The Role of Islamic Religious Education in Building Sharia Financial Literacy among High School Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35335/qg8s2891Keywords:
Islamic Religious Education, Sharia Financial Literacy, Islamic Economics, High School Students, Ethical Financial BehaviorAbstract
This research explores the role of Islamic Religious Education (IRE) in building Sharia financial literacy among high school students. In the modern financial era, where economic decisions are increasingly complex, the integration of ethical and faith-based financial understanding is essential. Islamic Religious Education, traditionally focused on moral and spiritual development, can serve as a strategic platform for cultivating financial awareness grounded in Islamic values. This study aims to analyze how IRE contributes to students’ cognitive, affective, and behavioral competencies related to Sharia financial principles such as riba (usury), zakat (almsgiving), mudarabah (profit-sharing), and murabahah (cost-plus financing). Using a mixed-method approach, data were collected through interviews, observations, and document analysis involving students, IRE teachers, and curriculum materials. The results indicate that IRE significantly enhances students’ understanding of ethical financial behavior by linking economic responsibility with spiritual accountability. The integration of Sharia economic concepts within IRE fosters not only financial knowledge but also moral awareness, encouraging students to view financial practices as part of their religious duty. However, challenges such as limited teaching resources, lack of teacher training, and insufficient curriculum support hinder the full implementation of Sharia financial education. This research suggests the development of specialized educational modules, professional training programs for IRE teachers, and curriculum reforms to strengthen Islamic financial literacy in schools. The findings contribute to the broader goal of the Strategi Nasional Literasi Keuangan Syariah Indonesia (SNLKI), supporting the creation of a financially literate generation capable of making ethical economic decisions. Ultimately, the study emphasizes that Islamic Religious Education is not only a means of nurturing faith and morality but also a powerful tool for promoting responsible financial behavior in accordance with Sharia principles.
References
Albaity, M., & Rahman, M. (2019). The intention to use Islamic banking: an exploratory study to measure Islamic financial literacy. International Journal of Emerging Markets, 14(5), 988–1012.
Alharbi, B. A. M. (2015). The ability of Islamic Religious Education to deliver Citizenship Education in elementary schools in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. University of Exeter (United Kingdom).
Alvi, S. T., Khanam, A., & Kalsoom, T. (2020). Document analysis of secondary school curriculum regarding ethical and moral education in Punjab. Global Regional Review, 5(1), 191–206.
Arthur, C. R. (2016). The ethics of entrepreneurship and financial literacy education: A security and freedom for the other.
Asadullah, M. N., & Chaudhury, N. (2016). To madrasahs or not to madrasahs: The question and correlates of enrolment in Islamic schools in Bangladesh. International Journal of Educational Development, 49, 55–69.
Ashrafkashani, S. (2015). The Role and Responsibilities of Shari’ah Boards in the context of Islamic Finance and their position in Law. University of London.
Braunstein, S., & Welch, C. (2002). Financial literacy: An overview of practice, research, and policy. Fed. Res. Bull., 88, 445.
Cacciattolo, M. (2015). Ethical considerations in research. In The Praxis of English Language Teaching and Learning (PELT) (pp. 55–73). Brill.
Chong, S. C., & Balogun, U. O. (2017). Islamic finance professional programme structure: development and prospects. International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management, 10(2), 243–263.
Csorba, L. (2020). The determining factors of financial culture, financial literacy and financial behavior. Public Finance Quarterly= Pénzügyi Szemle, 65(1), 67–83.
Halim Tamuri, A. (2007). Islamic Education teachers’ perceptions of the teaching of akhlāq in Malaysian secondary schools. Journal of Moral Education, 36(3), 371–386.
Hassan, M. K., & Kayed, R. N. (2009). The global financial crisis, risk management and social justice in Islamic finance. Risk Management and Social Justice in Islamic Finance.
Kultsum, U. (2020). Exploring Indonesian Principals’ Leadership Practices in Islamic-Based Senior High Schools (Madrasah Aliyahs): Address Challenges and Enhance School Performance (Doctoral dissertation, University of Canberra). University of Canberra Thesis.
Labeeque, A., & Sanaullah, A. (2019). Towards inclusive economic growth: Synthesizing strategies for social inclusion in development. Journal of Policy Options, 2(2), 77–95.
Lee, H., Kiang, P., Kim, M., Semino-Asaro, S., Colten, M. E., Tang, S. S., Chea, P., Peou, S., & Grigg-Saito, D. C. (2015). Using qualitative methods to develop a contextually tailored instrument: Lessons learned. Asia-Pacific Journal of Oncology Nursing, 2(3), 192–202.
Luukkanen, L., & Uusitalo, O. (2019). Toward financial capability—empowering the young. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 53(2), 263–295.
Malik, B. A. (2016). Philanthropy in practice: role of zakat in the realization of justice and economic growth. International Journal of Zakat, 1(1), 64–77.
Md. Sapir@ Md. Shafik, A. S., & Wan Ahmad, W. M. (2020). Financial literacy among Malaysian Muslim undergraduates. Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research, 11(8), 1515–1529.
Muhsin, M. A. Al, & Ahmad, N. (2019). The emergence of Education 4.0 trends in teaching Arabic Islamic finance curriculum design: A case study. International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 23(4), 1019–1029.
Mwatamu, F. K. (2012). The role of Islamic integrated education programme in moral and religious development of learners in selected Islamic secondary schools in Nairobi County. University of Nairobi, Kenya.
O’Neill, B. (2008). Financial simulations for young adults: Making the" real world" real. The Journal of Extension, 46(6), 26.
Sahin, A. (2018). Critical issues in Islamic education studies: Rethinking Islamic and Western liberal secular values of education. Religions, 9(11), 335.
Sutton, J., & Austin, Z. (2015). Qualitative research: Data collection, analysis, and management. The Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy, 68(3), 226.
Yong, C.-C., Yew, S.-Y., & Wee, C.-K. (2018). Financial knowledge, attitude and behaviour of young working adults in Malaysia. Institutions and Economies, 10(4).
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Omira Almahyra, Dzikra Malikha, Hadi Jafar, Shafiyyah Shafiyyah (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
