ACCEPTANCE OF INTERFAITH VALUES: A CASE STUDY OF ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN NON-MUSLIM STUDENTS
Abstract
Abstract: Religious diversity in higher education raises important questions about how educational institutions can foster interfaith understanding without compromising students’ religious identities. This study explores how non-Muslim students engage with and respond to Islamic values through Islamic Religious Education and Al-Islam and Kemuhammadiyahan (AIK) at STKIP Muhammadiyah Manokwari, Indonesia. Situated within a social constructivist paradigm, the study adopts a qualitative case study design, drawing on interviews, observations, audiovisual materials, and documentary evidence to examine students’ experiences in a religiously diverse academic environment. The findings suggest that engagement with Islamic and Muhammadiyah teachings provides opportunities for students to encounter ethical principles, including honesty (sidq), perseverance, discipline, steadfastness (istiqamah), and tolerance (tasamuh). Students’ reported enthusiasm for learning, confidence in participating in educational activities, and respectful interactions with Muslim peers further illustrate how interfaith engagement may develop through everyday educational experiences. Their participation in Islamic learning and organisational activities also points to forms of engagement that extend beyond passive coexistence towards active recognition of religious difference. The study argues that Islamic Religious Education in multireligious higher education settings can create opportunities for interfaith learning and reciprocal respect without requiring students to relinquish their religious identities. These findings invite closer consideration of how faith-based educational institutions can negotiate religious commitments and pluralism through inclusive pedagogical practices.
Keywords: Islamic Religious Education; interfaith learning; non-Muslim students; religious diversity; Muhammadiyah
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