BUILDING MODERATE MUSLIM STUDENTS TO COUNTER RADICALISM IN ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY: CHARACTERISTIC AND THE ROLE OF EXEMPLARY LEADERSHIP
The development of religious moderation among university students is necessary to combat radicalism. Unfortunately, Indonesian universities still lack a clear understanding of what constitutes religious moderation. This study aims to answer two research questions: first, what are the characteristics of moderate Muslim students (MMS) developed at Universitas IIslam Negeri (UIN) Mataram? second, how are leaders’ strategies to develop MMS at UIN Mataram?. Using a qualitative-descriptive approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews. The subjects of this study were the rector, vice-rector, deans, Vice-deans, Heads of departments, lecturers, and students. This study found that UIN Mataram developed six dominant characteristics of MMS, namely: respect for local culture, respect for different schools of thought (Madhab), and respect for minority groups, nationalism, anti-violence, and tolerance. This study also suggests six other additional characteristics to realize the ideal MMS; second, the strategy used by UIN Mataram leaders to build MMS consists of: identifying moderation and anti-moderation values; clarifying and communicating moderation values to affirm shared values; translating moderation values into vision, missions, goals, and institutional policies; engaging others; and modeling religious moderation values such as leading by example, reciprocal values, proportional-conditional values, and moving from passive to active values. This study concludes that MMS characteristics need to be redesigned by combining Western and Muslim perspectives selectively and proportionally to achieve an ideal MMS. Furthermore, developing MMS requires exemplary leadership based on religious moderation values.
moderate students, religious moderation, countering radicalism, exemplary leadership.