PENGUATAN AKIDAH MUALAF: Analisis Strategi Pedagogis Dalam Perspektif Pendidikan Islam

Strengthening aqidah among converts (mualaf) constitutes a fundamental necessity in the process of religious transition, as aqidah serves as the ontological and epistemological foundation of Islamic faith. Amid psychological and social dynamics, as well as the vulnerability of identity in the post-conversion phase, converts require guidance that is not merely doctrinal but also transformative and contextually grounded. Without appropriate pedagogical strategies, the process of embracing Islam risks becoming formalistic and spiritually fragile. This study aims to describe the urgency of strengthening aqidah, identify patterns of guidance and mentoring, and analyze pedagogical strategies from the perspective of Islamic education, while conceptualizing an effective model for strengthening aqidah capable of fostering spiritual resilience and identity integrity among converts. This research employs a qualitative approach using a case study design at the Mualaf Center of Malang City, with descriptive-analytical analysis. Data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation. Data analysis was conducted integratively from theological, pedagogical, and psychological perspectives, as well as thematically by referring to the theoretical framework of Islamic education (tarbiyah, ta‘lim, tazkiyah, and ta’dib), alongside approaches from the psychology of religion and the theory of spiritual resilience. The findings reveal that effective aqidah strengthening is integral in nature and grounded in several key principles: rabbaniyah (a tawhid-oriented worldview), insaniyah (a humanistic and empathetic approach), syumuliyah–integrative (the unity of faith, knowledge, and action), tadrijiyah (gradual progression), dialogical and participatory engagement based on hikmah (wisdom), exemplary modeling (uswah hasanah), as well as tasbit and istiqamah as principles of sustainability. The guidance process is implemented through the identification of individual backgrounds, classical learning sessions, personal mentoring, habituation of worship practices, and community reinforcement. A distinctive finding of this study is the presence of a selective convergence between the paradigm of Islamic education and humanistic as well as constructivist approaches without compromising the theological foundation of tawhid. Furthermore, strengthening aqidah functions as a preventive mechanism against crises of faith, a means of cultivating spiritual resilience, and a process of reconstructing the personal and social identity of converts. This study affirms that strengthening the aqidah of converts should be understood as a contextual and continuous pedagogical process. The findings are expected to serve as both conceptual and practical references for designing and developing systematic models of aqidah development for converts within a framework of Islamic educational strategies that are humanistic, adaptive, and responsive to contemporary challenges, thereby fostering faith that is authentically internalized and firmly established.