Journal of Asian Wisdom and Islamic Behavior
Vol. 4 No. 2 (2026)

Religious Leaders’ Responses to Government Political Policies Following Flood and Landslide Disasters in Barumun, Padang Lawas, North Sumatra

Hamdan Daulay (Department of Islamic Communication and Broadcasting, Sunan Kalijaga Islamic State University)
Rajabbul Amin (Department of Islamic Communication and Broadcasting, Sunan Kalijaga Islamic State University)
Okrisal Eka Putra (Department of Islamic Communication and Broadcasting, Sunan Kalijaga Islamic State University)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Flood and landslide disasters in Barumun, Padang Lawas, North Sumatra, have caused significant social, economic, and environmental impacts. Beyond damaging infrastructure, agricultural land, and places of worship, these disasters have raised concerns regarding environmental degradation and the effectiveness of government recovery policies. In this context, religious leaders play an important role as moral authorities and community mediators in strengthening public resilience and responding to government initiatives. This study aims to examine the role of religious leaders in environmental conservation, their responses to environmental policies, and their perspectives on post-disaster recovery programs. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation involving twenty religious leaders, consisting of fifteen Muslim and five Christian leaders. The findings reveal that religious leaders contribute significantly to preventing environmental degradation by promoting religious values that encourage environmental stewardship. They also respond positively to government policies on forest conservation, illegal logging prevention, and reforestation. Furthermore, religious leaders strongly support post-disaster recovery programs, including the rehabilitation of places of worship, river restoration, economic recovery, and housing reconstruction. The study concludes that religious leaders are influential actors in promoting environmental awareness, supporting public policies, and strengthening community resilience in post-disaster settings.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

JAWAB

Publisher

Subject

Religion Humanities Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Social Sciences Other

Description

Journal of Asian Wisdom and Islamic Behavior with ISSN number: 2987-6915 is a double-blind review method international journal that publishes authentic scientific articles relating to valuable ideas that contain findings of various local wisdom in the field of Islamic studies in Asia. The journal is ...