Jurnal Balai Penelitian dan Pengembangan Agama Semarang
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The Role of Religious Leaders in Healing Mental Disorders through Ritual Practices at PRS Maunatul Mubarok, Demak
Full text linkIn Indonesia, religious- and tradition-based healing methods are still widely practiced, especially in rural areas with strong attachments to religious values. The study focused on how religious leaders, through certain rituals, act as healing agents believed to be able to restore spiritual balance and mental health to patients. Using an anthropological approach, research was conducted at PRS Maunatul Mubarok, Demak, Central Java, a religious healing center. Data was obtained through in-depth interviews and first-hand observation of healing ritual practices. The results of the study show that healing rituals function not only as therapeutic efforts, but also as social mechanisms that strengthen community solidarity and instill hope for patients. Furthermore, these findings highlight the importance of cross-cultural understanding in mental health systems and the need to develop treatment approaches that integrate medical and religious aspects in a balanced manner. Religious leaders and ritual-based healing practices have a significant role to play in providing alternative treatment for mental disorders, especially in communities heavily influenced by tradition and religion
Global Research Trends on Religious Tolerance and Interfaith Dialogue: A Bibliometric Review (2000–2025)
Full text linkThe emergence of intolerance, social fragmentation and religiously driven violence over the last two decades demonstrates how the growing intricacy of religious variety and the inability of religious conflicts to subside in the 21st century has augmented scholarly debate on religious tolerance and interreligious dialogue as a tool of peaceful coexistence. Despite the increased pace in the development of research in this area, there is no full understanding of the trends in global research, the actors that contributed to it and the trends in its focusing. The purpose of this research is to map the trends and key actors in the research and networking of Religious Tolerance and Interfaith Dialogue all over the world in the period between 2000 and 2025. The research uses bibliometric review as a methodology and includes English-language journal articles that are available in the Scopus database. VOSviewer was used to analyze the bibliographic relationships between countries, institutions, journals, authors, publications and the co-occurrence of key words with network, overlay and density visualization to analyze 2,294 articles. The findings indicate a major growth in academic publication, especially following 2015 with 2023 being the highest point. The United States and the United Kingdom come out as the most influential contributors and Indonesia is a notable and emerging contributor in the Global South. Georgetown University and Harvard University are recognized as best institutions and Religions is the most fruitful journal. The analysis of the key word reveals that there are four broad thematic categories, including diversity and spirituality, socio-political and human rights aspects, contextual studies that involve Indonesia and theological-comparative studies. To summarize, the current paper has shown that a bibliometric review exposes the strategic information regarding the intellectual framework and emerging emphasis of interfaith research in favor of evidence-based academic research and policy formulation to enhance religious tolerance in the multicultural communities
Shifting Authority, Shaping Spirituality: A Qualitative Digital Survey of Religious Practices among the Indonesian Muslim Students
Full text linkThe digital transformation has reshaped how digital-native university students experience religious life. This study examines how Muslim students in Indonesia engage with, interpret, and negotiate their religious practices in digital spaces. Using a qualitative digital survey design with narrative prompts, data were collected between April 15 and May 1, 2025 through an online narrative-style questionnaire completed by 84 Muslim students from STAI Al-Anwar Sarang Rembang, an Islamic college rooted in the pesantren tradition. Thematic analysis was employed to identify key patterns in spiritual transformation, online community participation, and the dynamics of authority and affect in digital religiosity. Findings indicate that digital media not only facilitates access to Islamic knowledge but also structures new patterns of hybrid worship and emotional engagement. Students demonstrate reflective agency in filtering online religious content and building virtual connections with fellow Muslims across diverse regions, while also facing challenges such as authority confusion, polarized viewpoints, and religious anxiety triggered by online exposure. The study concludes that the digital realm functions as an alternative and complementary arena for religious life among students and underscores the urgent need for critical, inclusive, and context-sensitive religious digital literacy to guide spiritual development in an increasingly mediatized society
Polemical Exegesis and Hermeneutical Analysis in Misbah Mustofa’s Tafsir Al-Iklīl
Full text linkThis article analyzes the polemical character of KH. Misbah Mustofa’s Qur’anic interpretation in Tafsir Al-Iklīl, emphasizing his critique of socio-religious authority. The study investigates how a pesantren-based scholar could produce confrontational interpretations and how this attitude is shaped by his pre-understanding of taqlid. Employing a qualitative textual analysis informed by Hans-Georg Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics, this research demonstrates that Misbah conceptualizes taqlid not as blind imitation but as adherence to established opinions of qualified mujtahid imams. This pre-understanding becomes a hermeneutical horizon that leads him to reject non-mujtahid authorities whose fatwas dominate public practice. As a result, his tafsir articulates polemical critiques toward religious leaders, institutions, and popular practices, including the ritual use of loudspeakers, exaggerated veneration of scholars, and the Musabaqah Tilawatil Qur’an (MTQ). Misbah’s interpretation thus reflects a fusion of horizons between the Qur’anic text and the dynamics of Javanese Islamic society, producing a critique rooted in the legitimacy of madhhab authority. Theoretically, this research offers a Gadamerian perspective on taqlid as a productive pre-understanding in Nusantara tafsir studies. Practically, it highlights the role of Qur’anic exegesis as an instrument of socio-religious critique and reform
Interaksi Sosial dan Praktik Keagamaan dalam Program Tahsin Daring: Studi Sosiologis atas Majelis Fathimah Karimah
Full text linkThis study examines the social dynamics of online tahsin learning, with a primary focus on patterns of social interaction and the formation of participants’ religious habits at Majelis Fathimah Karimah as a non-formal religious institution adopting a digital learning model. The main concern of this study is how social interaction and religious habits are formed and transformed within an online learning environment. Employing a qualitative descriptive approach, data were collected through semi-structured and in-depth interviews, questionnaires, digital documentation and participatory observation of online learning interactions. The findings indicate that the online tahsin program successfully fosters strong social bonds, encourages active participation and facilitates participants’ religious transformation. Online platforms such as Zoom and WhatsApp enable direct recitation feedback, emotional connection and peer support. Social interaction occurs not only explicitly through dialogue but also implicitly through shared learning experiences. The program also cultivates new religious habits, including consistent Qur’anic recitation, group-based motivation and personal development. Nevertheless, challenges such as unstable internet connectivity and the absence of a formal attendance system remain obstacles to program implementation. Overall, this study concludes that online tahsin programs can serve as transformative spaces for religious education, in which technology supports cognitive achievement alongside the strengthening of social and spiritual dimensions
TikTok Algorithms and the Escalation of Interfaith Conflict in Indonesia
Full text linkThis study examines the escalation of interreligious conflict on the TikTok platform, which is increasingly dominating social interaction in Indonesia. By analysing five live videos related to religious conflict (broadcast between January 2023 and December 2024) and 853,513 Indonesian-language comments through thematic coding and sentiment classification, it was found that TikTok's algorithm plays a significant role in reinforcing ideological polarization. Content nuanced with religious conflict generated an average of 3.5 times more comments, and videos containing negative emotions were shared four times more often than neutral or positive content. This digital conflict often spilled over into the real world, triggering police intervention. The response of law enforcement officers was generally reactive, unable to mitigate the conflict early. These findings emphasize the need for strategic collaboration between digital platforms, law enforcement officials, and civil society to promote digital literacy and ethical interfaith dialogue. This collaboration is expected to prevent ideological segregation and create a more constructive interaction space in the digital era
Perjumpaan Pendidikan dan Agama: Belajar Hidup Rukun dari Masyarakat Lereng Merapi
Full text linkThe main encounter between education and religion is not merely the unity and integrity of the nation and its people, but also the habit of expressing different views among people of different faiths. This study aims to explore the encounter between religion and education in uniting different people in a multi-faith community on the slopes of Mount Merapi. This study uses a micro ethnographic case study approach, with data collected through interviews, observations, documentation, audio-video recordings, and focus group discussions (FGDs). Participants involved in the study include community members such as interfaith leaders, village officials, teachers, community learning center facilitators, farmers, and village residents. The findings of this study indicate that: 1) inclusive education that teaches tolerant values is evident in the interaction between families and the village community to accept and respect each other's different religious beliefs, yet they are given equal opportunities to practice their respective religious teachings; 2) Formal, non-formal, and informal education prioritizes the concept of tepo sliro while maintaining rogo, roso, and tresno in interfaith encounters for the purpose of creating a peaceful and harmonious society; and 3) The religious humanism model with a socio-cultural approach as a model of religious moderation that is practiced in the Lereng Merapi community
Green Wasathiyyah Campus as a Space for Transforming Islamic Wasathiyyah Values through Ecotheology
Full text linkThis study aims to examine the transformation of students' attitudes towards Islamic wasathiyyah values and ecological awareness from an eco-theological perspective, emphasizing a scientific approach in the Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training (FTIK) at UIN Salatiga. The background of this study is based on the increasing global challenges such as religious intolerance and environmental degradation, which demand an integrative response from Islamic education. Through a scientific approach, Islamic values are integrated with the principles of social sciences, pedagogy, and environmental sustainability to form moderate, inclusive, critical, participatory, and ecologically responsible attitudes. This study employs a descriptive qualitative method, utilizing triangulation techniques through in-depth interviews, participatory observation, and analysis of curriculum documents and RPS to collect data systematically. The study's results indicate a shift in students' attitudes, from a normative understanding to more environmentally conscious and socially just practices. However, challenges remain, such as weak religious-based ecological literacy, suboptimal integration of cross-curricular values, and minimal responsive faculty policies. These findings indicate great potential in developing a thematic curriculum based on wasathiyyah values and an interdisciplinary approach. The conclusion emphasizes the need for curriculum reform, increasing the capacity of educators and teaching staff, as well as strengthening an academic culture based on research and values, to sustainably and scientifically internalize the values of wasathiyyah and eco-theology
Mosque-Based Eco-Social Welfare: the Case of ‘Brigade Bersih Masjid’ Program in Sragen
Full text linkThis study explores the role of Muslim scholars and community leaders in promoting environmental sustainability through mosque-based initiatives. Focusing on Al-Falah Mosque in Sragen, it examines the "Brigade Bersih Masjid" (BBM) program, which cleans one mosque per day to enhance cleanliness, improve mosque management, and foster public awareness of maintaining worship spaces as part of Islamic practice. Using a qualitative case study approach, this research incorporates field observations, interviews with the project manager, and analysis of program reports. Applying eco-social policy theory highlights the integration of environmental policies with religious principles. The findings suggest that religious eco-social policies can be implemented effectively by merging environmental awareness, policy frameworks, and religious teachings within mosque activities. Beyond the BBM initiative, Al-Falah Mosque has adopted sustainable practices such as solar panel installation, green landscaping, energy-efficient ventilation, and biogas production from sacrificial animal waste. Strengthening these efforts through philanthropic collaborations can further support operational sustainability and infrastructure development. This study contributes to the discourse on religious environmentalism by demonstrating the role of mosques in shaping ecological awareness. It underscores mosque-based activism as a key element of religious environmental education and its potential to cultivate eco-friendly worship practices within local communities
Sikap Sosial Keagamaan Siswa dalam Bingkai Moderasi Beragama
Full text linkThe government’s efforts to promote religious moderation as a core societal value have been consistently pursued in recent years. However, the landscape of religious freedom in Indonesia continues to face significant challenges, with intolerance still surfacing in various forms. According to the Setara Institute’s 2024 report, there were 217 documented incidents in 2023 related to violations of freedom of religion and belief, totaling 329 individual acts. This study aims to explore the characteristics of socio-religious attitudes among students of public senior high school (SMAN) and students of state Islamic senior high school (MAN). The primary objective of this study is to examine the patterns of socio-religious attitudes among students attending both general and Islamic public senior secondary schools. Employing a quantitative research approach, the study seeks to obtain precise and representative measurements that closely reflect social realities. Statistical analysis is used to assess and compare students’ socio-religious attitudes across two distinct school types: public senior high schools (SMAN) and public Islamic senior high schools (MAN) in Jakarta. The normality test results revealed that the data did not conform to a normal distribution. Consequently, the analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney non-parametric test. The outcome indicated a significance level of 0.625, surpassing the conventional alpha threshold of 0.05. This finding suggests the absence of a statistically meaningful difference in socio-religious attitudes between students attending public senior high schools (SMAN) and those enrolled in public Islamic senior high schools (MAN). The results imply that students generally demonstrate a constructive and inclusive orientation towards matters related to religious belief, the institutionalization of religious law, and tolerance