Jurnal Indonesia Studi Moderasi Beragama

Religious Moderation as Social Praxis: Religion as a Need in the Lived Experience of Pesantren (Islamic Boarding School)

Anas Mushthofa — 2026-08-30

Background: Discourse on religious moderation is frequently understood normatively and regulatively through top down policy programs that risk becoming detached from the actual experiences of believers. Objective: This study aims to analyze how perceiving religion as a human need contributes to the formation of religious moderation as a social praxis within the pesantren environment. Methods: This study employs a reflective qualitative method grounded in an insider position, with data collected through continuous observation, interviews, and literature study. Results: The findings reveal that religious moderation is experienced as a social praxis emerging from everyday religious experience (lived religion). Moderation values are manifested through the moral leadership of scholars (kiai), persuasive language, and prudent institutional role boundaries to maintain social harmony. Although effective in dampening open conflicts, this strategy of self restraint leaves boundaries in addressing structural problems. Conclusion: This study concludes that religious moderation is a dynamic and contextual social process rather than a completed normative indicator. Originality/Value: This study provides theoretical and epistemological novelty in the field of sociology of religion and Islamic boarding school anthropology by revealing how perceiving religion as an existential human need fosters religious moderation as an organic social praxis through the moral leadership of kiai, persuasive discourse, and prudent institutional boundary maintenance regarding social harmony within the context of the daily lived experiences of pesantren communities, which has received limited scholarly attention due to the prevalence of top down, normative, and regulatory policy perspectives. These findings reconstruct religious moderation from static compliance metrics into a dynamic, negotiated social process while serving as a strategic reference in lived religion policy evaluation, localized conflict containment, and the design of grounded, community driven harmony initiatives.

Religious Moderation as Inclusive Ethics: A Phenomenological Study of Student Lived Experiences in a Multicultural Campus Environment

Dewanti Aulia — 2026-08-30

Background: Religious moderation (wasathiyyah) has become a crucial issue in the era of information openness and multicultural societies. Objective: This study aims to explore and analyze the lived experiences of students in internalizing religious moderation values within academic and social environments. Methods: Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, this study focuses on active students majoring in Islamic Business Management at FEBI, UIN Salatiga. Data collection was conducted through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and documentation, analyzed via Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Results: The findings reveal that students interpret wasathiyyah as an inclusive, fair, and non discriminatory professional ethical guide in both lectures and entrepreneurial practices. Religious moderation serves as social capital and an ideological shield (digital tabayyun) against social media polarization. Conclusion: In conclusion, internalizing wasathiyyah successfully shapes an inclusive religious professional identity, harmonizing faith commitments with modern business demands in Salatiga City. Originality/Value: This study provides empirical and conceptual novelty in the field of higher education sociology and Islamic business ethics by revealing the internalization of wasathiyyah as an inclusive professional ethical guide, social capital, and an ideological digital tabayyun shield within academic activities and entrepreneurial practices regarding the formation of a professional religious identity within the context of student lived experiences in a multicultural campus environment in Salatiga City, which has received limited interpretative phenomenological inquiry in business faculties. These findings enrich empirical evidence and serve as a strategic reference in designing integrated Islamic business ethics curricula, formulating student character building policies grounded in religious moderation, and advancing service excellence frameworks in higher education.

Utilization of Digital Quotes on Instagram in Disseminating Religious Moderation Values Among the Young Generation

Rahmi Juni Aulia — 2026-08-30

Background: Indonesia's cultural and religious diversity necessitates religious moderation, yet social media platforms like Instagram present risks of spreading intolerance alongside opportunities for inclusive dialogue. Objective: This study aims to analyze the characteristics of digital quotes on Instagram as an effective medium for disseminating religious moderation values among the young generation. Method: Employing a qualitative research approach integrating literature review and content analysis, this study examined thirty purposively selected Instagram posts published between 2025 and 2026. Results: Findings reveal tolerance as the most dominant value. Most high engagement posts featured informal nonconfrontational language, photo with caption formats, and personal account publishing during religious holidays. Conclusion: Digital quotes serve as an adaptive communication tool when combining attractive visuals, accessible language, and contextually strategic publishing times. Originality/Value: This study provides empirical and methodological novelty in the field of digital Islamic communication and social media sociology by revealing key characteristics of effective digital quotes combining compelling visual aesthetics, informal nonconfrontational language, photo caption formats, and strategic timing during religious holidays regarding the dissemination of religious moderation values predominantly tolerance within the context of youth media consumption on Instagram, an area that has received limited engagement based content analysis. These findings enrich empirical scholarship and serve as a strategic reference in structuring digital communication strategies, guiding content creators in youth targeted moderation campaigns, and optimizing social media literacy initiatives for educational and religious institutions.

Islam Rahmatan lil ‘Alamin sebagai Landasan Moderasi Beragama di Indonesia: Dialektika Hablun Minallah dan Hablun Minannas

Abid Ahmad Dinajad — 2026-08-30

Background: The rise of textual, rigid, and ahistorical religious understandings in Indonesia increases the risk of intolerance and radicalism. Objective: This study aims to deeply examine the concept of Islam Rahmatan lil ‘Alamin as a theological foundation for religious moderation amidst national plurality. Method: Employing a qualitative descriptive approach based on a literature review (library research), this study utilizes normative theological and sociological frameworks. Primary data are derived from the Qur'an (Surah Al Anbiya: 107) and religious moderation policy documents, analyzed through thematic analytical methods. Results: Findings indicate that Islam Rahmatan lil ‘Alamin serves as an active paradigm integrating vertical (hablun minallah) and horizontal (hablun minannas) dimensions. The values of compassion (rahmah) manifest through moderation principles (wasathiyyah) and are historically proven via Walisongo's peaceful, accommodative cultural dawah. Conclusion: Strengthening the Rahmatan lil ‘Alamin paradigm is crucial as a methodological solution to bridge religious extremities and maintain social harmony. Originality/Value: This study provides theoretical and epistemological novelty in the field of Islamic theology and sociology of religion by revealing the dialectical integration of vertical hablun minallah and horizontal hablun minannas dimensions through a synthesis of normative theological readings of Surah Al Anbiya 107 and historical precedents of Walisongo accommodative cultural dawah regarding the operationalization of Islam Rahmatan lil Alamin as an active theological foundation for religious moderation within the context of sustaining social cohesion against textual and rigid religious interpretations in Indonesia, an area that has received limited holistic scholarly examination bridging sacred texts, history, and policy frameworks. These findings enrich conceptual scholarship and serve as a strategic reference in formulating evidence based religious moderation policies, designing contextual dawah curricula, and mitigating radicalism and intolerance in pluralistic societies.

Representation of Religious Moderation Values in Digital Philanthropy Campaigns: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Earthquake Disaster Response on the Dompet Dhuafa Instagram Account

Azkia Nuril Ula — 2026-08-30

Background: The development of digital technology transforms philanthropic practices, ne-cessitating campaign narratives that promote inclusive religious moderation values rather than exclusive identities. Objective: This study analyzes the representation of religious moderation values in the digital philanthropy campaign responding to the Central Sulawesi earthquake on the Instagram account of Dompet Dhuafa South Sulawesi. Method: Using qualitative content analysis and Stuart Hall representation theory, this study examined Instagram posts, captions, images, and narratives published during the emergency response period, interpreted through four indicators of religious moderation set by the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Indonesia. Results: The campaign represents religious moderation through narratives emphasizing hu-manitarian solidarity, mutual cooperation, and inclusive spiritual values without highlighting exclusive identities. A four-stage communication model emerged: disseminating disaster infor-mation, fostering public empathy, presenting humanitarian actions, and encouraging com-munity participation through prayer and donations, thereby strengthening public trust. Conclusion: Social media functions as a medium for spreading inclusive humanitarian values and mobilizing disaster participation in multicultural societies. Originality/Value: This study offers empirical and methodological novelty in digital Islamic philanthropy and disaster com-munication by establishing a four-stage inclusive representation model encompassing infor-mation dissemination, empathy cultivation, action presentation, and community mobilization using the Stuart Hall framework and religious moderation indicators during earthquake emer-gency campaigns. These findings provide a strategic reference for faith-based organizations to formulate inclusive fundraising protocols and build public trust in multicultural societies.

The Role of Religious Moderation Values in Shaping Student Tolerance Attitudes within Campus Environments

Cinka Aquilera — 2026-08-30

Background: As a multicultural nation, Indonesia possesses a rich diversity of religions, ethnic groups, and cultures that necessitates strong tolerance in social interactions, particularly in higher education environments where polarization risks remain present. Objective: This study aims to examine the urgency of religious moderation values in influencing students' tolerance attitudes within campus and community life. Method: The research employed a qualitative approach based on a comprehensive literature review, synthesizing empirical and theoretical insights from peer-reviewed journals, academic books, and policy documents published on religious moderation. Result: The findings indicate that internalizing core religious moderation values, specifically tolerance, balance, and justice exerts a strong positive influence on mutual respect among students, effectively mitigating exclusivity and fostering a harmonious campus atmosphere. Conclusion: Embedding religious moderation through structured education and social activities serves as an urgent and pivotal strategy for developing enduring student tolerance. Originality/Value: This study provides theoretical and conceptual novelty in the field of higher education sociology and character education by synthesizing scholarly literature on the internalization mechanisms of core religious moderation values specifically tolerance, balance, and justice in shaping mutual respect and mitigating student exclusivity regarding the creation of inclusive academic spaces within the context of multicultural campus environments, which has received limited integrated synthesis bridging policy documents and empirical scholarship. These findings map existing conceptual gaps and serve as a strategic reference, contributing to the formulation of campus student governance policies, the design of structured tolerance educational curricula, and the development of sustainable cross religious interaction programs in higher education.