SYAMIL: Journal of Islamic Education

Love-Based Curriculum in Indonesian Madrasahs: A Conceptual Analysis Toward Inclusive-Humanistic Islamic Education

2026-01-19T15:29:27+08:00

Islamic education in Indonesia faces significant challenges in fostering genuine inclusivity and countering rising intolerance within increasingly pluralistic and globalized societies. In response, the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs has proposed the innovative Love-Based Curriculum (LBC) for madrasahs. This study aims to critically analyze the LBC’s conceptual framework as a model for inclusive-humanistic Islamic education and evaluate its proposed implementation strategies. Employing a qualitative library research design, this study systematically analyzed the primary policy document, Panduan Kurikulum Berbasis Cinta di Madrasah (2025), alongside relevant academic literature on inclusive pedagogy and Islamic curriculum theory. Data were examined through thematic analysis. The findings indicate that the LBC conceptualizes inclusivity through a three-pronged approach: theological deconstruction emphasizing divine attributes of love (Al-Wadud, Ar-Rahman), pedagogical integration via a hybrid ARKA model, and preventive social mechanisms rooted in restorative justice. However, the analysis also reveals conceptual tensions, such as the potential paradox between standardizing 'love' in a curriculum and its inherently subjective nature, alongside practical challenges related to teacher readiness and socio-cultural barriers. This study concludes that while the LBC presents a groundbreaking normative framework, its transformative potential hinges on addressing these contradictions through contextual adaptation, robust teacher training, and further empirical research. The study contributes a critical conceptual evaluation essential for stakeholders implementing value-based educational reforms in Islamic schooling contexts.

Transforming Islamic and Moral Education with Generative AI: A Statistical Systematic Review

2026-02-05T20:32:17+08:00

The integration of artificial intelligence is reshaping global education. This study systematically investigates the role of semi-supervised generative AI in transforming Islamic and moral education. This study aims to systematically investigate the role of semi-supervised generative artificial intelligence (AI) in transforming Islamic and moral education through a PRISMA-guided statistical systematic literature review. The increasingly widespread integration of AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, Agnes AI, and Cici has reshaped pedagogical practices, yet few studies have quantitatively examined their impact in faith-based education. A key issue addressed is the limited empirical understanding of how semi-supervised learning models mediate between human-guided moral instruction and AI-driven autonomous reasoning. Data were extracted from 38 peer-reviewed publications (2020–2025) across major databases and analyzed using statistical synthesis and meta-analysis. The results indicate a moderate positive effect size (d = 0.56) for generative AI in enhancing student engagement, critical thinking, and ethical reasoning in Islamic learning contexts. Tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini demonstrated the strongest pedagogical outcomes, while Agnes AI and Cici demonstrated unexplored potential. This study concludes that semi-supervised generative AI offers significant opportunities for pedagogical innovation and improved moral reasoning, although ethical supervision and the development of local AI models remain critical for sustainable implementation.

A Love-Based Curriculum: A Preventive Strategy Against Violence and Radicalism in Islamic Boarding Schools

2026-02-06T10:14:27+08:00

This study responds to the growing challenges of violence, hierarchical abuse, gender-based discrimination, and radicalism in pesantren, which underscore the need for alternative educational frameworks grounded in compassion, inclusivity, and justice. It examines the Love-Based Curriculum as a conceptual and practical approach to strengthening Islamic boarding school education in Indonesia. Using a descriptive qualitative library research method, the study analyzes a wide range of academic and policy literature, including classical Islamic thought, national educational philosophy, and contemporary perspectives, to explore how love-based values can prevent violence and reinforce religious moderation. The core novelty of this research lies in its synthesis of three key perspectives Al-Ghazali’s ethical pedagogy, Ki Hajar Dewantara’s humanistic educational philosophy, and Abdurrahman Wahid’s (Gus Dur’s) peace-oriented thought into an integrated framework of the Love-Based Curriculum. The findings indicate that compassion, inclusivity, and justice function as foundational principles for addressing hierarchical abuse, gender-based violence, radicalism, and intolerance in pesantren. Overall, the study highlights the Love-Based Curriculum as a preventive and transformative model that supports child-friendly education and promotes religious moderation amid the spread of exclusivist narratives in the digital era. It recommends institutional support from pesantren leaders and policymakers, as well as further research on practical models of implementation across diverse educational contexts.

Negotiating Faith: How Timorese Muslims Adapt Islamic Practices Through the 'Natoni' Ritual

2026-02-23T21:12:47+08:00

This article examines how the natoni ritual, an indigenous oral tradition of the Timorese people, is internalized within Islamic religious practices as a form of negotiation between faith and local tradition. Using a qualitative approach through ethnographic methods and in-depth interviews with traditional leaders, religious figures, and members of the Muslim community in Timor, this study explores the dynamics underlying this cultural-religious integration. The findings suggest that the incorporation of natoni into Islamic religious celebrations, such as welcoming guests during the Prophet Muhammad's birthday (Mawlid al-Nabi) and other communal religious events, serves as a symbolic mechanism for affirming local identity without compromising Islamic theological principles. Rather than merely serving as a cultural expression, natoni operates as a dialogical space that strengthens social cohesion and harmony between communities in Timor's multicultural society. This study further demonstrates the crucial role of traditional and religious leaders in reinterpreting natoni in a way that aligns with Islamic values while preserving its legitimacy as a shared cultural heritage. These findings challenge the monolithic and ahistorical view of Islam in Indonesia, which portrays it as a homogeneous religious entity. This article contributes to the scholarly debate on religious localization and the indigenization of Islam by illustrating that religious practices are shaped not only by normative texts but also by ongoing social and cultural negotiations mediated by local actors. Thus, this study enriches discussions on the relationship between religion and culture and offers an alternative perspective on the realities of Islamic life in Indonesia's marginalized regions.