Islamic Education and Religious Moderation: The Challenge of Building a Tolerant Character in the Educational Environtment

Abstract

Education is a crucial instrument for developing tolerant character and transmitting noble values. However, educational institutions in Indonesia currently face serious threats from radicalism and intolerance. This situation demands the internalization of religious moderation, which adheres to the principles of tawasut (consideration), tasamuh (indecipherable), and i'tidal (independence), to maintain the unity of a pluralistic nation. This study aims to analyze the challenges and formulate a holistic strategy for strengthening religious moderation through Islamic education. This study uses a qualitative approach with descriptive analysis of policy documents and related literature. The results show that Islamic education has a strategic role in building inclusive character, but its implementation is hampered by challenges, namely resistance from conservative educators (internal) and the dominance of intolerant narratives on social media (external). Nevertheless, success can be achieved through a holistic strategy with three pillars: revitalizing the inclusive curriculum, adopting a dialogic-participatory teaching methodology, and strengthening a just school culture. It is concluded that investment in improving teacher competency and innovative teaching materials is key to making Islamic educational institutions effective agents of transformation. The success of religious moderation is crucial for realizing rahmatan lil 'alamin (blessing for the universe) in Indonesia.