The Discourse of Islamic Religious Education in Strengthening Students' Moderate Attitudes

EDUSOSHUM Journal of Islamic Education and Social Humanities Vol. 5, No. 3, Desember 2025, pp. 901-910 ISSN 2776-5229 901 The Discourse of Islamic Religious Education in Strengthening Students' Moderate Attitudes 1-4 Alda1*, Avrilia Puja2, Syarina3, Munawar4, Muhammad Tang5, Juhasdi Susono6 Postgraduate Program of the Al-Furqan Makassar Islamic Religious College (STAI) Email: , ARTICLE INFO Article history Received December 17, 2025 Revisied January 30, 2026 Accepted February 7, 2026 Keywords: Educational Discourse, Islamic Religious Education, Moderate Attitude, Religious Moderation. ABSTRACT The discourse of Islamic Religious Education (PAI) plays a strategic role in strengthening the moderate attitudes of students amidst the dynamics of social and religious diversity. This article aims to conceptually examine the role of Islamic Religious Education (PAI) discourse in shaping students' moderate attitudes thru an academic approach. This research uses the library research method by analyzing various sources of literature in the form of books, scientific journal articles, and educational policy documents relevant to the theme of PAI discourse and religious moderation. Data analysis is conducted descriptively-analytically to identify concepts, thot patterns, and main findings from the reviewed literature. The study results show that the dialogical, inclusive, and critical discourse of PAI can encourage students to understand differences rationally and instill values of religious moderation, such as tolerance, justice, and balance. Furthermore, academic discourse in Islamic Religious Education (PAI) provides a reflective space for students to understand Islamic teachings contextually without neglecting normative values. Thus, strengthening the discourse of Islamic Religious Education becomes a relevant approach in fostering moderate attitudes among students in the educational environment. 1. INTRODUCTION Islamic Religious Education (PAI) plays a strategic role in shaping students' religious attitudes, especially in facing the increasingly diverse social, cultural, and religious realities of society. Amid the emergence of exclusive and intolerant religious attitudes, strengthening the values of religious moderation thru education has become an urgent necessity. In this context, Islamic Religious Education (PAI) learning not only serves as a means of transmitting religious knowledge but also as a space for shaping moderate ways of thinking, behaving, and interacting. One of the relevant approaches in strengthening students' moderate attitudes is thru the development of dialogical, inclusive, and critical Islamic Religious Education discourse. Academic discourse in Islamic Religious Education (PAI) allows for the exchange of ideas, rational arguments, and contextual reflection on Islamic teachings without neglecting its normative values. Therefore, the study of the discourse on Islamic Religious Education becomes important to understand how the PAI learning process can contribute to instilling the values of tolerance, justice, and balance as the main characteristics of the students' moderate attitudes. Based on this background, this article examines the role of Islamic Religious Education discourse in strengthening students' moderate attitudes thru a literature study approach. Islamic Religious Education (PAI) has a strategic position in shaping students' perspectives on religiousness amidst the complexity of plural and dynamic social realities. In the context of education, Islamic Religious Education (PAI) not only serves as a medium for transmitting normative teachings but also as a space for dialectical thinking that enables students to understand Islamic teachings reflectively and Alda et.al (Islamic Religious Education in Strengthening Students') EDUSOSHUM Journal of Islamic Education and Social Humanities Vol. 5, No. 3, Desember 2025, pp. 901-910 ISSN 2776-5229 902 contextually. Contemporary challenges such as the strengthening of exclusive and less dialogical religious tendencies make the reinforcement of moderate attitudes thru education an increasingly relevant agenda. Various previous studies on Islamic Religious Education generally emphasize aspects of the curriculum, teaching methods, or the internalization of religious moderation values in a normative and applicative manner. However, studies that specifically place the discourse of Islamic Religious Education as the main analytical framework are still relatively limited. However, academic discourse which includes critical dialog, exchange of ideas, and rational argumentation plays an important role in shaping inclusive and balanced religious awareness. The absence of this study indicates a research gap that needs to be filled, particularly regarding how the discourse of Islamic Religious Education (PAI) is constructed and its contribution to strengthening students' moderate attitudes. Based on that background, this article aims to conceptually examine the role of Islamic Religious Education discourse in strengthening students' moderate attitudes thru a literature study approach. This study is expected to enrich the intellectual heritage of Islamic Religious Education, particularly in developing a discursive approach that can bridge Islamic normative values with the reality of diversity in a critical and reflective manner. Based on these conditions, this paper aims to (1) Analyze the concept of discourse in Islamic Religious Education as a dialogical, critical, and reflective learning approach within the educational context, (2) Examine the role of discourse in Islamic Religious Education in strengthening students' moderate attitudes thru the theoretical perspectives of Jürgen Habermas and Paulo Freire, (3) Explain the concept of wasathiyah as a normative foundation for religious moderation in Islamic Religious Education, and Synthesize the discursive approach and the value of wasathiyah as a conceptual framework for Islamic Religious Education oriented toward fostering students' moderate attitudes. Providing theoretical contributions to the development of Islamic Religious Education studies, particularly in strengthening religious moderation thru an academic discourse approach. This study uses a literature review of the latest literature and implementative case studies as the basis for analysis. The significance of this research is both theoretical and practical. Theoretically, the study proposes an operational Islamic ecotheology framework for Islamic Religious Education; practically, the research results provide recommendations for curriculum development, learning design, and empowerment programs for Islamic educational institutions (including pesantren and madrasah) to foster tolerant behavior among students. The findings and recommendations are expected to assist education policymakers, academics, and Islamic education practitioners in designing relevant and sustainable interventions. The (...truncated)