The increasing social and religious pluralism requires Islamic education to develop approaches that foster inclusive and balanced religious attitudes. In this context, religious moderation emerges as a strategic principle for strengthening multicultural Islamic education. This study aims to analyze the concept of religious moderation as a principle of multicultural Islamic education in the thought of Azyumardi Azra, and to explain the conceptual relationship between the two in responding to the realities of a plural society. Employing a qualitative approach with a library research design, data were collected through documentation of Azra’s works and relevant academic literature, and analyzed using content and thematic analysis. The findings indicate that religious moderation in Azra’s thought functions as a normative and epistemological framework emphasizing balance, justice, and openness to dialogue, while multicultural Islamic education serves as the arena for implementing these values through curriculum and pedagogy. The study concludes that religious moderation and multicultural Islamic education share a mutually reinforcing paradigmatic relationship in shaping inclusive and contextual Islamic education. Future research is recommended to examine the empirical implementation of this concept in Islamic educational practices. Keywords: Religious Moderation, Multicultural Islamic Education, Azyumardi Azra
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