Living Traditions of Islamic Scholarship: The Communal Study of Ihya Ulumuddin in Village Mosque Halaqah Circles

Abstract

This study examines the communal study of Ihya Ulumuddin by Imam Al-Ghazali in village mosque ḥalaqah circles as a living expression of Islamic scholarly tradition in rural Muslim communities. The research aims to analyze how the collective reading and discussion of a classical Islamic text function as a medium for the preservation, interpretation, and transmission of Islamic knowledge in contemporary rural society. This research employs a qualitative method with an ethnographic approach conducted in Ganjaran Village, Gondanglegi, Malang, Indonesia. Data were collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation involving 42 informants from diverse professional and age backgrounds, all of whom previously studied in Islamic boarding schools. The findings reveal four main themes. First, collective textual learning as a living tradition of Islamic scholarship, where the study of Ihya Ulumuddin represents an ongoing communal engagement with classical Islamic turath. Second, dialogical interpretation of classical Sufi texts, in which the halaqah becomes a forum for collective reflection and contextual interpretation. Third, village mosque halaqah as an informal institution of religious learning, sustaining community-based Islamic education. Fourth, the study highlights the internalization of Sufi ethical values in everyday life.