Islamic Education and Minority Resilience in Southeast Asia: A Normative and Comparative Study
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Abstract
This study explores the normative role of Islamic education in fostering social resilience among Muslim minority communities across Southeast Asia, particularly in contexts such as Southern Thailand and other ASEAN countries where Muslims live as minorities. The research aims to examine how Islamic educational values derived from classical scholars—such as Al-Ghazali, Ibn Khaldun, and Al-Zarnuji—contribute to the capacity of Muslim minorities to adapt, resist, and transform social challenges in plural societies. Using a qualitative normative and library-based approach, the study analyzes classical and contemporary literature on Islamic education, cultural identity, and resilience theory. The findings show that Islamic education serves as both a moral foundation and a socio-cultural mechanism for maintaining identity, promoting community solidarity, and strengthening adaptive capacity amid political and cultural marginalization. Key values such as adab (ethical discipline), sabr (patience), and tawakkul (trust in God) foster not only individual virtue but also collective endurance and intercultural coexistence. The study concludes that a value-based Islamic education model has transformative potential for enhancing resilience, promoting peaceful coexistence, and sustaining cultural harmony among Muslim minorities in the ASEAN region.
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