Public Islam Research Articles

Trajectories of Public Islam: Public Religious Expressions among American Muslim Advocates

Abstract In American mainstream cultural discourse, Islam is often constructed as undemocratic, violent, and un-American. How do American Muslim advocates react to these tarnished representations of their religion? This paper examines the ways in which Muslim advocates construct public discourse around Islam by exploring the possibilities for and recognizing the constraints on their public religious expressions in U.S. civic life as advocates navigate cultural templates infused with de-sacralized Christian meanings. Based on participant observation in two Muslim advocacy organizations, the article demonstrates that advocates map Islam differently, depending on whether the imagined audience of their public discourse is other Muslims or non-Muslims. When advocates imagine addressing non-Muslims, the public discourse of both groups similarly emphasizes Islamic compatibility of Muslim with American values. Among both groups, there is a process of filtering certain religious expressions for more expansive social maps that uncovers the unequal power dynamics shaping trajectories of public religion in civic life for one of the most stigmatized ethno-religious groups in the United States today. This paper contributes to expanding our understanding of how civic culture enables and constrains historically marginalized groups’ attempts at redefining belonging.

Claiming space in civil society. Young Muslim moral personhoods in Bangladesh and Italy

ABSTRACT In this article we analyze the multi-layered engagements of young Muslim activists in Dhaka (Bangladesh) and in the ‘Bangladeshi community’ in Rome (Italy), illustrating how, despite the local factors shaping a problematic relationship between Islamic activism and civil society in the two contexts, the young people share an attitude that points to the manifestations of a public Islam on a global level. This attitude aims at transcending the sectarianism and isolationism of previous generations, giving rise to civic engagements that rely on a concept of moral personhood, and strive to achieve change in society through modalities that depart from the clichés of political Islam. By considering these varied modalities, we highlight the existence of unconventional links between politics and civil society, and between ‘new’ and ‘old’ forms of civil society, contributing to the deconstruction of a Eurocentric and religion-averse understanding of the concept. At the same time, by analyzing the role played by the ‘individual’ in our interlocutors’ engagements, we shed light on counterintuitive convergences between Muslim moral economy and that of neoliberal governmentality, and on the emergence of a ‘liquid civil society’.

Implementing Character Education Based on Local Wisdom in a Public Islamic Elementary School

This study centers on implementing Character Education based on Local Wisdom at Public Islamic Elementary School 4 Banjar. It highlights the indispensable role of educators in imparting character values to students through local culture and wisdom. The research aims to grasp how Character Education based on local wisdom is practiced at Public Islamic Elementary School 4 Banjar Sungai Lulut and the factors that either facilitate or hinder its implementation. Employing a qualitative approach with a descriptive method, the study examines the activities and execution of Character Education based on local wisdom, involving teachers and students as research subjects. Data collection techniques encompass observation, interviews, and documentation, while data analysis involves data reduction, presentation, and conclusion. The findings demonstrate that the school effectively integrates local wisdom into Character Education through activities such as adopting the 5S culture (smile, greeting, greeting, politeness, and politeness), religious practices, sports, and scouting, all contributing to student character development. Supportive factors such as adequate facilities, the active role of teachers, parental involvement, and the inclusion of character education in the school curriculum further enhance the implementation. Conversely, inhibiting factors such as students' lack of awareness and insufficient facilities and infrastructure present challenges to the process. These findings hold practical implications for educators, researchers, and policymakers interested in character education and implementing local wisdom in elementary schools.

The Portrait of an Alla Franca Shaykh: Sufism, Modernity, and Class in Turkey

AbstractThis paper illustrates the heterogeneity of Islamic publics in early 20th-century Turkey by examining the life and thought of Ken'an Rifai, a Sufi shaykh and high-ranking bureaucrat in the Ottoman Ministry of Education. It argues that Shaykh Rifai endorsed state secularization reforms on religious grounds and shows how he reformulated Sufi Islam by imbricating Sufi ethics with other social imaginaries of the time through the lens of an upper-class bureaucrat. This paper contributes to Turkish studies by highlighting the previously overlooked role of elite Islamic groups who collaborated with the early republic. It also challenges the dominant paradigm of a binary opposition between the secular ruling elite and pious masses. Additionally, this paper offers insight into broader anthropological and historical Islamic studies by demonstrating the diverse ways Sufi traditions adapted to modern governance.

Innovative Approaches to English Language Teaching in Indonesian Public Islamic Schools: Insights and Challenges

Background: In Indonesia's public Islamic secondary schools, English Language Policy and Planning (ELPP) faces challenges such as resource limitations, a lack of qualified educators, and a non-standardized curriculum. However, despite these challenges, compared to ASEAN peers like the Philippines, Indonesia's approach lacks focus on student-centered learning, underscoring the need for enhanced ELPP strategies. Methodology: Four English language teachers and one headmaster participated as respondents in this research to provide comprehensive data findings. Data were collected through interviews conducted over the course of one month, employing guided questions. Subsequently, descriptive analysis was utilized to analyze the data. Findings: English's mandatory integration in secondary education, especially in Madrasah Tsanawiyah, highlights its crucial academic role. Analyzing educational policies and curricular shifts, from competency-based to the Merdeka curriculum, showcases Indonesia's deliberate push for English proficiency. Interviews stress the Merdeka Curriculum's CEFR alignment, prioritizing student empowerment through learner-centered methods and technology. Despite efforts, challenges remain in public Islamic schools, with teachers advocating for supportive environments due to limited exposure and resources. Conclusion: The complex nature of these challenges necessitates the cooperation of politicians, educators, and administrators to establish an atmosphere that promotes successful English language acquisition while also honoring Indonesia's distinct cultural and linguistic diversity. Originality: This study uniquely explores ELPP in Indonesia's public Islamic secondary schools, highlighting the balance between English proficiency and cultural preservation, offering fresh insights into the ELPP discourse in a multicultural and multilingual context.

Islamic Public Finance: Productive Zakat and Taxes As Instruments of The Country's Economy

Purpose: This research aims to determine productive zakat and taxes in the management and distribution of funds for economic activities, education, health, and infrastructure. Zakat and taxes are instruments of income obtained by the community that must be spent based on the provisions stipulated in the Al-Quran and Hadith, while taxes are instruments of state income collected from the community from income tax, land, and building tax, value-added tax, income tax, and others. Methodology: The research method in this study uses a qualitative method with a descriptive approach using interview data and report data on the collection and distribution of productive zakat funds and taxes for the country's economic growth. This research data was collected using structured interviews regarding the collection and distribution of funds in economic activities, education, health, and infrastructure to provincial BAZNAS staff and South Kalimantan provincial tax staff. Findings: There are findings in research conducted by researchers that the contribution of productive zakat funds and taxes distributed in economic activities, education, health, and infrastructure development has an impact on regional economic growth of 56% from 2022-2023, and while the instrument is equal to 87 %.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PRE-MARRIAGE COURSES IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF ISLAMIC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

The Ministry of Religious Affairs has formulated the Regulation of the Director General of Islamic Public Guidance No. DJ.II/542 of 2013 concerning Guidelines for the Implementation of Pre-Marriage Courses, which are applied at the Office of Religious Affairs of Tanjung Karang Timur District. This research aims to know how far the level of significance of pre-marriage courses is to people of marriageable age as a form of increasing understanding of the community from the perspective of Islamic community development. The approach used is a qualitative approach. Data is sourced from primary, secondary, and population and sample data. The population is 16 pairs of prospective brides or 32 people, and the sample is 8 pairs of prospective brides or 16. With data collection techniques such as interviews, observation, documentation, and data analysis. Based on the results from research on the implementation of pre-marital courses and the processes carried out, it can be concluded that pre-marital courses are beneficial and necessary for the community. Community development aims to improve the quality of life of the community through the awareness process, the capacity-building process, and the enrichment process. It is significant for creating a Sakinah family.

Strategy and Portrait of the Literacy Movement in Public Madrasah Ibtidaiyah

The need for literacy in the era of globalization demands the state's role to facilitate educational systems and services in line with the mandate of the 1945 Constitution. Efforts were made by the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia by launching the Madrasah Literacy Movement (GLM) program to generate literacy at various levels of religious educational institutions. The research method uses qualitative research methods using a field research approach. Data was collected based on observations, interviews, and documentation. Data analysis techniques using the Miles and Huberman model go through three steps: data condensation, data presentation, conclusion, and verification. The results showed that madrasah policies in adopting the madrasah literacy movement program in Public Islamic Elementary Schools (Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Negeri, MIN) were implemented by making policies for monitored reading programs, reading corner programs, and providing textbooks/non-lessons for students. The strategy of the madrasah literacy movement in MIN is the form of conditioning a literacy-friendly physical environment, striving for a social and practical environment as a communication and literacy interaction model, and seeking madrasah as a literate academic environment. Portrait of madrasah literacy movement in awakening literacy culture in MIN through planning, habituation, development, and learning activities of literacy programs.

Efforts to Improve Students' Critical Thinking Skills Through Scientific Approach in Elementary School

This research was carried out to determine teachers' application of the scientific approach to improving the critical thinking skills of Public Islamic Elementary School 4 Sukoharjo students. The subjects of this research are class VI students for the 2022/2023 academic year. The type of research is descriptive qualitative. Techniques for collecting data are direct observation, documentation, and semi-structured interviews with teachers as research subjects and students as research informants. Based on the research results, it was found that educators in the teaching process in class VI Public Islamic Elementary School 4 Sukoharjo had implemented scientific learning in teaching and learning activities, which consisted of five activity steps, namely observing, asking, trying, reasoning, and communicating. The results obtained from applying a scientific approach to learning can make students think more critically

ANALISIS KEUANGAN PUBLIK SYARIAH TERHADAP PENGELOLAAN ANGGARAN DAN PENGELUARAN PEMERINTAH DAERAH KULON PROGO

Management of regional budget and expenditure of Kulon Progo is the authority of regional governments and must be adapted to the conditions of regional communities. Financial management of a region has been taught in Islamic law since the time of the Prophet. The concept of regional financial management based on Islamic law must apply the principles of justice. The Kulon Progo Regency government is known to be the district with the smallest financial income/revenue among other districts in Yogyakarta. With small financial revenues, the government still has to distribute regional finances fairly. Therefore, this research aims to analyze the management of regional income and expenditure budgets in Kulon Progo Regency from an Islamic Public Finance Perspective for the 2022-2023 Period. The research method used descriptive qualitative analysis. The data source is primary data obtained from interviews with the local government of Kulon Progo Regency and several community representatives. The research results show that the stages of drafting the Kulon Progo Regency APBD draft are in accordance with the Processing Stage based on the provisions of law number 12 of 2019 concerning regional financial management. The process of tax revenue and regional expenditure determination in Kulon Progo has implemented Islamic public finance principles presented by Umar Chapra.

The changing traditions of Islamic public administration: observing processes of collision, absorption and adaptation

ABSTRACT The development of the concept of Islamic Public Administration (IPA) requires consideration of its portability across spatial and temporal contexts as well as secular-religious divides. The content of IPA has shifted over time, and debate over its meanings and key attributes has been a consistent feature of the history of Muslim societies. This means a hard-edged IPA concept constituted by immutable structural features to enable valid and reliable observation over time is likely to be defeated. This article argues instead for a thematic IPA framework that is relatively underspecified to allow for context sensitivity and facilitates the analysis of enduring historical dilemmas of Islamic governance. Such a framework helps show how IPA differs from other public administration traditions; specifically, its self-conscious reinvention by appeals to Islamic theology, law and ethics; and its grounding in values that are not commensurable with secular, liberal “public” values.

Islamic public administration and Islamic public value: Towards a research agenda

This essay explores whether religion has a place in addressing public challenges, particularly in the context of Non-Western Public Administration paradigms such as Confucian, Buddhist, and Islamic. The authors focus on Islam as a case study and highlight the need for real-life cases to build a grounded theory. To this end, the essay documents the authors’ ongoing research on Islamic Public Value. We argue that to understand Public Administration in a global context, it is essential to recognize the limitations of a Western perspective, from which the dichotomy of religious versus secular emerged, and in so doing, consider alternative departure points, i.e. paradigms incorporating religious or semi-religious elements.

Graduate attributes, state policy, and Islamic preaching in Indonesia

ABSTRACTThe development of state institutions for the management and administration of Islam has enriched the range of Islamic authorities in Indonesia, with distinctive effects for public Islam. The article examines the effects of an Indonesian policy decision of 1975 that was intended to develop specific graduate attributes – ‘modernity, openness and critical thought’ – in graduates of Islamic post-graduate study. It was decreed that Islamic graduates would be sent to post-graduate programmes at universities in the West, altering a policy setting that had previously favoured venerable sites of Islamic learning in the Middle East. The Ministry of Religion associated sites of post-graduate learning in the West with graduate attributes of openness and critical thought, and perceived that these attributes were necessary for the development of a cohort of technical experts with competency to observe and analyse Islam in Indonesian populations. Article problematizes this notion of graduate attributes in the religious sphere, noting their novelty in comparison with competencies required of Islamic leaders in Indonesian communities (connectedness, affirmation of tradition, ritual expertise, etc). Attributes of ‘openness and critical thought’ position technical experts as critical observers of other segments in Indonesian Islamic society, such as Indonesia’s popular preachers, many of whom are trained in sites of Islamic learning in the Middle East. In Indonesia’s contemporary Islamic public sphere, such technical experts, many of whom were trained in Western social science departments, maintain a critical distance from Indonesia’s popular preachers, the majority of whom (ironically) received religious training in sites of learning in the Middle East.

Systematic Literature Review of The Role of Islamic Financial Institutions Towards the Growth of Islamic Public Finance

This research aims to analyze the role of Islamic Financial Institutions or IFI in facilitating the growth of Islamic public finance worldwide. The research method used is a qualitative method through Systematic Literature Review approach and is described comprehensively through PRISMA flow diagram. The flow diagram potrays information flow through the different stages of a systematic review. It maps out the number of records identified, included and excluded, and the reasons for exclusions. Various templates are available dependent upon the type of review (new or updated) and sources used to identify research. We selected articles from credible and relevant Scopus Q1-Q4 databases that met the standard eligibility criteria. The selected articles were analyzed using the VOSviewer tool to map the article titles, author names, country of origin, and keyword trends related to Islamic Financial Institutions (IFI) and Islamic Public Finance (IPF). The results yielded 76 articles which were then filtered through several stages resulting in seven final articles for further analysis. We critically examined the research findings in these articles and addressed them based on the research questions i.e. the role of IFI, the approach used to measure the role of IFI, and the factors influencing the role of IFI in the growth of IPF. Our analysis revealed that IFI plays a crucial role in the growth of IPF as multi-institutional entities collectively responsible for the social welfare of the ummah. Additionally, the measurement approach to IFI's role can utilize various Islamic public policy instruments such as zakah and waqf. Factors influencing the role of IFI include the need for intensive government-led programs in socializing and improving financial literacy among the public to ensure that Islamic financial inclusivity reaches all segments of society.

Reproductive Health Literacy of Adolescents at Public Islamic School: A Cross-Sectional Study in Indonesia

Inadequate adolescents’ reproductive health literacy is a serious problem that requires urgent attention from all stakeholders. Adolescents with limited knowledge of reproductive health are more prone to facing various health problems. Therefore, this study aims to determine the level of adolescents reproductive health literacy and its associated factors. An analytical approach was adopted with a cross-sectional design. The target population consisted of female students in classes XI and XII, at Public Islamic Senior High School 2 Banda Aceh, totaling 242 students. An accidental sampling method was utilized to select the sample, and the number of respondents was 150 students. The data obtained were analyzed using simple linear and multiple linear regression tests. The results showed that the level of reproductive health literacy was moderate (M=3.20; SD: 0.70 on a scale of 5), while the associated factors included family role (β=0.397; p-value:0.001), age (β=0.263; p-value:0.001), and peer support (β=0.259; p-value:0.001). These variables accounted for 43.4% of the variance in adolescents reproductive health literacy (R2:0.434). Based on the results, it was concluded that the level of adolescents reproductive health literacy was insufficient, and factors correlated to this problem included family role, age, and peer support.

Solution-focused group counseling: A solution to enhance students’ self-confidence

Self-confidence plays a pivotal role in developing an individual’s potentials. Solution-focused counseling approach views an individual as the only expert for his/her own life, and only they themselves are capable of making the best decision. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of solution-focused group counseling sessions in enhancing students' self-confidence. To this end, a pretest-posttest control group experimental study was conducted, involving twelve students of Public Islamic Senior High School 3 Langkat, who were assigned into two groups of six participants each. Data collected from self-confidence scale were analyzed using Wilcoxon Sign Test by identifying the difference in average improvement of self-confidence. The experimental group exhibited a significance value of 0.002 ( 0.005), indicating that the solution-focused group counseling could improve students’ self-confidence.

Learning the Values of Religious Moderation in Madrasah Aliyah: Model Analysis

Islamic religious education (PAI) teachers still need help in carrying out learning value that is integrated into learning at school or madrasah. However, implementing the 2013 curriculum emphasizes the importance of value integration in learning, including the values ​​of religious moderation, which can strengthen the value of national unity and integrity. This study presented a learning model for the value of moderation in religion in the Aqidah Akhlak subject at Madrasah Aliyah Aceh, focusing on the perspectives of students and teachers on the learning model for the value of moderation in religion which has so far been implemented and the readiness of teachers in lesson plan based on internalizing the value of religious moderation. The researchers obtained data on the perspectives of students and teachers regarding the learning model of religious moderation values taken from questionnaires and interviews. Data on religious moderation learning plans were a document review from two Madrasah Aliyah Negeri (MAN- Public Islamic Senior High School) 2 in Aceh Tamiang Regency and Madrasah Aliyah (MA) Ulumul Qur'an in Langsa, Indonesia. The applied values learning models have not been able to facilitate students to think critically, resolve value conflicts, and internalize values in students. It has affected students' awareness of applying the values of religious moderation in their lives. The learning plan and design of the religious moderation values in Madrasah Aliyah have not met the standards. Therefore, it remains a big task for educators to strive for better quality values education in formal education, especially in Madrasah Aliyah.

Assessment for University Classroom Climate Improvement in Indonesia

Improving classroom climate is an effort to enhance the quality of education on a micro scale that needs to be encouraged for lecturers in tertiary education. Several tertiary classroom climate instruments have been developed in English, for example the Colleges and Universities Classroom Environment Inventory (CUCEI), What is Happening in this Class (WIHIC), and have been translated into several languages. The University Classroom Climate Inventory (UCCI) is a classroom climate instrument which was developed and adapted in Bahasa Indonesia based on the English classroom climate instrument. To obtain information about a conducive classroom climate in Indonesia, it is necessary to assess the difference between actual and preferred classroom climate in some universities. The sample of the study was 400 students of Universitas Negeri Padang, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Public Islamic University of Sutan Syarif Kasim Pekanbaru, and Public Islamic Institute of Kerinci, Indonesia. The result of the study shows that there was a significant difference between the actual and the preferred climate, which mean that there is a need to make better classroom climate in for these universities.

The Effect of Blended Learning Model and Learning Motivation on Students’ Writing Ability of Public Islamic High School Students in Indonesia

The objective of the study is to investigates students’ writing ability of XII grade students in Public Islamic High School Tanjungpinang by comparing blended learning model and face-to-face learning model. This quasi-experimental study used two groups: the experimental group who were taught using blended learning and control group who were taught using face-to-face learning. The population was XII grade students. A sample of 60 students was divided into 2 groups, with 30 students as the control group and 30 students as the experimental group. The techniques for collecting the data were a test method by giving a written test and non-testing method by distributing a questionnaire. The results of study show that there is significant effect on students' writing ability and the learning model, there is significant effect on students' writing ability and learning motivation, and there is no interaction between learning models, learning motivation and writing ability.

Implementation of the Prospective Bride Course in Indonesia: Provision for Marital Life by Kantor Urusan Agama

This study aims to examine the implementation of courses for prospective brides as an effort to improve knowledge of married life in Indonesia. This research uses a literature review method with content analysis techniques of the laws of the government of the Republic of Indonesia, regulations of the Ministry of Religion, and is supported by the opinions of experts in books and journals. The result of this research is that the prospective bride course (Suscatin) is an education for prospective brides that must be followed and carried out by the Marriage Advisory, Development and Preservation Agency (BP4) which is under the auspices of the religious affairs office (KUA) as a representative office of the district or city ministry of religion office throughout Indonesia. The course aims to provide knowledge about the concept of a harmonious family based on Islamic teachings known as Sakinah, Mawaddah Warahmah, and to prevent the occurrence of divorce that often occurs among brides these days. All needs regarding the implementation of the course are covered by funds from both central and regional governments. Implementation guidelines include syllabus, materials, learning models, lesson hours, resource persons, graduation certificates and others are regulated in the Regulation of the Director General of Islamic Public Guidance Number: DJ.II/542 of 2013 concerning Guidelines for the Implementation of Pre-Marriage Courses Article 1 and Article 2.