Reconstructing Islamic Education Based on Interdisciplinary Integration: A Hermeneutic Analysis of Epistemological Problems

Abstract

Islamic Education instruction still often takes a textual approach and fails to connect religious knowledge with scientific developments and the realities of students’ lives. This situation gives rise to an epistemological problem in the form of a separation between religious knowledge and general knowledge in teaching practice. This study employed a qualitative approach using an interpretive case study design at SMPN 4 Malang from September to December 2025. Data were collected through nonparticipatory observation, semi-structured interviews with two Islamic Education teachers, one principal, and two students, as well as a document analysis. Data were analyzed using reflective thematic analysis and a hermeneutic approach. This study aims to 1) analyze how teachers and students interpret the integration of disciplines and 2) reconstruct Islamic Education learning through a dialogue between religious texts, scientific knowledge, and students’ experiences. The results indicate that the integration of disciplines evolves from a symbolic pattern toward a dialogic process that positions religion as a source of values and scientific knowledge as a means of understanding reality. The reconstruction of learning occurs through the contextualization of texts, dialogue among sources of knowledge, and reflection on students’ experiences. This approach strengthens Islamic Education learning that is more contextual, reflective, critical, and oriented toward moral responsibility.