From Local Wisdom To Religious Moderation: Culture-Based Pedagogy In Islamic Religious Education

Abstract

Research on local wisdom and religious moderation has expanded, yet the pedagogical mechanisms linking both within Islamic Religious Education (IRE) remain insufficiently explained. This study identifies forms of Malay local wisdom used as pedagogical resources, examines teachers' normative selection and pedagogical mediation, and explains students' situated practices of religious moderation at MTs Diniyah Pekanbaru. The study employed a qualitative case study design involving 29 purposively selected participants: three IRE teachers, two school leaders, and 24 students in Grades 8 and 9. Data were collected over six weeks through six classroom observations, in-depth interviews, and document analysis, then examined using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings show that politeness, respect, deliberation, mutual cooperation, and social care became pedagogical resources after teachers assessed their compatibility with Islamic creed, law, ethics, and public benefit. Teachers mediated the selected values through contextual examples, guiding questions, dialogue, reflection, group work, and social activities. These processes created opportunities for students to listen to different views, express opinions respectfully, cooperate, deliberate, and resolve disagreements peacefully. The synthesis indicates a pathway from local values through normative selection and pedagogical mediation to students' situated practices of religious moderation. The findings support planned, culturally responsive IRE that remains consistent with Islamic principles. The study contributes the concept of normative selection and a micro-level pedagogical pathway connecting local wisdom with observable practices of religious moderation.