Religious Identity Construction among Muslim Adolescents in Islamic Schools: A Qualitative Exploration of Peer Interactions

Abdelrahim Fathy Ismail (Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia)
Fawz Saad Al-Qahtani (College of Education, Najran University, Najran, Saudi Arabia)
Afaf Abdelah Othman (College of Education, Najran University, Najran, Saudi Arabia)
Ahlam Abdelaziem Hamed Ahmed (College of Sciences and Humanities in Jubail, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Jubail, Saudi Arabia)
Alaaeldin Ahmed Hamid (Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia)
Ahmed Zakaria Hegazy (Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia)

Islamic Guidance and Counseling Journal
Vol. 9 No. 2 (2026): Islamic Guidance and Counseling Journal

Religious identity among Muslim adolescents is commonly examined through the roles of family, religious education, and school influences. However, less attention has been given to how religious identity is constructed through everyday peer interactions within Islamic schools. This study explored this issue using six focus group discussions with 34 Muslim adolescents (17 males and 17 females; mean age = 15.47 years, SD = 0.51) enrolled in two Islamic secondary schools in Egypt. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Four interrelated themes emerged from the analysis. First, Peer Interactions as a Source of Religious Influence and Learning highlighted the role of friendships, religious discussions, and peer influence on religious attitudes and practices. Second, Negotiating Religious Meanings within Peer Groups showed how students were exposed to different viewpoints, discussed religious questions, and managed disagreement within their peer networks. Third, Religious Identity Between Institutional Expectations and Everyday Realities reflected students’ experiences of navigating the gap between religious ideals, social media influences, everyday experiences, and perceptions of institutional rigidity. Fourth, The Islamic School as a Context for Religious Identity Construction illustrated the role of religious guidance, school culture, and the opportunities and limitations provided by the school environment. The findings suggest that religious identity construction among Muslim adolescents is shaped through peer interactions. Institutional expectations, school culture, digital environments, and everyday social experiences emerged as contextual factors that influence these interactions. Peer groups emerged not only as sources of influence but also as spaces in which religious meanings are discussed, interpreted, and negotiated.