Ideological Prophetic Leadership in Transnational Islamic Educational Organizations
Abstract
Purpose of the study: This study aims to examine how transnational Islamic ideology shapes leadership construction, governance structures, and authority legitimacy within educational institutions, and to formulate an integrative conceptual model explaining the relationship between ideological foundations and educational leadership practices.
Methodology: This study employed a qualitative multiple-case design using in-depth semi-structured interviews, non-participant observation, and document analysis. Data were analyzed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña, supported by thematic coding procedures. Institutional statutes, policy documents, and scholarly literature were reviewed to strengthen triangulation and analytical validity.
Main Findings: The findings show that leadership in transnational Islamic educational institutions is constructed upon theological legitimacy, ideological alignment, structured consultation, and moral-exemplary authority. Governance mechanisms integrate doctrinal commitment with formal administrative systems, forming hybrid models that balance transnational ideological orientation with national educational regulations. Leadership functions as a strategic instrument for ideological reproduction and institutional identity consolidation.
Novelty/Originality of this study: The findings show that leadership in transnational Islamic educational institutions is constructed upon theological legitimacy, ideological alignment, structured consultation, and moral-exemplary authority. Governance mechanisms integrate doctrinal commitment with formal administrative systems, forming hybrid models that balance transnational ideological orientation with national educational regulations. Leadership functions as a strategic instrument for ideological reproduction and institutional identity consolidation.
References
A. Aderus, R. A. Masse, A. Rahman, A. Syam, S. Toha, and N. Mohammad, “Religious moderation and transnational islamic ideology: Phenomena and implications in Indonesia,” J. Islam. Stud. Publ., vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 485–509, 2024, doi: 10.20414/ujis.v28i1.969.
M. Roqib, “The role of teacher in counteracting the transnational religious ideology of Khilafah,” in Proceedings of the 1st Borobudur International Symposium on Humanities, Economics and Social Sciences (BIS-HESS 2019), Atlantis Press SARL, 2020, pp. 828–833. doi: 10.2991/assehr.k.200529.175.
A. Rohman, M. M. Taruna, Wahab, Mustolehudin, and Mintarti, “Islamic boarding school policy in response to the transmission of transnational religious ideologies in Klaten , Indonesia,” Cogent Educ., vol. 12, no. 1, p., 2025, doi: 10.1080/2331186X.2024.2436291.
M. E. Ruhullah and T. Ushama, “Leadership in islam: A spiritual and theological doctrine,” J. Pemikir. dan Pendidik. Islam, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 54–74, 2025, doi: 10.37812/fikroh.v17i1.1737.
S. S. Ahmedi, A. S. Salman, A. G. A. Mohammed, A. Apyshova, and J. A. Mahmood, “Reimagining islamic political structures in contemporary muslim societies: The role of global networks and transnational movements,” J. Huk. Islam, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 513–534, 2025, doi: 10.29240/jhi.v10i2.13368.
N. Hidayah, F. Faridi, and H. Hikmatulloh, “Muhammadiyah’s religious ideology and the challenges of transnationalism in islamic religious education in Indonesia,” Akhlak J. Pendidik. Agama Islam Dan Filsafat, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 325–332, 2025, doi: 10.61132/akhlak.v2i3.1030.
K. Kavrakis, “Identity and ideology through the frames of Al Qaeda and islamic state,” Terror. Polit. Violence, vol. 35, no. 5, pp. 1235–1252, 2023, doi: 10.1080/09546553.2022.2035366.
A. Termeer, “Rebel legal order, governance and legitimacy: Examining the islamic state and the taliban insurgency,” Stud. Confl. Terror., vol. 49, no. 3, pp. 325–350, 2026, doi: 10.1080/1057610X.2023.2231641.
H. Gazali, D. Anggraeni, and M. E. Ahmed, “Salafi-jihadist movements and ideology in educational institutions: Exploring the nexus with religious moderation,” EDUKASIA Islam. J. Islam. Educ., vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 127–148, 2023, doi: 10.28918/jei.v8i1.7658moderation.
S. Pomalingo, K. Kamaruzzaman, and W. Tangahu, “Navigating tradition and modernity: The impact of transnational islam in Gorontalo, Indonesia,” Progres. J. Pemikir. dan Pendidik. Islam, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 313–330, 2024, doi: 10.22219/progresiva.v13i03.35868.
Amini, “Authority and legitimacy in islamic movements,” Edukasi Islam. J. Pendidik. Islam, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 1237–1248, 2022, doi: 10.30868/ei.v11i01.2858.
A. Malik, “New variants of ultra-conservative islamic schools in Indonesia: A study on islamic school endeavor with islamic group movement,” Power Educ., vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 14–28, 2024, doi: 10.1177/17577438231163042.
G. Rahman, “Reconstructing islamic identity in modern times: A narrative review of educational reform and intellectual responses,” Sinergi Int. J. Islam. Stud., vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 29–43, 2025, doi: 10.61194/ijis.v3i1.708.
Y. A. Hasan, “Building islamic ideology from historical studies : From pesantren to parliamentary leadership,” Ahlika J. Huk. Kel. dan Huk. Islam, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 128–147, 2024, doi: 10.70742/ahlika.v1i2.108.
E. S. Kusumaputri, H. L. Muslimah, and E. I. Hayati, “The case study of islamic-education leadership model: What we can learn from the dynamics of principals’ leadership in Indonesian excellence islamic boarding-schools,” J. Psikol., vol. 50, no. 1, pp. 18–44, 2023, doi: 10.22146/jpsi.78892.
A. Illah, R. Mansur, and M. F. Hidayatullah, “Principal leadership in developing the competence of islamic religious education teachers,” Nidhomul Haq J. Manaj. Pendidik. Islam, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 405–420, 2022, doi: 10.31538/ndh.v7i3.2658.
M. U. Siddqiue, A. Waqar, and A. Arshad, “Comparative analysis of islamic and modern leadership: Challenges and similarities,” Al-Qamar, vol. 6, no. 4, pp. 43–54, 2023, doi: 10.53762/xqy4bc29.
A. Prasad, “The organization of ideological discourse in times of unexpected crisis: Explaining how covid-19 is exploited by populist leaders,” Leadership, vol. 16, no. 3, 2020, doi: 10.1177/1742715020926783.
U. Nasri and A. Mulyohadi, “Salafi islamic education: Teaching methods, traditions and ideologies in lombok boarding schools,” SYAIKHUNA J. Pendidik. dan Pranata Islam STAI, vol. 14, no. 02, pp. 216–233, 2023, doi: 10.36835/syaikhuna.v14i02.7029.
A. W. Triatmo, R. Karsidi, and D. T. Kartono, “A political ideology of the Indonesian islamic philanthropy: A case study of Suryakarta beramal foundation,” IJIMS Indones. J. Islam Muslim Soc., vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 353–380, 2020, doi: 10.18326/ijims.v10i2.353-380.
K. Arar, R. Sawalhi, and M. Yilmaz, “The research on islamic-based educational leadership since 1990: An international review of empirical evidence and a future research agenda,” Religions, vol. 13, no. 3, 2022, doi: 10.3390/rel13010042.
Z. Arifin and B. Maunah, “Efforts to build a culture of transformational leadership in islamic education institutions,” Indones. J. Islam. Educ. Stud., vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 127–140, 2020, doi: Indonesian Journal of Islamic Education Studies (IJIES).
S. Harris, M. G. Mackenzie, and C. Mason, “Do the means justify the ends? Entrepreneurs’ moral legitimacy in religious networks,” Entrep. Reg. Dev., vol. 00, no. 00, pp. 1–21, 2026, doi: 10.1080/08985626.2026.2628906.
M. Yusuf, “The effect of prophetic leadership on employee work motivation at the islamic higher education,” Al-Tanzim J. Manaj. Pendidik. Islam, vol. 06, no. 01, pp. 195–206, 2022, doi: 10.33650/al-tanzim.v6i1.3326.
D. Retnaningdiah et al., “A literature review: Future prophetic leadership,” Manag. Anal. J., vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 42–50, 2023, doi: 10.15294/maj.v12i1.66715.
I. Hakim and F. Zahra, “Model of islamic educational leadership based on prophetic leadership values: A literature review,” Samarinda Int. J. Islam. Stud., vol. 1, no. 2, 2024, doi: 10.6409/sijis.v1i2.598.
R. A. Oliviaa, A. Ashari, M. Ervin, and M. S. R. Bambang Syaeful Hadi Rayung Wulan Brotowiranti, Az-Zahra Ardhana Reswari, Kinanthi Purbaning Yuangwidi Greace Nanda Putri Salma Kamila Nur Fitriana, Nurul Hakimah Che Abdullah Fatihin Nabiha Mohd Zekeri, “Exploring the legend and the myth in ocean and maritime life: A systematic literature review,” Geomedia Maj. Ilm. dan Inf. Kegeografian, vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 241–253, 2024.
T. H. Aprilia and Munifah, “Prophetic leadership in forming the religious moderation values in islamic education institutions,” J. Stud. Manaj. Pendidik., vol. 6, no. 2, 2022, doi: 10.29240/jsmp.v6i2.4896 Manifestation.
Udin and R. Dananjoyo, “Prophetic leadership: Lessons from the greatest leader of prophet Muhammad,” FWU J. Soc. Sci., vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 88–97, 2023, doi: 10.51709/19951272/Winter2023/7.
M. Asriyah, “Prophetic leadership as a leadership model in islamic educational institutions,” Edukasi Islam. J. Pendidik. Islam, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 179–192, 2024, doi: 10.30868/ei.v13i03.9496.
A. I. Fuadi, “Reconfiguring religious authority and ethical governance in islamic political thought: a comparative literature review,” Sinergi Int. J. Islam. Stud., vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 136–148, 2024, doi: 10.61194/ijis.v2i3.605.
M. Nurhayati, “Prophetic leadership : The evolution of thought,” Int. J. Law Policy Gov., vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 112–124, 2024, doi: 10.54099/ijlpg.v3i2.1069.
L. Schmidt and L. Schmidt, “Aesthetics of authority: Islam nusantara’ and islamic ‘radicalism’ in Indonesian film and social media,” Religion, vol. 61, no. 2, 2021, doi: 10.1080/0048721X.2020.1868387.
M. Kosim, F. Muqoddam, F. Mubarok, and N. Q. Laila, “The dynamics of islamic education policies in Indonesia,” Cogent Educ., vol. 10, no. 1, 2023, doi: 10.1080/2331186X.2023.2172930.
R. A. Pratama, H. O. Pratama, S. Wulandari, and I. Gustiana, “The organization of islamic educational institutions,” TOFEDU Futur. Educ. J., vol. 3, no. 5, pp. 1554–1558, 2024, doi: 10.61445/tofedu.v3i5.278.
I. Anshori and E. Sasmitaningtyas, “Islamic education under state law: Negotiating governance, autonomy, and pedagogical identity,” Educ. Sci. J. Educ., vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 58–65, 2025, doi: 10.59165/educatum.v3i2.185.
M. Idris, “Islamic education management in improving the quality of educational institutions,” J. Pendidik. dan Keislam., vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 26–31, 2025, doi: 10.65787/at-takillah.v3i2.641.
S. Maskur and H. Bin Othman, “Strategic management practices in islamic higher education institutions: Strengthening organizational governance and academic quality,” IQRAR J. Akuntansi, Manaj. Ekon. Syariah, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 22–30, 2025, doi: 10.61104/iqrar.v1i1.2182.
A. Rahman, R. Dzunur, and I. Nur, “Knowledge management as an effort to develop learning organizations in islamic educational institutions,” Nidhomul Haq J. Manaj. Pendidik. Islam, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 92–102, 2022, doi: 10.31538/ndh.v7i1.2065.
F. Alexsandry, Irawan, R. M. Sapdi, and C. Mulayana, “Neoliberal control mechanisms and their impact on islamic educational governance,” J. Educ. Manag. Res., vol. 04, no. 06, pp. 2832–2845, 2025, doi: 10.61987/jemr.v4i6.1465.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ilham Soleh Khudin, Farhan Noor, Maulana Aznar

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and acknowledge that the Jurnal Pendidikan Agama Islam Indonesia (JPAII) is the first publisher licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges and earlier and greater citation of published work.





.png)
.png)




















