes not only personal belief but also moral formation, citizenship, and public life. This study examines how religious literacy is constructed in selected elite Islamic schools in Medan, North Sumatra, a plural urban context in which Islamic schools are expected to strengthen students’ religious identity while preparing them for social diversity. Drawing on religious literacy theory, the interpretive approach to religious education, and Islamic educational thought, this qualitative multiple-case study addresses a gap in existing literature, which has discussed Islamic schooling in relation to piety, modernization, and middle-class aspiration, but has paid less attention to the specific forms of religious literacy produced by elite Islamic schools in plural urban settings. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, observation, document analysis, and alumni achievement data review. The findings show that religious literacy in these schools is primarily constructed as practical-normative formation through Qur’anic recitation, tahfiz, congregational prayer, Islamic mentoring, moral discipline, and the internalization of adab. The schools also construct excellence through the integration of Islamic normativity, academic competitiveness, and parental aspirations for moral protection and social mobility. However, plural and civic religious literacy remains less institutionally developed than Qur’anic literacy, worship habituation, and academic achievement. The study demonstrates analytically that Islamic excellence in these schools is constructed through a textual regime of inward-oriented formation, and that plural civic competence constitutes a structural absence within this regime—one that points to the theoretical limits of practical-normative religious literacy in plural democratic societies.
Copyright (c) 2026 Muhammad Irsan Barus, Erlina Erlina, Rodiatul Maghfiroh, Kisno Umbar, Hisyam Fahmi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Arabic Religious Literature as a Latent Ecological Archive: Ecotheological Readings in West Javanese Pesantren
This article examines ecological imagination in Arabic religious literature taught in West Javanese pesantren. While pesantren have long been recognized as central institutions for the transmission of Islamic knowledge, moral formation, and the preservation of kitab kuning traditions, the ecological meanings embedded in Arabic literary and religious texts remain underexplored. Existing studies tend to separate the study of pesantren textual traditions from the study of eco-pesantren practices, leaving insufficient attention to how Arabic religious literature may function as a source of ecological awareness. Using a qualitative textual-cultural approach, this study combines ecocriticism, Islamic ecotheology, content analysis, and limited ethnographic observation. The primary textual data include selected fragments from Qaṣīdat al-Burdah, Ta‘līm al-Muta‘allim Ṭarīq al-Ta‘allum, al-Ḥikam al-‘Aṭā’iyyah, and Dīwān al-Imām al-Shāfi‘ī, while contextual data are drawn from selected pesantren traditions in West Java, including Cipasung, Buntet, Ath Thaariq, and the Ekopesantren movement. The findings show that Arabic religious literature in pesantren contains a latent ecological archive. Natural images such as water, rain, light, earth, trees, valleys, and cosmic order function not only as rhetorical ornaments, but also as signs of divine mercy, beauty, balance, and moral responsibility. However, these ecological meanings often remain implicit because pesantren pedagogy tends to emphasize linguistic mastery, rhetorical appreciation, memorization, and general moral instruction. This study argues that ecotheological hermeneutics can reveal the ecological potential of Arabic religious texts while connecting classical Arabic imagery with the local ecological experiences of West Javanese santri. The article contributes to the study of Nusantara religious literature by showing that pesantren-based Arabic literature can serve as a bridge between textual tradition, Islamic environmental ethics, and contemporary ecological consciousness.
Copyright (c) 2026 Silviana Zahra, Syarifah Syarifah, Rizqa Amelia, Ekarina Katmas, Akhmad Nizar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The Contribution of Sundanese Ulama in the Maintenance of Pegon Script as an Islamic Intellectual Tradition in Indonesia
Although traditional Muslim scholars in the Nusantara (the Malay-Indonesian archipelago) have been widely studied for their roles in religious propagation, politics, and education, their contributions to the development of indigenous writing traditions remain insufficiently explored. Among the most significant yet understudied of these contributions is the Pegon script, an adaptation of Arabic letters systematically modified to transcribe local languages such as Sundanese and Javanese, which served as a primary vehicle for the production and transmission of Islamic knowledge across the region. Existing scholarship on Pegon manuscripts has predominantly concentrated on philological editing and textual criticism, while the role of Muslim scholars in shaping Pegon as a dynamic medium for transmitting Islamic knowledge and constructing cultural identity has received comparatively limited attention. This study employs historical and philological approaches, combined with critical discourse analysis, to examine Sundanese manuscripts written in the Pegon script, drawing on local historical narratives and archival sources. The findings demonstrate that Pegon functioned not merely as a writing system but as a multidimensional intellectual instrument: a pedagogical medium within ulama and pesantren networks, a cultural bridge connecting local and global Islamic traditions, and a subtle instrument of resistance to colonial authority. Taken together, these findings attest to the remarkable intellectual creativity of Sundanese ulama in developing an effective vernacular writing system and underscore the critical importance of manuscript studies in reconstructing the dynamics of Islamic intellectual history in Southeast Asia.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dedi Supriadi, Moeflich Hasbullah, Faisal Muhmoud Adam https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Heidegger's Hermeneutics as an Approach to Understanding Prophetic Hadith: A Nusantara Islamic Perspective
This study examines the application of Martin Heidegger's hermeneutical framework as an alternative method for understanding prophetic hadith through contextual, historical and existential perspectives. Employing a qualitative philosophical approach through systematic library research, the study analyzes selected hadiths from Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and Musnad Ahmad using the concepts of Dasein, Being-in-the-world, and the hermeneutical circle. The findings demonstrate that Heideggerian hermeneutics situates hadith interpretation within the dynamic relationship between religious texts, the interpreter's existential horizon, and socio-historical context, thereby revealing dimensions of meaning that textual-formal approaches leave unaddressed. This research contributes to contemporary hadith studies by presenting a philosophical framework that bridges classical Islamic scholarly traditions and modern hermeneutical thought, offering Nusantara Islamic scholarship a methodologically grounded basis for developing contextual, moderate, and historically conscious interpretations of prophetic traditions. The implications extend to Islamic education and interdisciplinary inquiry, where hermeneutical analysis can strengthen engagement with contemporary religious and social challenges.
Copyright (c) 2026 Sahjad M. Aksan, Muhammad Wardah, Muhammad Yaseen https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Revisiting the Nicene Creed within Theological Dialogues in the Indonesian Context
The Nicene Creed is a foundational document in Christian theology, shaping core understandings of the Trinity and Christology. While global academic discussions on the Creed continue to evolve across historical, systematic, and ecumenical dimensions, research within the Indonesian context remains limited and lacks systematic mapping. This study employs a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method, guided by the PRISMA and SPIDER frameworks, to analyze scholarly trends related to the Nicene Creed in Indonesia. From an initial pool of 785 articles sourced from Google Scholar, 50 met the inclusion criteria. The findings show a predominance of theological discourse (35 articles) over studies addressing practical or social implementation in church life (15 articles). This imbalance highlights a gap in contextual theological engagement and indicates a limited process of translating the Creed within local ecclesial cultures. It also points to the need for further exploration of how congregations perceive and embody the Nicene Creed in relation to their cultural and religious settings. This study contributes to the academic mapping of the Nicene Creed in Indonesia and identifies potential directions for future research. These include exploring the application of the Creed within local contexts—particularly from a postcolonial perspective—as well as conducting comparative studies with other belief systems in Indonesia within the framework of religious and cultural plurality. Such efforts would deepen the contextual relevance of the Nicene Creed and enrich theological discourse in diverse Indonesian settings.
Copyright (c) 2025 Bonnarty Silalahi, Lerry Christofal J. Tualangi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Transforming Kitab Kuning Recitation Through Digitalization in Pesantren
Within the pesantren tradition, kitab kuning serves as a foundational and authoritative reference for Islamic scholarship. This study focuses on the regular recitation of kitab kuning texts—Tafsīr al-Munīr by Imam al-Nawawī and Iḥyā’ ʿUlūm al-Dīn by Imam al-Ghazālī, as conducted by K.H. Ahmad Hasan, the head of Pesantren As-Sa‘īdiyyah 2 Bahrul Ulum Tambak Beras, Jombang. Employing a field-based, qualitative research approach, this study applies the lens of digital da'wah to examine how traditional pedagogical practices are being transformed through modern technology. This study's findings indicate that since 2014, the pesantren has initiated the digital broadcasting of kitab kuning recitations via YouTube. Despite limitations in audiovisual quality, which often affect sound clarity, the integration of digital media has substantially widened the reach and accessibility of these religious teachings. This transformation yields three significant impacts: (1) spatial boundaries are reduced through the enabling power of information technology; (2) audience participation is no longer limited by physical space; and (3) the availability of recitation content transcends time, allowing asynchronous access for learners. These developments mark an important step toward preserving classical Islamic scholarship while adapting to contemporary modes of knowledge transmission.
Copyright (c) 2025 Nurul Istiqomah, Wardatun Nadhiroh, Siti Zulaichah, Sheila Kusuma Wardani Amnesti https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Local Values and Religious Moderation in the Madurese Translation of the Qur'an
This study examines the emergence and development of Qur’an translation into Madurese, focusing on the work of lecturers at IAIN Madura under the directive of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia. Employing Nashruddin Baidan’s translation theory, particularly his framework of interpretive periodization in Arabic, this research adapts this approach to the context of Qur’anic translation into a regional language. Using qualitative descriptive analysis, the study traces the historical trajectory of Madurese Qur’an translation, beginning with the initiatives of Jema’ah Pengajian Surabaya (JPS), followed by the Institute for Translation and Study of the Qur’an (LP2Q), and culminating in the contributions of IAIN Madura. Findings suggest that the IAIN Madura project represents a developmental phase in the ongoing process of Qur’an translation into Madurese. The translation adopts a tafsīriyyah model characterized by dynamic adaptation of target-language grammar. A distinctive feature is the integration of the Madurese language hierarchy (bhâsa èngghi bhunten, bhâsa tèngghi/alos, bhâsa èngghi enten, and bhâsa ènjhâ’ iyâ), reflecting local cultural values. The Pamekasan–Sumenep dialect serves as the linguistic basis. The translation is guided by three principles: grounding Qur’anic values, advancing religious modera­tion and preserving regional linguistic heritage. Key references include Tafsīr Jalālain, Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr, and official translations published by the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Copyright (c) 2025 Wasisto Raharjo Jati, Kirwan, Misbahul Wani https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Ethical Critique of Polygamy in the Early 20ᵗʰ Century Javanese Manuscript Alakirabi Wayuh Kaliyan Botên
This study examines domestic ethics and moral reflections on polygamy in the early twentieth‑century Javanese piwulang manuscript Alakirabi Wayuh Kaliyan Botên (AWKB). Previous research on Javanese household teachings has predominantly emphasized women’s duties and obedience, leaving the moral responsibilities of husbands and the ethical consequences of polygamy largely unaddressed. This study fills that gap by analyzing AWKB as a rare textual source that articulates internal criticism of polygamy within the Javanese intellectual tradition. The research uses a descriptive analytical method based on philological data sourced from the digitized AWKB manuscript written in Javanese script and language. The manuscript was transliterated, paraphrased, and translated, followed by interpretive analysis using Paul Ricoeur’s hermeneutic framework to contextualize its ethical messages. The findings show three key insights. First, AWKB presents implicit criticism of polygamy by highlighting the husband’s inability to maintain material and emotional justice among wives. Second, the text emphasizes maturity, economic preparedness, and honesty as essential foundations for marital stability. Third, AWKB reframes domestic ethics by shifting moral responsibility from women’s obedience toward the husband’s ethical accountability. These findings contribute to Javanese philological studies by revealing an understudied moral discourse that challenges normative assumptions about gender roles in traditional household teachings. The study concludes that AWKB offers a culturally grounded critique of polygamy and provides a valuable ethical perspective for contemporary discussions on marital justice and family well‑being.
Copyright (c) 2025 Iin Nur Zulaili, Muhammad Khodafi, Muchamad Saiful Muluk, Moh. Iqbal Nafi, Ahmad Nabil Nasyiri https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Reading Al-Ibānah: Habib Salim bin Jindan’s Eclectic Responses to Islamic Ritual Debates in Early 20ᵗʰ Century Indonesia
This study examines the construction of the concept of bid‘ah in the manuscript al-Ibānah fī Tārīkh al-Sunnah by Habib Salim bin Jindan as a response to traditionalist and reformist debates in early twentieth-century Indonesia. Its aim is to trace how Habib Salim’s eclectic perspective emerged through the interplay of hadith authority, Ba‘Alawi genealogical tradition, and engagement with Islamic reformist discourse. The primary data are drawn from al-Ibānah, particularly sections addressing the definition of bid‘ah, additions to prescribed religious practices, and ritual examples such as bodily movements during dhikr, ḥaul commemorations, and non-canonical prayers (Raghā’ib and ʿĀshūrā’). The study employs philological methods to examine the structure and textual presentation of the manuscript, alongside a socio-intellectual historical approach to contextualize al-Ibānah within the development of Indonesian Islamic thought. The analysis reveals that the manuscript advances a framework of bid‘ah that does not fully align with either traditionalist or reformist paradigms. Habib Salim challenges claims from both camps through more flexible classifications and hadith-based argumentation. The findings revise prevailing understandings of Hadrami scholars, who have often been positioned dichotomously in historical narratives. The article’s contribution lies in its reading of religious manuscripts as sources of discourse, its explanation of the intellectual authority of Hadrami sayyids, and its reframing of the dynamics of religious critique within the intellectual history of Indonesian Islam.
Copyright (c) 2025 Muhamad Abror, Lufaefi, M. Adib Misbachul Islam, Yasrul Huda, Muhammad Nuril Fauzan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
A Systematic Literature Review on Religiosity : The Social and Economic Determinants of Religious Intensification
Religion plays a vital role in human life, yet many studies focus on its consequences rather than the factors influencing religiosity and religious intensification. This study examines the social and economic determinants that shape religious faith through a literature review of 25 relevant studies from the Scopus database. The findings reveal that social factors predominantly drive religious intensification. These factors include the family environment (parental religiosity, closeness to parents), socialization (religious exposure in childhood), and social conditions (trauma, religious freedom, and societal attitudes). Social demographics such as gender, age, and marital status also play a role. Conversely, economic factors tend to negatively influence religious practices. These factors include income levels (relative and absolute), macroeconomic conditions (GDP per capita, trade volume, and travel costs), socio-economic status (employment, education, and social insurance), and economic development in countries of origin and destination. The study highlights the complex interplay between social and economic factors in shaping religiosity and religious intensification. These findings underscore the need for policies that balance social and economic considerations, promote religious pluralism, and address societal vulnerabilities to foster inclusive approaches to managing religious dynamics in diverse com­munities.
Copyright (c) 2024 Lutfan Muntaqo, Atinia Hidayah, M. Elfan Kaukab, Wan Noor Hazlina Wan Jusoh https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Sufi Ethics and Religious Moderation through a Revisit of Miftāḥ al-Ṣudūr for Contemporary Social Harmony
Religious moderation has emerged as a crucial framework for addressing contemporary challenges such as radicalism, intolerance and social polarization in pluralistic societies. This study examines the concept of religious moderation through the lens of Shaykh Ahmad Shohibulwafa Tajul Arifin’s teachings in Miftāḥ al-Ṣudūr. Employing a library-based methodology, the research identifies key Sufi principles—tazkiyyah al-nafs (self-purification), mujāhadah al-nafs (struggle against base desires), and maḥabbah (compassionate love)—as core elements for fostering personal spiritual growth and collective harmony. These values are shown to align with the four indicators of religious moderation as outlined by Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs: national commitment, nonviolence, tolerance, and respect for local culture. The study highlights how practices such as dhikr (remembrance of God) and tawajjuh (spiritual meditation) not only cultivate inner awareness and emotional regulation but also contribute to building inclusive and peaceful communities. While the research focuses on textual analysis, it underscores the potential of Sufi-based approaches to counteract societal fragmentation by emphasizing ethical behavior and inward transformation. Although limited to textual interpretation, the study calls for further research incorporating fieldwork and interdisciplinary perspectives to assess the real-world application of Miftāḥ al-Ṣudūr’s teachings. Overall, the findings affirm the continued relevance of Sufism in shaping resilient, harmonious societies and offer a constructive paradigm for integrating spirituality with social cohesion in the modern era.
Copyright (c) 2025 Teten Jalaludin Hayat Teten, Ma’sum Anshori, Abdul Abas, Azma Zuhayda Arsyada https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0