Islamic Religious Education in Shaping the Culture of Religious Literacy in Schools

Abstract

Islamic Religious Education can strengthen religious literacy culture by integrating reading, writing, critical thinking, and Islamic ethical values into everyday learning practices. This article examines how Islamic Religious Education encourages students to develop literacy habits and how these practices contribute to a broader literacy culture at school. An integrative literature review synthesizes scholarship on religious education, literacy practices, digital literacy, self-regulation, school culture, and learning environments. The findings indicate that religious literacy develops when students actively read diverse sources, compare information, write reflective and argumentative texts, and evaluate evidence before accepting or sharing claims. Islamic values such as intellectual honesty, responsibility, discipline, and verification provide an ethical foundation for these activities. A sustainable literacy culture also requires student participation, supportive school norms, accessible libraries, digital learning spaces, family involvement, publication opportunities, and consistent institutional routines. Islamic Religious Education can therefore connect religious learning with responsible knowledge practices, enabling students to become active readers, reflective writers, and critical users of information within a supportive educational community.