ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF RELIGIOUS IDENTITY: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF MUSLIM STUDENTS IN INDONESIA

Abstract

English language learning among Muslim students in Indonesia often faces tensions between Western cultural influences and Islamic values. This study aims to understand how Muslim students' lived experiences in English learning shape their Islamic identity, how they negotiate tensions between Islamic values and Western culture, and how social contexts such as pesantren influence identity construction. This qualitative research employs a phenomenological approach. Participants were seven Muslim students at UIN K.H. Abdurrahman Wahid Pekalongan with backgrounds in pesantren or Islamic boarding schools. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews. The findings reveal that Muslim students perceive English as a bridge for global da'wah and academic advancement, not as a threat. They actively practice critical cultural filtration taking linguistic benefits while rejecting values contradicting Islam. The pesantren environment supports this harmonization, for example through integrating vocabulary memorization after the Subuh prayer. This study concludes that learning a foreign language and preserving Islamic identity can coexist harmoniously. It recommends developing culturally and religiously sensitive English curricula in Islamic educational institutions.