From Islamic values to sustainable practice: Rethinking leadership in Islamic educational institutions
Abstract
Purpose – This study examines how sustainability, particularly in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is conceptualized and institutionalized within Islamic educational institutions.
Method – Using a systematic literature review guided by the PRISMA framework, this study analyzes 36 scholarly studies selected through a structured screening process. Four additional foundational sources were used only for theoretical and contextual interpretation and were not counted in the PRISMA synthesis.
Findings – The findings reveal that sustainability is not achieved through isolated initiatives but emerges from the integration of three key dimensions: educational leadership, Islamic ethical values, and institutional practices. Educational leadership encompassing transformational, distributed, instructional, and relational approaches functions as the primary driver of institutional change. Islamic ethical values, particularly amanah, shura, and khilafah, provide the normative foundation that guides and legitimizes sustainability-oriented actions. These dimensions are operationalized through institutional mechanisms, including curriculum integration, sustainable campus practices, community engagement, and capacity building. The study further proposes a conceptual framework that explains the dynamic interaction between leadership, values, and institutional practices in producing sustainability outcomes aligned with SDGs, such as educational quality, environmental responsibility, and social inclusion.
Implication – The findings also highlight the importance of contextual enablers, including governance, resources, stakeholder engagement, and technological readiness, in shaping the effectiveness of sustainability implementation. The novelty of this study lies in integrating leadership models, Islamic ethical values, institutional mechanisms, and contextual enablers within a single mechanism-based framework, rather than treating these dimensions as separate strands of analysis. However, the evidence base remains limited by contextual concentration and methodological constraints. Future research is recommended to empirically test the proposed framework across diverse settings using longitudinal and mixed-method approaches
Downloads
References
Abdullah, W., Tarihoran, N., Supardi, S., Saenong, F., Wasehudin, W., Syarifuddin, E., Fauzi, A., & Mamur, I. (2026). Advancing sustainable Islamic management education through education for sustainable development. Discover Sustainability, 7, 257. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-02571-1
Agus R., A. H., & Muslim, B. (2026). Change management and its role in enhancing teacher competency through technology integration. Scaffolding, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.37680/scaffolding.v8i1.8464
AlAli, R., Alsoud, K., & Athamneh, F. (2023). Towards a sustainable future: Evaluating the ability of STEM-based teaching in achieving Sustainable Development Goals in learning. Sustainability, 15(16), 12542. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151612542
Bintang Kejora, M. T., Komariah, A., Herawan, E., & Sudarsyah, A. (2025). Ekopesantren: An ecology-based education model with local wisdom supports the Sustainable Development Goal’s. AL-ISHLAH: Jurnal Pendidikan, 17(1), 291–306. https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v17i1.6246
Buchori, U., Ma’mur, I., & Muhtarom, A. (2024). Peran penting kepemimpinan transformasional dalam proses pengembangan madrasah. Evaluasi: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam, 8(1), 124–143. https://doi.org/10.32478/g75xeq47
Desmaniar, Rusli, Fathani, A. T., Azmi, N. A., Mughni, M., Islami, I. R., & Syukri, A. (2022). Towards sustainable development of Islamic higher education: A meta-analysis of challenges and opportunities. Millah: Journal of Religious Studies, 21(3), 741–770. https://doi.org/10.20885/millah.vol21.iss3.art5
E-sor, A., & Ishaque, M. (2025). Islamic educational leadership trends: Interlinking leadership, human development, and sustainability. Solo Universal Journal of Islamic Education and Multiculturalism, 3(2), 213–228. https://doi.org/10.61455/sujiem.v3i2.411
Efendi, N., Sholeh, M. I., Munif, M., Abror, S., & Sholihan. (2026). Religious transformative collegial leadership in higher education. Frontiers in Education, 11, 1810099. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2026.1810099
Elamin, N. E. A. (2025). Assessing knowledge of Sustainable Development Goals among diverse students: A case study of Al Qasimia University. Sustainability, 17(8), 3343. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17083343
Etomes, S. E., Endeley, M. N., Aluko, F. R., & Molua, E. L. (2025). Transformational leadership for sustainable productivity in higher education institutions of Cameroon. Higher Education, 90, 521–543. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-024-01334-7
Ferdinan, Abdillah, Rahman, A., & Bahtiar, A. R. (2026). Eco Islamic education and its contribution to sustainable development goals in Muhammadiyah boarding schools of South Sulawesi. Discover Sustainability, 7, 310. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-026-02647-6
Ferianto, F., Firmansyah, F., Lesmana, D., Hilmi Maulana, R. M., & Sein, L. H. (2025). Development of a contextual and systematic Islamic curriculum and management for converts in Bandung City. Eduprof: Islamic Education Journal, 7(2), 414–434. https://doi.org/10.47453/eduprof.v7i2.402
Fullan, M. (2020). The nature of leadership is changing. European Journal of Education, 55(2), 139–142. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12388
Gayatri, P., Sit, H., Chen, S., & Li, H. (2023). Sustainable EFL blended education in Indonesia: Practical recommendations. Sustainability, 15(3), 2254. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032254
Hallinger, P. (2018). Bringing context out of the shadows of leadership. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 46(1), 5–24. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143216670652
Hanif, M., Riyadi, R., & Fatwa, A. (2025). From top-down to bottom-up: How participative supervision models enhance teacher performance. Al-Tanzim: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam, 9(2), 503–516. https://doi.org/10.33650/al-tanzim.v9i2.10817
Hermawansyah. (2025). Eco-pesantren-based Islamic education management. Fitrah: Jurnal Studi Pendidikan, 16(1), 102–114. https://doi.org/10.47625/fitrah.v16i1.982
Husna, E. N. M., & Adrian, W. (2025). The role of Islamic education in sustainable development and ecology (SDGs). JISEI: Journal of Islamic Studies and Educational Innovation, 1(3), 311–321. https://doi.org/10.61094/jisei.v1i3.62
Irawan, B. (2022). Islamic boarding schools (pesantren), Sufism and environmental conservation practices in Indonesia. HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies, 78(4). https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v78i4.7073
Irawan, D., Sari, Y., & Novayanti, N. (2024). trategy for Developing Aquaculture Villages in East OKU Regency. AJARCDE (Asian Journal of Applied Research for Community Development and Empowerment), 102–107. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.29165/ajarcde.v8i2.397
Kausar, S., Arif, M., & Sebgag, S. (2025). Transformational leadership and the challenges of educational digitalization: A systematic literature review (2020–2025). Nidhomul Haq: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam, 10(2), 312–332. https://doi.org/10.31538/ndhq.v10i2.196
Khaeroni, K., Ilzamudin, I., & Subhan, S. (2025). Prophetic leadership for sustainable Islamic higher education: A systematic literature review of transformative values and SDG alignment (2009–2024). Journal of Asian Islamic Educational Management (JAIEM), 3(2), 63–72. https://doi.org/10.53889/jaiem.v3i2.752
Leithwood, K., Harris, A., & Hopkins, D. (2020). Seven strong claims about successful school leadership revisited. School Leadership & Management, 40(1), 5–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2019.1596077
Listrianti, F., & Mundiri, A. (2020). Transformation of curriculum development based on nationality-oriented. Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun, 8(1), 37–52. https://doi.org/10.26811/peuradeun.v8i1.380
Lubguban Jr., N. S., & Bauyot, M. M. (2025). A systematic review of educational leadership practices in achieving Sustainable Development Goals. Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies, 51(6), 241–252. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajess/2025/v51i61990
Luthfia, S. (2025). Learning approach to climate change education as a framework for sustainability education: A systematic review of literature. IJCER (International Journal of Chemistry Education Research), 9(1), 31–41. https://doi.org/10.20885/ijcer.vol9.iss1.art4
Megasari, S., Burniat, B., Hilmin, H., & Noviani, D. (2025). Integration of Islamic education in the sustainable development goals approach (SDGs). World Journal of Islamic Learning and Teaching, 2(2), 6–14. https://doi.org/10.61132/wjilt.v2i2.373
Moge, R., Abubakar, A., & Mardan. (2025). Ecological education in the perspective of the Qur’an: Islamic solutions to environmental crisis and climate change. Irfani, 21(3), 1111–1126. https://doi.org/10.30603/irfani.v21i3.6996
Peng, Y., Alias, B. S., Wan, X., & Mansor, A. N. (2024). Linking curriculum implementation to school SDG: A systematic review. Journal of Lifestyle and SDGs Review, 4(2), e02019. https://doi.org/10.47172/2965-730X.SDGsReview.v4.n02.pe02019
Rosliani, E., Muhafidin, D., Rusli, B., & Sumaryana, A. (2025). Contextualizing Triple Bottom Line sustainability assessment in secondary education: A rapid appraisal from the Global South. Sustainability, 17(14), 6621. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17146621
Sappayani, S. S. (2025). Leadership and innovation in Islamic higher education: A systematic literature review for sustainable development. Proceeding of Annual International Conference on Islamic Education and Language (AICIEL), 587–612.
Sarhindi, I. (2026). The role of Islamic higher education in fostering environmental sustainability: Comparative case study of UIN Jakarta and UII Yogyakarta, Indonesia. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-03-2025-0157
Sugito, S. (2025). Transformative leadership in Islamic education: A systematic review of its impact on institutional performance. Education Studies and Teaching Journal (EDUTECH), 2(1), 481–491.
Sumi, A. A., Awang, J. Bin, Haque, R., Qazi, S., Abdul Rahman, N. F., & Senathirajah, A. R. B. S. (2025). Investigating the function of religion and social capital in shaping sustainable social development. Discover Sustainability, 6, 748. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-01622-x
Suratman, Susmiyati, S., & Nurhamid. (2025). Reimagining leadership in Islamic education: Transforming Madrasah Aliyah through innovation. Managere: Indonesian Journal of Educational Management, 7(2), 137–148. https://doi.org/10.52627/managere.v7i2.761
Thoriq, A., & Mahmudah, F. N. (2023). Education for sustainable development (ESD): A systematic literature review on curriculum development strategy design. European Journal of Education Studies, 10(5). https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v10i5.4803
Tikly, L. (2019). Education for sustainable development in Africa: A critique of regional agendas. Asia Pacific Education Review, 20, 223–237. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-019-09600-5
Wajid, H. A. (2025). The role of Saudi Arabian higher education institutions in sustainable development: Participation, framework alignment, and strategic insights. Sustainability, 17(6), 2530. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17062530
Walid, M., Budianto, L., Rohmana, W. I. M., Wahyuni, E. N., Ali, N., & Uyun, F. (2025). Caring leadership as a leading factor in cultivating the research culture: Evidence from Islamic higher education. Cogent Education, 12(1), 2480485. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2480485
Zhang, C., Alias, B. S., & Nordin, M. N. (2025). Effects of distributive leadership on teachers’ job satisfaction in public schools: A systematic review. Education Sciences, 15(4), 412. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15040412
Copyright (c) 2026 Muhammad Faizul Husnayain, Syaiful Bahri, Endah Andayani, Siti Aisyah Hanim
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish in this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work’s authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal’s published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
