Integrating Religious Ethics and Waste-to-Energy Systems: Toward a Sustainable Economic Framework for Green Islamic Boarding Schools in Indonesia

Lailatul Maghfiroh (Universitas Trunodjoyo Madura)
Ahmad Musadad (Universitas Trunodjoyo Madura)
Alfa Zaidanil Fauzi (Universitas Trunodjoyo Madura)
Hawa Gazani (Universitas Trunodjoyo Madura)
Moh Miqdad Ilmi (Universitas Trunodjoyo Madura)
Shadi Emad A Alhaleh (Smart University College for Modern Education Hebron)

Iqtishoduna: Jurnal Ekonomi Islam
Vol. 15 No. 1 (2026): April (on progress)

Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) face significant challenges in waste management due to the high intensity of daily activities among students. At the same time, pesantren hold a strategic role as centers of character formation based on religious values, making them potential models for integrating spiritual piety with ecological awareness. The concept of the green pesantren has thus emerged as an effort to combine environmental independence with sustainable development. This study aims to analyze waste management practices in Islamic boarding schools by emphasizing the synergy between renewable energy initiatives and Islamic values. A qualitative case study approach was employed, using in-depth interviews, participatory observations, and documentation as data collection techniques. The findings indicate that collaboration between pesantren and universities plays an essential role in enhancing students’ ecological awareness, generating simple innovations in waste utilization, and strengthening pesantren as agents of environmental change. Specifically, Al Hikam Boarding School in Bangkalan, as one of the research samples, demonstrates the potential of adopting a waste-to-energy program as a model for developing eco-pesantren grounded in ecological piety.