Digital Technology Based Transformation of Islamic Education in Enhancing Students’ Religious Literacy

Abstract

This study aims to analyze classical manuscripts, or turāth, as a foundational element in strengthening the identity of modern Islamic scholarship through philological and pedagogical approaches. The research employs a qualitative method with an exploratory interpretative design, as this approach is appropriate for understanding turāth both as historical texts and as resources for evaluating their application in contemporary learning contexts. This design was chosen to enable an in-depth exploration of textual meanings and pedagogical practices. The research was conducted in the Islamic Education Study Program at Darul Hikmah University, selected due to its strong tradition of teaching turāth and its ongoing development of an integrative curriculum. The informants consisted of five individuals two turāth lecturers, two students, and one curriculum administrator selected purposively to obtain diverse academic perspectives. The findings indicate that the declining interest in turāth is influenced by overly textual and non-contextual readings, passive teaching methods, and a lack of disciplinary integration. The study recommends pedagogical innovation based on constructivist principles, the application of critical hermeneutics, and the strengthening of knowledge integration within the curriculum to restore the relevance of turāth for the modern academic generation.