Epistemé: Jurnal Pengembangan Ilmu Keislaman

BACK TO BASICS: Inventing Religious Moderation through the Co-Parenting Models of Islamic Education in Multicultural Indonesia

Jamilah Jamilah — 2025-06-12

This article seeks to discuss the role of co-parenting in shaping Islamic education within families and how this practice contributes to fostering social and religious harmony in a pluralistic society. This article employs a qualitative approach, collecting data through interviews with selected interlocutors to explore the parenting models used by each parent. This article argues that the co-parenting model emphasizes the cooperation of all family members, with effective communication serving as a crucial tool in building a holistic Islamic education that promotes harmony within the family. The article also highlights the importance of incorporating universal Islamic values into family education to shape children’s character and morals, aligning with sharia principles and promoting respect for diversity, thereby contributing to the harmonization of the religious and social spheres. Furthermore, the interviewees expressed a preference for both parents to be actively involved in the Islamic education process within the family environment. This desired involvement not only strengthens family ties but also creates a well-rounded learning experience for children. This study demonstrates that the stability of co-parenting provides a robust theoretical and empirical foundation to support the development of a model that can be applied in various Muslim family contexts, with the ultimate goal of fostering harmony within a broader religious dynamic.

FLEXIBILITY AND UNCERTAINTY: Ambiguity in Pre-Modern Islamic Law in Dialogue with Modern European Culture

Mochammad Maola — 2025-06-20

This article deals with the concept of ambiguity in pre-modern Islamic theology and law, highlighting its role in supporting flexibility and adaptation in various social and political contexts. By referring to the works of scholars such as Anver Emon, Wael Hallaq, and Thomas Bauer, this article shows that ambiguity is not a sign of weakness but rather an intellectual strategy that allows Muslim societies to face the complexity of diverse social realities. Through an analysis of classical Islamic thought, this article reveals how uncertainty and probabilistic decision-making became an integral part of the development of Islamic law and theology. This article argues that the pre-modern Islamic world, particularly in the Sunni tradition, adopted a dynamic policy of ambiguity, which promoted social cohesion and inclusiveness. This article also highlights how the concept of ambiguity in the Sunnis’ tradition can contribute to dialogue between Islamic moral traditions and modern European moral culture, by paving the way for deeper understanding and closer cooperation in today’s multicultural and pluralistic societies.

ISLAM, EDUCATION, AND MIGRATION IN INDONESIA: Religiosity Left-Behind Muslim Migrant Workers’ Children in East Java

Mochammad Zaka Ardiansyah — 2025-07-01

This article examines the religiosity of left-behind children, who are students at Islamic educational institutions, due to their parents' migration. While several studies on Indonesian migrants primarily highlight their religious activities abroad, this study focuses on the religiosity of ‘left-behind’ children in Jember, East Java, to understand the impact of migration on the religiosity and education of children. Left-behind children refer to those whose parents migrate for work, education, or other reasons, leaving them behind in their home countries with relatives or guardians. Several studies suggest that this situation can have a significant impact on the psychological and developmental well-being of children. The data were collected using a qualitative research design, which included participatory observation in informal Islamic education institutions and in-depth interviews with several education facilitators for children under 18 years old. To understand the religious dynamics among these children, this research employs El-Menouar’s dimension of religiosity as an analytical framework. The results identify two main issues appeared within the fields of Islamic education and migration studies: the conditions of children’s religiosity in the context of parental separation and the absence of informal education within the family and the proposal of the concept of Religiosity Left-behind as a new category to understand the spiritual and religious challenges faced by children of migrant workers. This research emphasizes the urgency of strategic interventions from educational stakeholders, including higher religious education institutions and civil society organizations, to design a sustainable program for the development of religiosity aimed at enhancing the quality of Islam and spirituality among children in left-behind situations.