The Concept of Women's Leadership in Surah An-Naml Verses 22-40 in the Tafsir Al-Mishbah and Its Relevance to Contemporary Islamic Education

Ade Irma Gemilau; Muhammad Syahrial Razali Ibrahim; Ramlan

Authors

Ade Irma Gemilau Universitas Islam Negeri Sultanah Nahrasiyah Lhokseumawe Author
Muhammad Syahrial Razali Ibrahim Universitas Islam Negeri Sultanah Nahrasiyah Lhokseumawe Author
Ramlan Universitas Islam Negeri Sultanah Nahrasiyah Lhokseumawe Author

Keywords:

Islamic Education, Tafsir Al-Misbah, Women's Leadership

Abstract

The issue of women's leadership in the public sphere, including the field of education, remains a topic of debate from both theological and sociological perspectives in Indonesia. This study aims to examine how M. Quraish Shihab, in his Tafsir Al-Misbah, interprets women's leadership through the story of Queen Balqis in Surah An-Naml verses 22–40. This research employs a literature study method with an analytical Tafsir Maudhu’i approach. The analysis focuses on four dimensions of Balqis’s leadership: wisdom, deliberative practice, orientation toward peace and prosperity, and intelligence in strategic decision-making. The findings reveal that Quraish Shihab interprets the narrative as legitimizing the idea that leadership quality is determined by professionalism and competence rather than gender. This concept is highly relevant to the dynamics of contemporary Islamic education, where female leaders often face dilemmas between professional demands and socio-religious constraints. The study recommends implementing a Competency-Based Prophetic Leadership (CBPL) model that emphasizes the characteristics of al-amīn and al-fathīn as the foundation of leadership, rather than gender factors.

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