Mobilizing Local Religious Knowledge for Community Development: A Participatory Islamic Education Initiative in Kediri, East Java
Keywords:
Islamic Education, Local Religious Knowledge, Community Development, Participatory Learning, Community Empowerment, KediriAbstract
Local religious knowledge represents an important social and educational resource for strengthening community development. In Indonesia, Islamic education operates not only through formal educational institutions but also through mosques, religious study groups, family networks, pesantren, and community-based religious activities. Nevertheless, the potential of these institutions to support broader community development requires educational approaches that connect religious learning with participation, social responsibility, and collective action. This article proposes a participatory Islamic education initiative in Kediri, East Java, Indonesia, designed to mobilize locally available religious knowledge as a resource for community empowerment. The program framework integrates participatory learning, local knowledge, community asset identification, and collaborative action planning. Drawing on Freire's critical pedagogy, Chambers' participatory development approach, and the capability perspective of Sen, the article positions community members as active contributors to the educational process rather than passive recipients of religious instruction. The proposed initiative emphasizes contextual religious learning, intergenerational knowledge exchange, collaborative problem identification, and the development of locally relevant social initiatives. The article contributes a conceptual and practical framework for community service programs seeking to connect Islamic education with sustainable social development. Its proposed outcomes include strengthened community participation, greater contextual relevance of religious learning, and improved local capacity for collective action. These outcomes require evaluation through documented implementation and participant feedback
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