Tauhid Based Education in the Thought of Muhammad Ibn Abd Al-Wahhab: A Conceptual Analysis and Relevance to Contemporary Islamic Education

Abstract

Contemporary Islamic education faces challenges in the form of a weakening understanding of tawhid, a tendency towards syncretism in religious practice, and a moral crisis among students. These conditions call for a strengthening of the theological foundations of Islamic education. Muhammad ibn al-Wahhab's ideas on the purification of tawhid offer a relevant conceptual framework for responding to these challenges. This study aims to analyse the concept of tauhid-based education in the thoughts of Muhammad ibn Abd Al-Wahhab and examine its relevance to the development of contemporary Islamic education. This study uses a qualitative approach through a literature study with a conceptual analysis method of the main works of Muhammad ibn Abd Al-Wahhab, particularly the book at-Tauhid, as well as relevant secondary literature. The results of the study show that tauhid-based education in the thinking of Muhammad Ibn Abd Al-Wahhab emphasises i) purification of faith, ii) instilling sincerity in worship, iii) strengthening religious orientation based on the Qur'an and Sunnah, iv) and forming critical awareness of religious practices that deviate from the principles of tauhid. These findings imply that the concept of tauhid-based education can be used as a normative foundation in strengthening the curriculum, shaping the religious character of students, and developing a religious culture in Islamic educational institutions as an effort to strengthen the spiritual and moral integrity of the Muslim generation in the contemporary era.