RELIGIOUS MODERATION AND GEN Z NATIONALISM: THE NEXUS OF MODERN ISLAMIC EDUCATION AND NATIONAL INSIGHT AT NURUL JANNAH ISLAMIC BOARDING SCHOOL IN NATUNA

Abstract

Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia's frontier regions face the dual challenge of nurturing devout religiosity while sustaining national commitment among Gen Z santri, a synergy that existing literature suggests is difficult to achieve given persistent gaps between moderation curricula and observable practice. This study examines how Pesantren Nurul Jannah in Natuna designs and implements modern Islamic education that integrates religious moderation and national insight, and identifies the institutional conditions enabling this integration in a geopolitically sensitive maritime border region. A qualitative case study approach was employed, involving 12 informants (kyai, ustadz, and santri) over three months of fieldwork, using participant observation, in-depth interviews, and document analysis of curriculum and institutional records, analyzed through data reduction and presentation, and conclusions were drawn using source and method triangulation. Findings indicate that religious moderation and national insight are positioned as an interrelated pedagogical construct across curriculum, ceremonial practice, dialogical classroom relations, and extracurricular activities, rather than treated as separate programs. This integration appears to be supported by consistent leadership modeling and a geopolitically reinforced sense of civic mission distinctive to the border context. The study offers empirical insight into how frontier pesantren may operationalize moderation and nationalism jointly, with potential relevance to SDG 16 and SDG 4 insofar as it illustrates efforts toward fostering tolerant and socially cohesive younger generations, a link the analysis substantiates rather than merely asserts.