STRENGTHENING ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS EDUCATION THROUGH VALUES-BASED PEDAGOGY IN MULTICULTURAL SOCIETIES

Abstract

Islamic Religious Education (IRE) plays a crucial role in shaping students’ moral character and religious identity within increasingly multicultural and pluralistic societies. This study aims to examine how values-based pedagogy can strengthen Islamic Religious Education by fostering ethical awareness, religious moderation, and social harmony in multicultural educational contexts. Employing a qualitative research approach, this study utilizes a literature-based analysis combined with conceptual interpretation of classical and contemporary scholarly works on Islamic education, values education, and multicultural pedagogy, supported by relevant policy documents and empirical findings from previous studies. The findings indicate that values-based pedagogy enables IRE to move beyond doctrinal and cognitive-oriented instruction toward a holistic educational model that integrates moral, spiritual, and social dimensions of learning. Core Islamic values such as justice (‘adl), compassion (raḥmah), tolerance (tasāmuḥ), balance (tawāzun), and moderation (wasatiyyah) are found to be essential pedagogical foundations for addressing diversity and preventing exclusivism in religious education. Furthermore, the discussion highlights that implementing values-based pedagogy in IRE contributes to the development of inclusive religious attitudes, critical ethical reasoning, and constructive engagement with cultural and religious differences. This approach also reinforces the relevance of Islamic teachings in contemporary social life while supporting peaceful coexistence in multicultural societies. The study concludes that strengthening Islamic Religious Education through values-based pedagogy is a strategic and sustainable approach to enhancing both religious understanding and social cohesion in diverse educational environments.