The Religious Moderation and Decreasing Muslim Students’ Identity

Abstract

This research aimed to describe the effect of religious moderation on decreasing Muslim students’ identity in Palembang. The research used a mixed method. The respondents of the research were 177 Muslim students in four state and private universities. The data were collected through observation, interviews, questionnaires, and relevant documents. The research results indicated that students’ understanding of religious moderation generally was in a very high category. Also, students’ perception on religious moderation was positively and mutually supportive for friendship, leadership, and solidarity. The diversity of regional cultures is a strong identity that is carried in interacting within the campus environment. The forms of moderation diversity are supported by the religious moderation programs in the study program, faculty, and university . The smallest symptom showed an attitude of religious moderation which was built in Islamic studies courses, especially in public universities. This research concludes that religious moderation can affect the decreasing Muslim student’s identity, but it depends on students’ perception and understanding of religious moderation itself.