<![CDATA[Arabic language learning, particularly reading skills (maharah qiro’ah), is often dominated by conventional methods that emphasize rote memorization of vocabulary without fostering contextual understanding. This condition results in students’ low reading comprehension ability, as found at SMA Muhammadiyah 2 Palembang, where most students failed to achieve the minimum mastery standard in the pre-test. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of the Mustaqili method in teaching the Muthola’ah Al-Haditsah book to improve students’ reading skills. A mixed-method approach with a sequential explanatory design was employed, involving all 67 tenth-grade students divided into experimental and control classes. Data collection techniques included observation, interviews, questionnaires, documentation, and tests (pre-test and post-test). Quantitative data were analyzed using statistical tests (Mann Whitney and N-Gain), while qualitative data were analyzed using Miles and Huberman’s model. The findings revealed a significant improvement: the average student score increased from 40.57 (pre-test) to 78.29 (post-test), more than 80% of students met the mastery standard, and the N-Gain score of 0.65 was categorized as moderate. Beyond enhancing technical reading comprehension skills, the Mustaqili method also improved students’ motivation, independence, and self-confidence. Thus, the Mustaqili method can be considered a strategic alternative in Arabic language learning that aligns with the demands of 21st-century education. ABSTRAK Pembelajaran bahasa Arab, khususnya keterampilan membaca (maharah qiro’ah), seringkali masih didominasi metode konvensional yang menekankan hafalan mufrodat tanpa memberikan ruang bagi pemahaman kontekstual. Kondisi ini menyebabkan rendahnya kemampuan siswa dalam memahami teks, sebagaimana ditemukan di SMA Muhammadiyah 2 Palembang, dimana sebagian besar siswa tidak mencapai standar ketuntasan minimal pada tes awal. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji efektivitas metode Mustaqili dalam pembelajaran kitab Muthola’ah Al-Haditsah guna meningkatkan keterampilan maharah qiro’ah. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan mixed method dengan desain sequential explanatory, melibatkan seluruh siswa kelas X (67 siswa) yang terbagi dalam kelas eksperimen dan kontrol. Instrumen penelitian meliputi observasi, wawancara, angket, dokumentasi, serta tes (pre-test dan post-test), dengan analisis data kuantitatif melalui uji statistik (Mann Whitney dan N-Gain) serta kualitatif melalui model Miles dan Huberman. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan adanya peningkatan signifikan: rata-rata nilai siswa naik dari 40,57 (pre-test) menjadi 78,29 (post-test), lebih dari 80% siswa mencapai standar ketuntasan, serta skor N-Gain 0,65 berada pada kategori sedang. Selain meningkatkan kemampuan teknis membaca pemahaman, metode Mustaqili juga terbukti meningkatkan motivasi, kemandirian, dan kepercayaan diri siswa. Dengan demikian, metode Mustaqili dapat dipandang sebagai alternatif strategis dalam pembelajaran bahasa Arab yang selaras dengan tuntutan pembelajaran abad 21.]]>
