Wasatiyyah dalam Al-Qur’an: Landasan Teologis dan Pedagogis untuk Pembelajaran PAI yang Responsif Terhadap Tantangan Ekstremisme Agama

Tarmidi Tarmidi (Institut Agama Islam Pangeran Dharma Kusuma Indramayu, Indonesia)
Sanuri Sanuri (IAI Pangeran Dharma Kusuma Indramayu, Indonesia)

Khulasah : Islamic Studies Journal
Vol 8 No 2 (2026): Khulasah: Jurnal Studi Islam

This article examines the concept of wasatiyyah in the Qur’an as a theological foundation and pedagogical framework for developing Islamic Religious Education (PAI) that is responsive to the challenges of religious extremism among the youth. Utilizing a qualitative approach based on thematic exegesis (mawdū‘ī tafsir) analysis and a synthesis of recent academic literature (2020–2026), this study reveals that wasatiyyah is not merely a normative discourse or a social diplomacy strategy, but rather an epistemological paradigm structured around four operational pillars: tawassuth (the middle path), tawāzun (balance), i‘tidāl (objective justice), and tasāmuḥ (active tolerance). Theologically, this concept serves as a systemic antidote to selective-textual interpretations and identity dichotomies that act as entry points for radicalization. Pedagogically, wasatiyyah demands a radical transformation in PAI learning: shifting from an indoctrinative-dogmatic model toward a dialogical, critical, and contextual approach aligned with maqāṣid al-sharī‘ah. The formulated implementation strategies include the development of Religious Critical Media Literacy (RCML), the mapping of student vulnerabilities, the strengthening of an inclusive school ecosystem based on a whole-school approach, and a holistic evaluation that measures the internalization of moderation values. An empirical study in elementary schools within Lelea District confirms that integrating moderation values through daily habits, teacher role-modeling, nationalism-religiosity collaboration, and extracurricular activities effectively builds ideological resilience and an inclusive character. This article recommends a measurable reconstruction of the PAI curriculum, the enhancement of teacher competence in critical pedagogy and hermeneutical exegesis, and the synchronization of education policies that position religious moderation as a verifiable outcome. These findings contribute to the decolonization of Islamic educational epistemology and provide an applicable operational framework for practitioners, curriculum developers, and policymakers in the digital era.