Inclusive Islamic Education Through Jama’ah Tabligh: Community-Based Religious Engagement for Vulnerable Urban Groups in Surabaya and Malang

Abstract

Urban vulnerable populations frequently experience barriers to accessing sustained Islamic education, particularly those living in marginalized socioeconomic conditions. This study explores how Jama’ah Tabligh facilitates religious learning among vulnerable communities in Surabaya and Malang, including homeless individuals, older people, beggars, scavengers, and socially excluded groups. A qualitative case study design was employed, utilizing participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and documentary analysis involving Jama’ah Tabligh activists, mosque administrators, local community leaders, and participants from vulnerable communities. Data interpretation followed the Miles and Huberman interactive framework and was strengthened through source and method triangulation. The study found that Jama’ah Tabligh employs informal, relational modes of religious engagement through outreach activities, neighbourhood visits, and small-group learning sessions that emphasize lived religious practice over formal instruction. Such approaches were found to create accessible learning environments for individuals often excluded from institutional religious education. Participants reported greater involvement in worship, stronger spiritual motivation, improved everyday conduct, and increased participation in communal religious life. In addition, mosque-based activities promoted stronger interaction between marginalized groups and surrounding communities, contributing to broader social inclusion. This study expands current discussions on Islamic education by demonstrating how faith-based grassroots movements can function as educational actors for underserved populations. Rather than operating solely as a missionary movement, Jama’ah Tabligh may serve as a complementary pathway for extending religious learning to communities with limited institutional access. The findings also indicate the importance of collaboration between non-formal religious movements and established Islamic educational institutions to support more comprehensive and sustainable learning opportunities for vulnerable urban populations.