Transformational Leadership of Boarding Supervisors in Reconstructing Islamic Education through Restorative Justice: A Case Study of Indonesian Pesantren

Abstract

Pesantren represents a distinctive form of Islamic residential education in which intensive communal interactions provide opportunities for character development while also creating potential interpersonal conflicts among students (santri). Although Restorative Justice has been widely examined in educational contexts, limited studies have explored how restorative principles can be integrated with Islamic pedagogical values to transform conflict into a process of moral and character formation within pesantren education. This study examines how transformational leadership practiced by boarding supervisors (musyrif) facilitates Restorative Justice approaches and contributes to the reconstruction of Islamic education in Indonesian pesantren. This research employed a qualitative case study approach conducted at Pesantren Hidayatullah, Depok, West Java, Indonesia. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, non-participant observations, and document analysis involving pesantren leaders, musyrif, and santri engaged in conflict-resolution processes. Data were analyzed using the Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña interactive model through data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing. Data credibility was established through source triangulation, methodological triangulation, and member checking. The findings reveal that musyrif enact transformational leadership through idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration, enabling restorative practices based on tabayyun, restorative dialogue, musyawarah, responsibility, islah, and social reintegration. These practices transform conflict from a disciplinary problem into a pedagogical process for developing empathy, moral responsibility, ukhuwah, and character. This study proposes a Restorative Justice-based Islamic education model consisting of eight stages: conflict, tabayyun, restorative dialogue, musyawarah, responsibility, islah, internalization of Islamic values, and character transformation. The study contributes a culturally grounded framework that integrates transformational leadership, restorative pedagogy, and Islamic moral formation within pesantren education.