This article examines the munajat located at the end of the Esma'u Ahl-i Badr by the eighteenth-century Ottoman scholar Ibrahim Hanif b. Mustafa al-Istanbuli. The aim is to reveal, through expressions within the text, the classical aesthetic dimension of this munajat and its discourse of tawassul. Although our classical literature was a trilingual literature composed in Turkish, Arabic, and Persian, Arabic works have not been sufficiently examined in literary studies; for this reason, it is expected that the study of an Arabic munajat will contribute to the field. As a method, qualitative content analysis and manuscript examination were used together, and seven copies, especially Michigan University Isl. Ms. 233, were evaluated. The findings show that saj', simile, metaphor, allusion, repetition, antithesis, and semantic harmony systematically construct the atmosphere of supplication and the internal music of the text, while the language is balanced with Arabic religious terminology. In the content of the munajat, while the spiritual rank and virtues of the Companions of Badr are praised, the author's expression of his own helplessness and his request for their intercession are evaluated as a literary reflection of the understanding of tawassul in the Islamic Sufi tradition. In addition to its contribution to both literary and religious literature, the work contains valuable elements regarding the development of the munajat genre.

In the aftermath of the Holocaust, a noteworthy surge in the creation of orthodox Jewish literature and the restoration of lost books emerged, yet this phenomenon remains unexplored. A literature review suggests that this trend may be attributed to psychological and spiritual needs for individual and national rehabilitation and commemoration as integral components of coping with catastrophic events and grief. This study investigates for the first time these assumptions and their manifestation in post-Holocaust religious literature by analyzing author statements that elucidate their motivations and objectives underlying their writing. Out of 200 books meeting inclusion criteria, featuring elements of self-reflection and/or commemoration in their prefaces, 20 books were randomly selected. Thematic analysis was used to categorize the texts into key themes, with validation from researchers specializing in Jewish philosophy, social work, and psychology. Authors’ self-reflections offered insights into their motivations, resembling glimpses into personal diaries. They outlined the guiding principles behind their writing and its eventual impact. Four themes were identified: (1) Filling personal voids; (2) Filling the void of the deceased; (3) Filling voids in religious literature; and (4) Filling national voids. The findings support theories positing writing as a therapeutic and commemorative act, integral to individual and national rehabilitation following trauma. Writing is viewed as an essential component of the coping process with tragedy, aiding in filling personal, communal, and spiritual voids. This study contributes to the design and implementation of interventions facilitating coping with grief and bereavement, particularly in cases of collective loss.

This article examines the conversations between Mary and Jesus included in the Przemyśl Meditation—the most extensive Old Polish narrative work recounting the lives of Christ and His Mother. The analysis reveals a complex, dual image of Mary: on the one hand, she appears as a humble and helpless woman; on the other, as a powerful intercessor endowed with profound theological awareness. This duality is also reflected in her attitude toward her Son. In some passages, Mary identifies Jesus with the Father, emphasizing the unity of the Trinity, while in others, she clearly contrasts them, seeing in Jesus the suffering Son, obedient to a stern and relentless Father. The article explores the causes of these ambivalences, focusing on the narrative functions of the dialogues, their place within the structure of the work, and relevant extratextual contexts. The findings highlight the richness of medieval Marian thought and the theological tensions that shaped its expression in Polish religious literature.

During the Soviet period, samizdat (the underground press) was not limited to political or literary texts. Religious samizdat also existed as a significant phenomenon. Believers printed and circulated religious literature for themselves and likeminded people under near-underground conditions, relying on secrecy, concealment, and various informal strategies to evade state control. To shed light on how these practices were organized, the editorial team of the “Orthodoxia” journal spoke with a direct participant in these events, Pavel Rogovoy, who was one of the leading figures of underground Orthodox samizdat in the Soviet era and the general director of the “Palomnik” publishing house

The Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) was a transformative era for Baojuan (寶卷, “precious scrolls”), a traditional genre of Chinese folk religious literature, which evolved from its Yuan origins to achieve widespread prominence. Luo Qing’s Wubu liuce (五部六冊, “Five Books in Six Volumes”) during the Zhengde reign (1506–1521) marked a pivotal moment, enabling the systematic dissemination of his teachings among diverse social strata and profoundly shaping popular religious beliefs. The Ming Baojuan texts, bridging the developments between the Yuan and Qing periods, offer rich and dispersed data suitable for digital visualization. Employing digital humanities tools such as 3D radar charts and GIS visualization, this study maps the spatial distribution and influence of Baojuan in Ming China. The findings reveal that transportation networks and regional economic prosperity played a crucial role in driving its dissemination, with southern regions–particularly the Wu-Yue region (referring to the historical cultural area encompassing southern Jiangsu and northern Zhejiang, core parts of Ming Jiangnan)–showing high density, reflecting the economic and cultural vitality of Ming Jiangnan. The research further demonstrates that the flourishing of Baojuan publication and dissemination during the Ming period was sustained not only by economic and cultural forces but also by the ruling elite’s patronage, a form of discursive strategies that functioned as a mechanism of sectarian legitimation, thereby underscoring the interdependence of regional prosperity, elite patronage, and religious transmission.

“They Seized Our Prayer Houses”: Religious Discrimination under Russian Occupation in Mariupol

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.

This study examines the local expression Tong Ngin Fan Ngin Jit Jong from Bangka Belitung as a form of local wisdom that functions as a living religious literature, a symbol of tolerance, and a counter to radicalism in Southeast Asia. The research aims to explore how this expression strengthens religious moderation and social resilience in Bangka Belitung. Using a qualitative approach based on literature studies, it analyzes academic sources, historical archives, local media, and policy documents that record the historical development and contemporary meaning of the phrase. The findings reveal that Tong Ngin Fan Ngin Jit Jong, meaning “Chinese and Malay are one,” emerged from a long process of acculturation between Chinese and Malay communities since the 17th century, reinforced through anti-colonial solidarity, and institutionalized within regional cultural policies. This expression is not merely a slogan but a living cultural-religious text embodying values of equality, interfaith brotherhood, and mutual cooperation. Another key finding highlights the role of local media in reproducing narratives of harmony and the expression’s contribution to strengthening social resilience amid rising intolerance and polarization. Conceptually, this study contributes to religious literature studies by positioning Tong Ngin Fan Ngin Jit Jong as a model of grassroots pluralism relevant to other multicultural contexts in Southeast Asia. The study’s limitation lies in the absence of ethnographic field data; thus, future research is recommended to explore the lived experiences of younger generations through participatory approaches.

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.

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.

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.

Serat Mbonang is a classical Javanese religious manuscript attributed to Sunan Bonang that contains teachings on theosophy, theology, kalam, and Sufism. Although previous studies have examined its doctrinal and metaphysical aspects, limited research has explored its axiological structure and its relevance for contemporary Islamic character education. This study aims to address this gap by analyzing the integration of divine and human values in Serat Mbonang through the lens of Islamic educational axiology. The research employs a qualitative descriptive design using library data. Primary data consist of the Serat Mbonang manuscript, while secondary data include scholarly works on Nusantara religious literature, Sufism, and Islamic educational philosophy. Data were analyzed through textual analysis, interpretative reading, and axiological categorization supported by hermeneutic interpretation. The findings show, first, that Serat Mbonang constructs a coherent value system in which tawhid, spiritual discipline, and ethical conduct are presented as mutually reinforcing principles. Second, the manuscript embeds character education through aesthetic and cultural expressions, demonstrating the pedagogical role of art in Walisongo traditions. Third, the text offers an integrated model of value formation that rejects the dichotomy between divine and human values. These findings imply that Serat Mbonang provides a culturally grounded framework for Islamic character education relevant to modern contexts. The study concludes by recommending the integration of local wisdom-based manuscripts into contemporary educational models to strengthen value-oriented learning.

The article aims to explore the monastic journey of St. Josaphat Kuntsevych, beginning with his family background and continuing with his monastic life at the Basilian Monastery of the Holy Trinity in Vilnius. The article also explores how the religious literature of that time may have influenced Josaphat’s spiritual beliefs and his decision to pursue the monastic path. Special attention is given to the traditions of the Byzantine Church Fathers and the local Kyiv-Pechersk Paterikon, which shaped the spiritual practices reflected in Josaphat’s life, as analysed through his ascetic and spiritual disciplines.

Abstract The posthumous inventory, as an “official listing of things,” assumed the preparation of a register of all movable and immovable property that the testator had at the time of death. Bartłomiej Groicki (ca. 1534–1605), a Polish expert in Magdeburg law, encouraged burghers to prepare such registers, because they made it possible to estimate the size of the property left to the heirs and to indicate the debts that burdened the inheritance. According to the law, the heirs assumed the obligation to repay all financial obligations. If the amount of the debt exceeded the value of the inherited property, the heirs could reject such an inheritance. In the posthumous inventories of Polish burghers, we encounter various categories of movable property, including books. It is worth noting, however, that there are not many such lists in the surviving city books. However, the analysis of titles appearing in the town registers allows us to state that most of the posthumous books recorded in the inventories were works on religious themes. The source basis for the article will be handwritten posthumous inventories from small towns in the Małopolska region in Poland and printed registers of Poznań residents. Its aim will be to show examples of religious writing appearing in the registers and to answer the question of what works reached people living in the towns of Małopolska. The presence of this type of writing in the registers may indicate the spiritual needs of the townspeople and the changing forms of devotion over time.

This paper examines the increasing presence of Turkish religious literature in Kaunas, Lithuania, home to the only brick mosque in the Baltic States and an active Muslim community with a Turkish imam conducting services. In the globalised context, spiritual texts play a key role in shaping identity and communal lifestyle, and Turkish authors’ literature, due to accessibility in local languages, may be relevant for Lithuanian Muslims. By focusing on two Muslim groups, Lithuanian Tatars and converts, the research investigates how religious translations are transmitted, adapted and integrated into the local community. The analysis focuses on the Islamic religion and communal expressions and explores whether translations influence the identity of Lithuanian Muslims, their spiritual practices, linguistic preferences, historical consciousness or socio-political approaches. Additionally, it provides insights into how Turkish literature serves as both a cultural artefact and an element for identity formation for these two Muslim minority groups.

The Vedas, as the primary source of Hindu teachings, contain universal values that guide human beings toward ethical and humanistic living. This article aims to examine the role of the Vedas in shaping an ethical and humanistic personality. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, this study analyzes Vedic texts, religious literature, and modern theories of ethics and humanism. The findings reveal that the Vedas emphasize the balance between spirituality and morality through the principles of dharma, satya, ahimsa, and tat tvam asi. These values serve as the foundation for forming individuals who are empathetic, just, and respectful of life. This study highlights that the Vedas not only regulate the relationship between humans and God but also provide an ethical framework for building a dignified and civilized society.

Studies on religiosity in Indonesian literature are abundant; however, research that specifically examines the integration of religious symbolism, social critique, and moral messages in the short story Langit Makin Mendung remains limited. This study aims to analyze the religious values, forms of socio-religious critique, and moral messages conveyed by Ki Panjikusmin through a religious literary approach. The research employs a qualitative method with a descriptive design and applies content analysis techniques to the text of the short story. Data were collected through close reading, identification of symbols, characters, and conflicts, and were then interpreted with reference to theories of religious literature. The findings indicate that the short story mobilizes religious symbols, angelic figures, and satirical events to highlight the erosion of faith, abuse of power, and social hypocrisy in society. These results contribute to strengthening theoretical discussions in religious literary studies and deepen the understanding of the relationship between spirituality and social critique in modern Indonesian literature. The study concludes that faith, honesty, and moral responsibility constitute essential foundations for improving religious life and demonstrates the potential of literary works as media for spiritual and moral reflection. The implications include theoretical contributions to the development of religious literary studies and practical benefits for educators and researchers in using literary texts to foster religious and ethical awareness, while also opening avenues for further exploration of religious meaning-making in other satirical literary texts.

Background: This study discusses the role of mosque libraries in strengthening religious literacy in the community. The study was conducted on mosque libraries in Lombok.Objective: This study aims to analyze the views of mosque library managers regarding the religious literacy of the surrounding community and explore the role of mosque libraries in strengthening religious literacy in the community.Methods: This study is an exploratory study with a qualitative approach. Data collection techniques were carried out through interviews with informants and observations. Data analysis was done through several stages: data reduction, presentation, and conclusion.Results: The study results indicate that mosque library managers in Lombok view the religious literacy of the surrounding community as a perfect religious awareness, primarily obtained from religious studies delivered orally by Tuan Guru in the community. In strengthening religious literacy, mosque libraries in Lombok generally have provided various religious literature on their library collection shelves but have not directly synergized with religious literacy activities organized by their mosques or Tuan Guru.Conclusion: This knowledge became an inspiring foundation for the development of mosque libraries as a source of religious literacy and support for local traditions developed by the people of Lombok.

This article aims to analyze the development of the Malay language, particularly the Pasai Malay, which played a significant role in forming the foundation of modern Malay and contributed to the emergence of the national language, Bahasa Indonesia. Using a qualitative approach through library research, this study examines various historical and philological sources relevant to understanding the spread and influence of Pasai Malay throughout the archipelago. The collected data were analyzed descriptively and narratively, emphasizing the historical, social, and religious factors underlying the dissemination of this language. The findings indicate that there are three main reasons for the wide spread and strong influence of Pasai Malay. First, through the dissemination of religious literary works by prominent scholars such as Hamzah Fansuri, Syamsuddin al-Sumatrani, Nuruddin ar-Raniri, and Abdurrauf al-Singkili, along with their disciples, who introduced Islamic concepts in the Malay language. Second, through the use of Pasai Malay as a medium of instruction in Islamic educational institutions attended by students from various regions of the archipelago. Third, through the circulation of religious literature and translated works widely used in pesantren and Islamic learning centers, which established Pasai Malay as the primary foundation for the development of modern Malay.

The article presents the results of a functional analysis of Muslim media outlets in terms of the implementation of journalistic functions from the perspective of the Muslim audience’s worldview. The purpose of the study is to identify the specific features of the functioning of Muslim media outlets as a distinct type of media. The author bases their research on a systematic approach. The article provides a typological description of Muslim media outlets that have been operating since 1991. This relatively long period allows for a comprehensive analysis of important processes in the Russian media system, which includes Muslim media outlets. A typology of Muslim media has been developed, which is characterized by its development in terms of audience: there are Muslim media of a scientific type, for families, for religious figures, for children, and newspapers for young people and families. The stages of development of Muslim media are defined. The first preparatory stage for the emergence of Muslim media is the publication of religious literature in Arabic. The second stage of development is the publication of Tatar calendars as the first printed periodicals to replace newspapers that the tsarist government did not allow the Tatars to publish for political reasons. We consider the third stage in the development of Muslim media to be the appearance in 1906 in Kazan of the first Tatar magazine “Din Va-adab” (Religion and Morality), which was published and edited by the famous Galimzhan Barudi. The fourth stage was the period of the revival of religious Muslim media in the 90s of the XX century. The fifth stage can be considered the emergence of electronic Muslim media in the 2000s. The sixth stage is the development of Muslim media in social networks. The relevance of the study is determined by the study of the actively developing element of the Russian media system, the Muslim media. This segment of the media system has its own audience and specific content creation based on the Quran and the Sunnah.