Inclusive Islamic Religious Education for Multicultural Elementary School Contexts
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21070/halaqa.v10i1.1785Keywords:
Tolerance, Multicultural, Cultural Diversity, Inclusive Islamic Religious EducationAbstract
In a diverse and increasingly globalized education system, inclusive and multicultural Islamic education is becoming increasingly important. This study aims to explore the development of an inclusive Islamic Religious Education (IRE) learning model for students from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds. The purpose of the study is to identify and evaluate the application of multicultural approaches in Islamic education to foster tolerance, respect for diversity, and social harmony. The research method employed is a literature review, which examines various scholarly sources on inclusive and multicultural education, focusing on the integration of cultural diversity within the Islamic education curriculum. The study found that current models often fail to address the diverse needs of students, particularly at the elementary school level, where students' character development is crucial. Additionally, while multicultural education has been emphasized in higher education, its application in elementary schools remains underexplored. The research suggests that Islamic education, when designed to include multicultural principles, can significantly contribute to building a tolerant and inclusive society by fostering mutual respect among students of different backgrounds. The study concludes that the development of a more inclusive Islamic education model is essential, as it can help create a learning environment that supports cultural diversity and encourages peaceful coexistence. Further research is necessary to address the challenges in implementing these educational strategies in diverse classrooms, and to provide practical guidelines for educators and policymakers to foster inclusivity in Islamic education.
Highlights:
-
Multicultural integration within Islamic Religious Education supports tolerant social attitudes among students.
-
Elementary-level implementation faces structural constraints related to pedagogy and educator preparation.
-
Curriculum alignment with cultural and religious diversity remains limited in current educational practice.
Keywords: Tolerance, Multicultural, Cultural Diversity, Inclusive Islamic Religious Education
Downloads
References
Abdulah, N. N., Mahmud, M. S., Zainal, M. S., Nordin, M. N., Maat, S. M., Rosli, R., & Yin, L. C. (2025). Challenges of Inclusive Mathematics Teaching in Primary Schools: Perspectives of Inclusive Education Experts. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 24(8), 356–375.
Aderibigbe, S. A., Idriz, M., Alzouebi, K., & Companioni, A. A. (2023). Fostering Tolerance and Respect for Diversity through the Fundamentals of Islamic Education. Religions, 14(2), 212.
Andini, D. W., Rahayu, A., Budiningsih, C. A., & Mumpuniarti. (2020). The curriculum adaptation model in fulfilling the learning need for diverse students at inclusive classroom. Universal Journal of Educational Research.
Fahmi, M., Nuruzzaman, M. A., & Hilmy, M. (2025). Multicultural Islamic Education as Strategy for Strengthening Social Cohesion in Islamic School. Nazhruna: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 8(1), 154–175.
Fahmi, M., Nuruzzaman, M. A., Hilmy, M., Alfiyah, H. Y., Abdul Aziz, N. A., & Huriyah, L. (2025). Multicultural Islamic Education as Strategy for Strengthening Social Cohesion in Islamic School. Nazhruna: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 8(1), 154–175.
Gelizon, M. J. B. (2024). Qualitative exploration in mainstreaming classroom inclusivity through the lenses of anti-bias education (ABE). Environment and Social Psychology, 9(11).
Idris, M. (2020). Azyumardi Azra’s Thought On Multicultural Education. Miqot: Jurnal Ilmu-Ilmu Keislaman, 44(1), 52–70.
Kapcia, S. (2024). Enabling access: Reflecting on inclusive education practice. Support for Learning, 39(4), 203–207. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9604.12506
Kaweesi, M., Ayebare, J., Atibuni, D. Z., & Olema, D. K. (2023). Faculty’s Perspectives of/on Cultural Diversity Management in a Multicultural Classroom: The Case of a Ugandan University. International Journal of African Higher Education.
Kühle, L., & Larsen, T. L. (2021). ‘ Forced ’ Online Religion : Religious Minority and Majority Communities ’ Media Usage during the COVID-19 Lockdown. 1–20.
Luthfi, A., Saputra, E., & Ali, N. (2025). Development of a Multicultural-Based Islamic Religious Education Learning Model in Fostering Moderate Attitudes of Junior High School Students in Cilegon. Journal of Educational and Social Research.
Moussa, N. M. (2025). Investigating Diversity Perception and Multicultural Education Practices in Middle Eastern Higher Education Settings. International Journal of Diversity in Education.
Muhajir, M., Kultsum, U., Choiri, M. M., Mustonah, S., Kulkarni, H., & Karim, A. (2025). Integrating Multicultural Values To Foster Tolerance And Inclusivity In Islamic Religious Education. Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 11(1), 17–32.
Mutaqin, A. Z., & Nasir, M. (2024). The Implementation of Multicultural Islamic Religious Education in the Families of Primary School-age Children in Putrajawa , Selaawi Garut. 24(December), 197–219.
Oranga, J., Njurai, E., Gisore, B., & Areba, G. N. (2024). Inclusive education: Transcending exclusionary practices in education. In Exploring Educational Equity at the Intersection of Policy and Practice (pp. 101–119). IGI Global.
Putkonen, N. (2023). Balancing Differences through Highlighting the Common : Religious Education Teachers ’ Perceptions of the Diversity of.
Ramzy, M. I., Saad, R. M., & Sulaiman, A. M. (2022). Religious Ethics For Appreciating Cultural Diversity. Journal of Dharma, 47(1), 99–116.
Renner, A., Muller, J., & Theissler, A. (2022). State-of-the-art on writing a literature review: An overview of types and components BT - IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference, EDUCON.
Rohmat. (2023). Strengthening the Values of Multicultural Education to Develop Equality. Journal of Educational and Social Research.
Saihu, M. (2020). P-issn: 2716-098x, e-issn: 2716-0971. 2(September 2019), 62–79.
Sechandini, R. A., Ratna, F., Zakariyah, A., & Na’imah, U. (2023). Multicultural-Based Learning of Islamic Religious Education for the Development of Students’ Social Attitudes. At-Tadzkir: Islamic Education Journal, 2(2), 106–117.
Sepadi, M. D. (2024). Conceptualizing and Evolution of Inclusive Education: A Global and National Exploration. In Global Practices in Inclusive Education Curriculum and Policy (pp. 1–24). IGI Global.
Shabir, I., Parveen, A., Jabeen, S., & Jan, U. (2025). Empowerment of students with disabilities in education. In Enablers, Barriers, and Challenges for Inclusive Curriculum (pp. 45–76). IGI Global.
Sleeter, C. (2018). A framework to improve teaching in multicultural contexts. Education and Self Development. https://doi.org/10.11576/esd.2018.0053
Takunas, R., Mashuri, S., Tahang Basire, J. H., Dulumina, G. B., & Mohi, S. M. (2024). Multicultural Islamic Religious Education Learning to Build Religious Harmony. Nazhruna: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 7(3), 590–607.
Umamah, C., Sari, D. R., Imaduddin, M., Ilyas, A., Abidin, Z., Darul, U., Islamic, U., & Sudirman, C. (2025). Strengthening Inclusivity Through Multicultural Islamic Education in Secondary Schools: A Qualitative Literature Analysis. 4(2), 1045–1054.
Zakiah, L., Sarkadi, M., & A. A.P., K. (2023). Implementation of Teaching Multicultural Values Through Civic Education for Elementary School Students. Journal of Social Studies Education Research.
Zed, M. (2008). Metode Penelitian Kepustakaan. Yayasan Obor Indonesia.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Ilyas Abdulloh, Riyan Nurdiyansah , Reni Juwita , Selamet Selamet

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.



