Integration of Religious Moderation in Character Education: A Study of the Salafiyah Islamic Boarding School Approach

Abstract

This study examines the integration of religious moderation into character education at Salafiyah Islamic Boarding Schools (Pesantren) and its role in shaping students’ moral development. The research highlights how religious moderation can be internalized through four key steps: teaching, habituation, experience, and role modeling. By embedding moderate Islamic values, students are encouraged to adopt tolerance, peace, and pluralism in their everyday interactions. Two main character development models are analyzed: Lickona’s model (moral knowing, moral doing, moral feeling) and Muhaimin’s model (value transformation, transaction, transinternalization), both of which offer structured frameworks for embedding religious moderation into the educational process. The study reveals that Kyai (religious teachers) play a pivotal role in the internalization of these values, serving as moral guides for students. Furthermore, the research discusses the broader societal implications, showing that graduates of these schools develop strong religious foundations and contribute positively to community life, thus strengthening public trust in the pesantren system. The findings suggest that religious moderation, when systematically integrated into character education, helps mitigate extremism and fosters peaceful coexistence within pluralistic societies.