Muslim Leaders’ Perspectives on Qur’anic Wasathiyah in Religious Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35723/ajie.v10i2.242Keywords:
Religious Moderation, Wasathiyah, Religious Education, Interfaith DialogueAbstract
This study explores the perspectives of Muslim leaders within the Interfaith Harmony Forum of Special Region of Yogyakarta (Forum Kerukunan Umat Beragama Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta [FKUB-DIY]), on integrating the Qur’anic concept of Wasathiyah (moderation) into religious education to promote religious moderation. It aims to understand their conceptual views and identify effective strategies for strengthening moderation education in a multi-cultural context. This study employed a qualitative case study design and collected data through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with three key Muslim leaders of FKUB-DIY. To triangulate the data, the researchers conducted participatory observations of FKUB workshops and analysed official FKUB documents. Thematic analysis following the Braun and Clarke model was used to identify, analyse, and report patterns within the data. The study reveals that Muslim leaders conceptualise Wasathiyah not as a static middle ground but as a dynamic and contextual principle of justice (‘adl), requiring balanced responses tailored to specific situations. Key themes include a firm rejection of religious coercion (lā ikrāha fi al-dīn), criticism of literalist Qur'anic interpretations that fuel discrimination, and the strong relevance of moderation to Yogyakarta's multi-cultural society, aligning with local wisdom like Hamemayu Hayuning Bawono. Strategies for strengthening moderation education encompass a multi-channel approach (formal and non-formal institutions), multi-party collaboration (FKUB, government, educational institutions), capacity building for religious leaders, concrete programs, and the integration of local cultural values. This study contributes a novel Integrated Multidimensional Framework for Contextual Religious Moderation, which synthesises conceptual, strategic, and implementation dimensions. It moves beyond static notions of moderation by emphasising its dynamic nature and the critical integration of local wisdom with Qur’anic principles.
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