Unveiling the true concept of al-wala' wal baro' : a refreshing perspective on aqidah nir radicalism in islamic education

Aqidah is the theological foundation of Islam, and among its requirements for a Muslim is understanding and practicing the concept of al-wala' wa'l-baro' . However, this concept is often misunderstood in practice. This research aimed to clarify al-wala' wa'l-baro' as a normal ideology without any radical elements, using a qualitative literature review approach. The results show that 1) al-wala' , which signifies loyalty to fellow Muslims, is a normal concept.; 2) Additionally, al-baro' refers to turning away from neglectful elements, but Muslims can still act humanely towards polytheists as long as they are not openly fighting against Islam.; 3) Furthermore, Islamic education plays a vital role in instilling aqidah without any radical elements. The findings of this study also provide a new perspective on Islamic education by reinterpreting the concept of aqidah without any radical elements. This research contributes to the discourse on aqidah, al-wala' wal baro' , and Islamic education, providing insights that can help in promoting a balanced understanding of these concepts and countering misinterpretations that may lead to radical ideologies, thereby contributing to the intellectual discourse on contemporary Islamic studies.


Introduction
Islam is a religion with a distinctive theological framework called aqidah.In Islam, it holds a very important and strategic position.Aqidah is the fundamental belief foundation for every Muslim (Sabila, 2020).It refers to the belief that must be believed to be true in the heart, which brings peace to the soul, and from which pure faith emerges without being contaminated by any elements of doubt.In short, aqidah is a fundamental matter of faith in Islam.In a deeper sense, aqidah is not only about theology.It is also implemented as a norm of life (Khaerudin, 2014).One of the most interesting discourses on the theme of aqidah is the issue of al-wala' wa'l-baro'.Alwala' means being close to, loving, helping, and being loyal to Muslims.

Yusuf Hanafiah et.al (Unveiling the true concept of al-wala' wal baro'…)
It is a doctrinal pattern in the Islamic community's aqidah discourse, in which they place their love and loyalty towards each other.On the other hand, al-baro' terminologically refers to the effort to distance oneself from non-Muslims and not to love them in terms of faith.Like al-wala', al-baro' is also a pattern of indoctrination of Muslims so that they do not give their loyalty to non-Muslims, especially in the context of faith (Muhammad Said al-Qathani, 1995).In more practical terms, Brachman explains that the propaganda of global terrorist movements such as Al-Qaeda is driven by the concept of al-wala' wa'l-baro'.Some terrorist actions they carried out include the 9/11 attacks.They are suspected of continuing to promote terrorist movements in the Middle East (Brachman, 2008).This is certainly a dangerous misconception.Viewed from the psychology of religion perspective, the concept of al-wala' wa'l-baro' is something common.Further, fellow believers with the same beliefs tend to have a strong sense of brotherhood (Sururin, 2004).
However, based on the author's initial observations, it is found that al-wala' wa'l-baro' is often misunderstood.Furthermore, the worst part is that this concept is often assumed to be the embryo of radicalism in Islam.For example, some people consider al-wala' wa'l-baro' as the basis for Salafi-Wahabi movement, which tends to isolate fellow Muslims (Ali, 2019).Salafi-Wahhabi movement represents a conservative strand of Islamic thought that seeks to adhere strictly to what its followers believe are the original teachings of Islam.Conceptually, al-wala' wa'l-baro' is a form of fortification for Muslims against the mixing of aqidah with its destructive factors.Additionally, alwala' wa'l-baro' is essentially oriented towards fostering love among fellow Muslims, and serves as a parameter for society in communicating within heterogeneous social realities.
Based on the previous elaboration, the authors focus on a study related to the definition and interpretation of al-wala' wa'l-baro' and its application in social and religious life in a more indepth manner.The purpose of this research is to describe and interpret al-wala' wa'l-baro' comprehensively.Specifically, it aims to create a concept for instilling faith without radicalism, especially in terms of al-wala' wa'l-baro', which is closely related to the social and religious life of the people.In addition, this research has a vital urgency as the diversity of society in the homeland is currently very dynamic with various phenomena occurring, including radicalism which certainly harms various parties.Thus, it is expected that this research can help enlighten public's understanding on al-wala' wa'l-baro' and its implementation in life without being contaminated by radicalism.
In this section, the authors describe previous studies related to this research as a basis for comparison.The first study is done by Saifudin Asrori entitled "Directing the Call of Jihad: Arguments of Radicalism and Extremism in Indonesia".The research results show that the roots of radicalism and extremism in Indonesia are caused by several factors such as tawhid, aqidah, takfir, al-wala' wa'l-baro', and jihad (Saifudin Asrori, 2019).Tawhid is the concept of surrendering oneself to Allah SWT and denying any other deity besides Allah.Jihad is the effort to mobilize all capabilities to achieve a specific goal.In another context, jihad is also understood as physical warfare against non-Muslim individuals who threaten or attack Muslims physically, with the aim of upholding and defending the Islamic religion.Takfir is the act of declaring someone as a disbeliever.The research results share a similarity with this study in regard to the topic of al-wala' wa'l-baro'.However, there is a significant difference.This study leans more towards the efforts to reinterpret the concept of al-wala' wa'l-baro' to instill non-radicalism.In addition, David Bukay in his article argues that Osama bin Laden's actions in the 9/11 attacks were based on the spirit of al-wala' wa'l-baro' in which the focus is to hate and fight non-Muslims.The article also describes a real misunderstanding on the concept of al-wala' wa'l-baro' which can lead to brutal and vulgar terrorist acts (Bukay, 2013).In principle, the content of this article is different from previous research in which this study focuses more on the improvement of the concept of al-wala' wa'lbaro' itself.
Furthermore, there is a journal article titled "Global Salafism as an Islamic Revivalism Movement" written by Ahmad Ma'ruf.The article focuses on the movement of certain individuals in popularizing the concept of the Ahl Hadith, al-wala' wa'l-baro', and anti-Shi'ism which led to the emergence of the Global Salafism group (Ma'ruf, 2016).In terms of the theme, the article still has an intersection with this research, namely in the terminology of al-wala' wa'l-baro' which is considered as the basis of the global extremist movement.However, in terms of the main material of the research, there is a significant difference.This study leans more towards the efforts to reinterpret the concept of al-wala' wa'l-baro' in an attempt to cultivate faith without radicalism.
Another article titled "Encouragement of Jihad Arguments for Radicalization and Extremism in Indonesia" written by S. Asori et al. finds that there are several Islamic doctrines such as tawhid, aqidah, takfir, al-wala' wa'l-baro', and jihad.These doctrines are believed to have caused terrorism movements in the country by some individuals (Asrori et al., 2020).Substantially, the topic of alwala' wa'l-baro' becomes the main focus in both articles.However, in terms of analytical orientation, there are many differences where this study is more inclined to reinterpret the concept of al-wala' wa'l-baro' to cultivate non-radicalism ideology.
Anthony N. Celso also wrote an article titled "More than the Voice of the Caliphate: The Destructive Legacy of Abu Muhammad Al-Adnani."which discusses the actions of Abu Muhammad Al-Adnani, one of the top leaders of ISIS.Al-Adnani is considered to have spread propaganda in the Salafi-Jihadi world, which consists of three core principles: al-wala' wa'l-baro', jihad, and takfir.
Additionally, the article explains Al-Adnani's actions in ISIS terrorism movements ("More than the Voice of the Caliphate: The Destructive Legacy of Abu Muhammad Al-Adnani, " 2016).Like in the previous literature, substantively, only the topic of al-wala' wa'l-baro' has a common thread with the topic in this article.
Furthermore, in terms of analytical orientation, there are many differences where this study is more inclined to reinterpret the concept of al-wala' wa'l-baro' to cultivate a radicalism-free ideology.Regarding the influence of al-wala' wa'l-baro' concept on social life, there is an article titled "Violent Extremism in the Perspective of Religious Studies" written by Burhanudin Muhtadi.This paper reveals that al-wala' wa'l-baro' dogma is the starting point for extremist behavior.
Additionally, this writing explains that al-wala' wa'l-baro' is the cause of the widespread cases of intolerance in pluralistic religious life (Muhtadi, 2019).Similar to the previous literature, there is a substantial similarity between the two topics in this article.However, in terms of analytical orientation, there are many differences as this study leans towards the reinterpretation of al-wala' wa'l-baro' to promote a non-radicalized belief system.Moreover, another article written by Douglas Weeks titled "Comparing Ideologies: Al Muhajiroun, Al Qaeda, and Islamic State" analyzes the desire of certain groups in Islam to establish a caliphate system and implement Islamic law.The discussion in this paper broadly compares the core beliefs and practices of Al Muhajirin/Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama'ah, Al Qaeda, and the Islamic State.All have the concept of al-wala' wa'l-baro' in their ideology.The article appears to be limited in describing the role of these groups in their efforts to re-establish the caliphate, one of which is by emphasizing the principle of al-wala' wa'l-baro' (Weeks, 2020).
In terms of analytical orientation, this research has many differences since it leans more towards reinterpreting the concept of al-wala' wa'l-baro' to promote a non-radicalism ideology.
Lastly, another journal article titled "The Myth of Turkish Islam: The Influence of Naqshbandi-Gümüşhanevi Thought in Turkish Islamic Orthodoxy" written by Omer F. Erturk focuses on the six most fundamental issues in Islam, namely al-wala' wa'l-baro', apostasy, jihad, Islamic state, women, and art and philosophy.This study concludes that Islam in Turkey is quite good at the theological level (Erturk, 2022).
Overall, based on the previous literature analysis, there is a substantial similarity in the topic of al-wala' wa'l-baro', which has a common thread with the topic in this article.Furthermore, in terms of analytical orientation, there are many differences as this research is more inclined towards interpreting the concept of al-wala' wa'l-baro' to cultivate a non-radicalized ideology.
Referring to the previous discussions, it can be concluded that there is a common thread between previous and current research.The meeting point is in the concept of al-wala' wa'l-baro'.However, substantively, this research has fundamental differences with previous research in terms of research focus, as shown in Fig. 1.   (Arikunto, 2002).Literature review research has a typical scenario or procedure in its implementation, namely 1) tracing primary and secondary references; 2)

Yusuf Hanafiah et.al (Unveiling the true concept of al-wala' wal baro'…)
classifying research formulas; 3) processing data/source citations; 4) displaying data; 5) abstracting data; 6) interpreting data; and 7) conducting final inference (Darmalaksana, 2020).This procedure is shown in Figure 2. The analysis technique in this research is done using content and descriptive analysis.Various literature sources obtained from various references are thoroughly and comprehensively examined to produce a conceptual/idea that has an element of novelty (Fadli, 2021).

Discussion
Aqidah is a fundamental theological structure in Islam.It is the basis of faith for every Muslim.
It is understood as a matter that must be believed to be true in the heart, which brings tranquility to the soul, and from which arises a pure conviction without being contaminated by any elements of doubt.In short, aqidah is a fundamental matter of faith in Islam (Ahmad, 2019).One of the most interesting discourses in the theme of aqidah is the issue of al-wala' wa'l-baro'.Al-wala' in terminology means being close to, loving, helping, and being loyal to the Muslim community.It is a doctrinal pattern in the discussion of the Islamic faith so that they place their love and loyalty towards fellow Muslims.
On the other hand, terminologically, al-baro' means the effort to turn away from non-Muslims and not to love them within the corridor of faith.Like al-wala', al-baro'' is also a doctrinal pattern among Muslims to not give their loyalty to non-Muslims, especially in the context of faith.
However, based on the author's initial observations, al-wala' wa'l-baro' concept is often misunderstood.Worse yet, this concept is often assumed as the embryo of radicalism in Islam.In fact, conceptually, al-wala' wa'l-baro' is a form of protection for Muslims from mixing their beliefs with destructive factors.Moreover, al-wala' wa'l-baro' is basically oriented towards fostering love among fellow Muslims.On the other hand, it also serves as a parameter for society in interacting within heterogeneous social realities (Shalih bin Fauzan, 2005).
As mentioned earlier, discourse surrounding al-wala' wa'l-baro' is interesting but tends to be neglected by Islamic scholars.Al-wala' wa'l-baro' is considered as a sensitive topic that can lead to deviations in religion, especially in the context of radicalism.As it is regarded as sensitive and may potentially cause deviations, it is necessary to make comprehensive efforts to interpret the concept of al-wala' wa'l-baro' itself.This concept should be studied by Muslim academics with a spirit of purification so that the society can be more enlightened.Further, these scholars also need to carry out large-scale scientific publications to enrich Islamic scientific treasury.

Understanding of Al-Wala'
In this section, the authors provide a detailed explanation on the comprehensive meaning of Essentially, what underlies loyalty is love.It helps foster attitudes of tenderness, mutual assistance, protection, and giving.Terminologically, it can be understood as an attitude of mutual love, closeness, and loyalty to fellow Muslims because of their shared beliefs and faith.If understood clearly and comprehensively, there will be no difference in the context of al-wala'.It is only natural that people of the same ideology, race, religion, class, and belief love and have loyalty among each other.In this context, it is considered normal and even supported by sociological theory that people of the same religion or belief system have the role in strengthening brotherhood.
Based on the theory, religion or belief naturally creates a sense of intrinsic respect towards fellow followers (Ari, 2016).Similarly, Ibn Khaldun states that one of the functions of religion or belief is to promote solidarity.People with the same faith will automatically develop a strong sense of solidarity in their hearts.This is a universal theory that applies at all times and places.Solidarity, in this context, is a positive thing that can build a civilized society (Dawn, 2019).Therefore, the discourse that portrays loyalty and solidarity among Muslims as one of the roots of radicalism is a false opinion.In a social context, it is inevitable that community members with the same beliefs will love each other.
Further, feelings of solidarity, interdependence, collective motivation, and mutual need will arise.In social dynamics, this is normal and does not contradict any existing norms.In addition, based on psychological and social contexts, the concept of al-wala' in Islamic faith is correct and not a form of deviation.Therefore, the concept of al-wala' does not violate any psychological or social theories.In the context of textual evidence, both the Qur'an and Hadith provide numerous verses and statements that support the urgency of practicing al-wala' in life.Among them is Surah Al-Maidah, verses 55-56, which mentions that Allah establishes that the best protectors of the faithful are Allah, His Messenger, and the fellow believers.
Ibn Kathir states that based on the verse, no non-Muslim is deemed worthy of protecting the Muslim community.Another hadith narrated by Ahmad reveals that Prophet Muhammad emphasizes that one of the indicators of a person's strength of faith is to love and hate for the sake of Allah.The hadith cannot be interpreted merely textually; rather, its explicit meaning must also be understood.The love referred to in this context is to love fellow believers because of the mutual perception of Allah SWT.In the context of religious doctrine, loving fellow Muslims is a command that is consistent with scriptural texts.As the theory goes, the origin of a command is to make it obligatory.
Therefore, anything commanded in any religion must essentially be carried out.As previously good deeds physically and socially to people, including polytheists who do not fight against Muslims (At-Thabari, 1994).Based on the previous elaborations, it is clear that the concept of albaro' should not be interpreted in an extreme way.Instead, al-baro' can be equated with a theological barrier that distinguishes the behavior of believers from non-believers.This falls within the corridor of religious beliefs, where everyone has the right to protect their own religious beliefs.

Promoting Non-Radicalism Aqidah through Education
Islam proposes the tagline "rahmatan lil 'alamin" which means mercy for all beings.It is not merely an illusion as it is proven by Islamic teachings found in the texts of the Quran and the Sunnah.This tagline is related to moderate Islamic Aqidah.It is a conception that does not lean towards the right or the left (Imam Mashuri;et al., 2020).Strengthening aqidah through education is crucially important as students are in a learning phase, making it an opportunity to instill non-radical aqidah from an early age.There are several strategic efforts that can be done in the education sector to prevent deviation from the right aqidah.First, educational institutions can organize various extracurricular activities in the form of Islamic studies.It is important to balance non-religious activities at an educational institution.These activities can be designed with attractive concepts and involve relevant speakers depending on the students' developmental stages, as all forms of educational efforts should be based on the right aqidah (Benny Prasetiya;et al., 2018).
Secondly, educators and educational institutions should reform the current curriculum and learning techniques to improve students' critical thinking skills in a guided manner.In this regard, students are given the opportunity to have dialectics guided by teachers so that their thinking patterns can be well-established in line to aqidah.Moreover, it is also expected that with this approach, students are able to filter out all forms of deviant thinking on Islamic aqidah.It is undeniable that today's era of rapid transformation has brought us into what is called the new era of society 5.0.Therefore, prioritizing critical, innovative, and solution-oriented thinking is a realistic choice to foster non-radicalism aqidah.Furthermore, students are also expected to be adaptable to changes and developments (Adi Kasman; dkk, 2022).
Thirdly, educational institutions and educators need to optimize information technology in teaching aqidah.Currently, information flows so quickly and contains various religious narratives.
Therefore, educators must be able to take advantage of this opportunity as an effort to strengthen aqidah free from radical elements.Hence, the existence of information technology must have a significant impact on the transformation of knowledge, including religious knowledge (Murjani, 2022).With this tremendous potential, efforts to instill aqidah in students can be more varied and updated.

Yusuf Hanafiah et.al (Unveiling the true concept of al-wala' wal baro'…)
Fourthly, it is necessary to enhance moderate religious literacy.In the era of information advancement, students need to have strong literacy skills.In the context of aqidah, students need deep literacy as it is the theological foundation that requires comprehensive understanding.As is known, the proliferation of radicalism is commonly caused by a lack of adequate literacy.
Therefore, improving literacy is the main key to correct aqidah so that it is not mixed with radicalism (Hidayat & Lubis, 2021).Referring to the previous discussion, it is therefore unnecessary to understand the concept of al-wala' wa'l-baro' in an extreme manner.Further, it does not lead to radicalism.Islamic education has a central role to educate students about aqidah that is free from radicalism.Several important elements in this research are listed in Table 1, which contains the main points of the findings.

Conclusion
Islam is a religion that includes a theological concept called aqidah.One of the requirements of aqidah for Muslims is to understand and practice the concept of al-wala' wa'l-baro'.However, this concept is often misunderstood and, in some cases, viewed as the embryo of radicalism in Islam.
This literature review aims to clarify that al-wala' wa'l-baro' is a normal ideology without radical

Fig 1 .
Fig 1. Study Map of Radicalism Therefore, it is clear that the state of the art of this research is on the reinterpretation of the al-wala' wa'l-baro' to cultivate a non-radicalized ideology.Further, the novelty of this research lies in the cultivation of non-radicalism to strengthen the aqidah of al-wala' wa'l-baro'.In terms of positioning, this research enriches the knowledge and conceptual treasure of socio-humanities in the topic of deradicalization.Based on the previous elaboration, the purpose of this research is to deeply explore the topic of al-wala' wa'l-baro'.Thus, it is expected that this research will pave the way for the concept of non-radicalism to strengthen the aqidah in the future.This research uses a qualitative method with a literature research approach.The results of this research are expected to provide a new perspective in the world of Islamic education in reinterpreting the concept of aqidah without any radicalism.

Fig 2 .
Fig 2. Analysis Flow IJISH (International Journal of Islamic Studies and Humanities)E-ISSN2615-7403  Vol 6, No. 1, pp. 33-44    Yusuf Hanafiah et.al (Unveiling the true concept of al-wala' wal baro'…) 39 al-wala'.Etymologically, al-wala' is derived from the word waliya, which means near or close.In this context, the closeness referred to is the proximity, love, and loyalty among Muslims.
elements.It is natural for individuals with similar ideologies, races, religions, classes, and beliefs to feel love and loyalty towards one another.Additionally, the concept of al-baro' should not be interpreted extremely.Instead, al-baro' can be seen as a theological barrier that distinguishes the behavior of believers from non-believers within the corridor of religious beliefs, where everyone has the right to protect their religious beliefs.Efforts to strengthen al-wala' wa'l-baro' without radicalism can be carried out through various means, such as holding extracurricular activities in Islamic studies, reforming the curriculum and teaching techniques to improve students' critical thinking skills, optimizing information technology in teaching aqidah, and enhancing moderate religious literacy.The study underscores the significant role of Islamic education in cultivating aqidah that is free from radicalism.This highlights the importance of promoting proper understanding and interpretation of al-wala' wal baro' in Islamic education to prevent misinterpretations that may lead to radical ideologies.The study's findings provide a valuable contribution to the field of Islamic education, offering a refreshed conception of aqidah that promotes a balanced and nuanced understanding of al-wala' wal baro' without containing elements of radicalism.