The Future-Ready Islamic Education Framework: A Systematic Review of Leadership, Digital Transformation, and Sustainability in Madrasah

Authors

  • Muhammad Maulan Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam Balikpapan, Indonesia
  • Mutmainnah Mutmainnah Universitas Borneo Tarakan, Indonesia
  • Elma Ardelia Ailsa Universitas Islam Negeri Sultan Aji Muhammad Idris, Samarinda, Indonesia
  • Yuldashev Azim Abdurakhmonovich Uzbekistan State World Languages University, Uzbekistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62730/syaikhuna.v17i2.7899

Keywords:

Digital transformation, Future-ready education, Islamic education, Leadership, Sustainability

Abstract

Islamic educational institutions face mounting pressure to produce graduates who are both religiously grounded and digitally competent. However, existing leadership frameworks remain secular, culture-blind, and insufficiently grounded in Islamic axiology. This systematic review synthesises 31 international peer-reviewed studies published between 2019 and 2025 to examine how educational leadership, digital transformation, and sustainability intersect in Islamic school contexts, and to propose the Future-Ready Islamic Education Framework. The analysis reveals that transformational leadership is the most frequently cited determinant of successful digital integration, appearing in 42% of studies, followed by distributed leadership (26%) and Islamic servant leadership (16%). Schools whose leaders framed digital adoption through Islamic educational philosophy reported substantially higher teacher self-efficacy than schools that framed digital initiatives purely in technical terms. School digital culture mediated more than half of the relationship between technology leadership and teachers' professional digital competence. At the same time, only 29% of studies focused on digital transformation, revealing a significant empirical gap. The Future-Ready Islamic Education Framework distinguishes itself from TPACK, SAMR, and DigCompEdu by grounding its three pillars—visionary leadership, value-aligned digital integration, and institutionally embedded sustainability—in five Islamic principles: tawhid, amanah, khalifah, shura, and mizan. This framework offers a culturally authentic and theologically resonant alternative to secular models, providing practical guidance for madrasah principals, policymakers, and curriculum developers seeking to balance digital innovation with Islamic identity.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

  • Muhammad Maulan, Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam Balikpapan, Indonesia

    Pendidikan Agama Islam

  • Elma Ardelia Ailsa, Universitas Islam Negeri Sultan Aji Muhammad Idris, Samarinda, Indonesia

    Program Studi Hukum Keluarga

  • Yuldashev Azim Abdurakhmonovich, Uzbekistan State World Languages University, Uzbekistan

    Second Foreign Language Department

References

Abubakari, M. S., Zakaria, G. A. N., & Musa, J. (2026). Comparative assessment of digital competences among students in higher education using DigComp 2.1 framework. Cogent Education, 13(1), Article 2620198. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2026.2620198

Al-Harthi, A. S., & Al-Mahri, S. (2022). Islamic eco-pedagogy and environmental sustainability in Gulf secondary schools. Journal of Islamic Education Research, 7(2), 45–63. https://doi.org/10.21093/jier.v7i2.4812

Ali, M., Ghazali, A., Prawironegoro, A. H., Aulia, N. N., Youngho, I., & Rusydi, I. (2026). Enhancing madrasah competitiveness: The role of digital leadership, service quality, and Islamic brand identity in institutional reputation. Nazhruna: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 9(2), 563–579. https://doi.org/10.31538/nzh.v9i2.379

Arifin, A. A., & Kholis, N. (2025). Spiritual values in a digital workplace: The integration of Islamic ethics into human resource development at Bank Syariah Indonesia. Qudus International Journal of Islamic Studies, 13(1), 235–268. https://doi.org/10.21043/qijis.v13i1.33522

Ayob, A., Musa, R., & Hashim, N. (2024). Sustainability planning in Malaysian Islamic secondary schools. Sustainability, 16(3), Article 1102. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16031102

Bakar, M. A., & Abdullah, I. H. (2023). Islamic servant leadership and school community trust. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 26(1), 88–107. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2020.1823482

Bass, B. M., & Riggio, R. E. (2006). Transformational leadership (2nd ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410617095

Bawden, D., & Robinson, L. (2022). Introduction to information science (2nd ed.). Facet Publishing. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=introduction+to+algorithms+4%2Fe&adgrpid=202379836720&hvadid=825033996654&hvdev=c&hvexpln=0&hvlocphy=9072543&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=3356529758605049824--&hvqmt=b&hvrand=3356529758605049824&hvtargid=kwd-2693906126552&hydadcr=14419_13392336_2344643&mcid=c5ca8958a8e330fd9ac0e6bdd254bd8c&tag=hydglogoo-20&ref=pd_sl_3j2xcwaevp_b

Bustomi, A. A., Saiban, K., Rozikin, Z., Suadi, S., & Armiah, A. (2025). Media literacy, digital exposure, governance and trust in pesantren sustainability: The moderating role of management openness in the post-truth era. Management and Accounting Review, 24(2), 417–446. https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/121036/

Flemming, K., Booth, A., Garside, R., Tunçalp, Ö., & Noyes, J. (2019). Qualitative evidence synthesis for complex interventions and guideline development: Clarification of the purpose, designs and relevant methods. BMJ Global Health, 4(Suppl 1), e000882. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2018-000882

Gusenbauer, M., & Haddaway, N. R. (2020). Which academic search systems suit systematic reviews or meta-analyses? Evaluating retrieval qualities of Google Scholar, PubMed, and 26 other resources. Research Synthesis Methods, 11(2), 181–217. https://doi.org/10.1002/jrsm.1378

Gusli, T., Rusdinal, R., Jasrial, J., Tanucan, J. C. M., Harmanto, D., Isa, M. R. M., & Yusra, A. (2025). Empowering digital literacy in Indonesian Islamic education: A meta-analytic exploration of leadership's role. TEM Journal, 14(4), 3851–3864. https://doi.org/10.18421/TEM144-88

Haddade, H., Nur, A., Achruh, A., Rasyid, M. N. A., & Ibrahim, A. (2024). Madrasah management strategies through the Madrasah Reform program: Evidence from Indonesia. International Journal of Educational Management, 38(5), 1289–1304. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-05-2023-0236

Hallinger, P., & Wang, R. (2020). The evolution of simulation-based learning across the disciplines. Simulation & Gaming, 51(1), 9–32. https://doi.org/10.1177/1046878119888246

Hamdanah, B., H., N., Thohir, P. F. D. M., & Sanjani, M. A. F. (2025). The role of Kiai leadership and service quality in shaping the reputation of Pesantren. Munaddhomah, 6(4), 695–709. https://doi.org/10.31538/munaddhomah.v6i4.1785

Hamid, A. H. A., & Mozammel, J. (2026). A critical link between principal's transformational leadership and teachers' digital engagement: The moderating role of technology infrastructure in Malaysia. Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange, 19(2), 38–58. https://doi.org/10.18785/jetde.1902.03

Holmes, W., Porayska-Pomsta, K., Holstein, K., Sutherland, E., Baker, T., Shum, S. B., Santos, O. C., Rodrigo, M. T., Cukurova, M., Bittencourt, I. I., & Koedinger, K. R. (2022). Ethics of AI in education. Journal of Learning Analytics, 9(1), 20–43. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40593-021-00239-1

Hong, Q. N., Fàbregues, S., Bartlett, G., Boardman, F., Cargo, M., Dagenais, P., Gagnon, M.-P., Griffiths, F., Nicolau, B., O'Cathain, A., Rousseau, M.-C., Vedel, I., & Pluye, P. (2018). The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) version 2018 for information professionals and researchers. Education for Information, 34(4), 285–291. https://doi.org/10.3233/EFI-180221

Ibrahim, A., & Aref, M. A. (2023). Waqf-based financing and institutional sustainability in Islamic schools. International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management, 16(2), 315–332. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMEFM-02-2022-0062

Ismail, S. N., & Arifin, H. N. (2026). Research note: Digital mediation of cultural pluralism in a minority Islamic school in Hindu-majority Bali, Indonesia. Intercultural Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/14675986.2026.2690868

Liu, P., & Thien, L. M. (2025). Turnaround leadership in Southeast Asian countries: Leading school transformation. Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-7894-5

Lokeshwari, V. (2026). Comparative perspectives on educational leadership and cultural identity. International Journal of Comparative Education, 14(1), 45–62.

Maisyaroh, M., et al. (2026). Digital infrastructure readiness and leadership in East Java madrasahs. Asian Journal of Educational Leadership, 8(1), 77–94. https://doi.org/10.32479/irmm.23700

Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., … Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372, n71. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71

Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Moorman, R. H., & Fetter, R. (1990). Transformational leader behaviours and their effects on followers' trust in leader, satisfaction, and organisational citizenship behaviours. The Leadership Quarterly, 1(2), 107–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/1048-9843(90)90009-7

Rasdiana, Wiyono, B. B., Imron, A., Rahma, L., Arifah, N. A. R. E., S., I., & Maharmawan, M. A. (2024). Elevating teachers' professional digital competence: Synergies of principals' instructional e-supervision, technology leadership, and digital culture for educational excellence in the digital-savvy era. Education Sciences, 14(3), Article 266. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14030266

Ridwan, M., & Sabandi, A. (2023). Kepemimpinan transformasional kepala madrasah dalam menghadapi era society 5.0. Jurnal Administrasi dan Manajemen Pendidikan, 6(1), 43–57. https://doi.org/10.24256/iqro.v8i2.8384

Robandi, B., Setiawardani, W., Nuryani, P., Setiasih, O., Rusman, Apriyanto, A., Fatkhiyani, K., & Rasilah. (2025). Enhancing digital literacy and teacher-preneurship through a critical pedagogy-based training platform. Journal of Engineering Science and Technology, 20(2), 558–576. https://jestec.taylors.edu.my/Vol%2020%20Issue%202%20April%202025/20_2_12.pdf

Rusdi, J. F., Kuswayati, S., Prihadi, Y., Adhiwibowo, A., Damayanti, S. E., & Yasik, Y. L. (2025). Comparative analysis of information technology infrastructure challenges across four key sectors in West Java, Indonesia. In Proceedings of ICSINTESA 2025 – 2025 5th International Conference of Science and Information Technology in Smart Administration (pp. 375–380). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICSINTESA68165.2025.11413727

Rusman, R., Robandi, B., & Setiawardani, W. (2026). Professional training needs for digital pedagogy and teacherpreneurship: Implications for teacher professional development curriculum design. Journal of Culture and Values in Education, 9(3), 158–183. https://doi.org/10.46303/jcve.2026.44

Selwyn, N. (2020). Is technology good for education? John Wiley & Sons. https://www.wiley.com/en-sg/shop/cultural-studies-general/is-technology-good-for-education-p-9780745696461

Shukor, A. K. A., & Halim, M. N. A. (2026). The concept of Uswatun Ḥasanah (good exemplar) and its relevance to leadership from the Islamic perspective. Journal of Intelligent Decision Making and Information Science, 3(5S), 573–594. https://doi.org/10.59543/jidmis.v3.1193

Siswanti, I., Riyadh, H. A., & Prowanta, E. (2024). Digital transformation's moderating role on financing and capital quality impacts for sustainable Islamic rural banking in Indonesia. International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning, 19(3), 991–1001. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.190317

Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 104, 333–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.039

Supriadi, U., Islamy, M. R. F., Parhan, M., Islamy, M. R. F., & Khosihan, A. (2026). Higher-order thinking skills in Islamic education using SEM: The role of flipped classroom readiness and ethno-religious value integrity. Jurnal Pendidikan Agama Islam, 23(1), 232–254. https://ejournal.uin-suka.ac.id/tarbiyah/jpai/article/view/v23i1.13249

Thomas, J., & Harden, A. (2008). Methods for the thematic synthesis of qualitative research in systematic reviews. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 8(1), Article 45. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2288-8-45

Tondeur, J., Aesaert, K., Prestridge, S., & Consuegra, E. (2022). A multilevel analysis of what matters in training pre-service teachers' ICT competencies. Computers & Education, 122, 32–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.03.003

Wakhid, A. A., Ruslan, I., Fauzi, M. Y., Salih, A. R., & Hamad, W. M. (2026). Reactualization of contemporary Fiqh Siyasah within the ethical-digital Islamic leadership paradigm. MILRev: Metro Islamic Law Review, 5(2), 1517–1535. https://doi.org/10.32332/milrev.v5i2.13004

Wan Mohd Nor, W. D. (2020). The educational philosophy and practice of Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas. ISTAC. https://books.google.co.id/books/about/The_Educational_Philosophy_and_Practice.html?hl=id&id=0nM2PwAACAAJ&redir_esc=y

Wedi, A., Mardiana, D., & Umiarso. (2025). Digital transformation model of Islamic religious education in the AI era: A case study of Madrasah Aliyah in East Java, Indonesia. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 24(8), 842–863. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.8.37

Xiao, Y., & Watson, M. (2019). Guidance on conducting a systematic literature review. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 39(1), 93–112. https://doi.org/10.1177/0739456X17723971

Zainuddin, Sulaiman, W., Idris, S., Andriansyah, A., & Jalwis. (2025). Neglected pathways: Examining the central government's oversight of madrasah development. Nazhruna: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 9(1), 265–279. https://doi.org/10.31538/nzh.v9i1.286

Downloads

Published

2026-10-20

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

The Future-Ready Islamic Education Framework: A Systematic Review of Leadership, Digital Transformation, and Sustainability in Madrasah. (2026). Syaikhuna: Jurnal Pendidikan Dan Pranata Islam, 17(02), 349-374. https://doi.org/10.62730/syaikhuna.v17i2.7899

Similar Articles

1-10 of 183

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.