Perspectives of Non-Moeslim Students on Islamic Education in the Postgraduate Program of University of Muhammadiyah Tangerang

Muhammadiyah College is a private university committed to providing modern and inclusive Islamic education. Islamic education is carried out in the form of Al-Islam and Kemuhammadiyahan learning in class and Islamic seminar activities outside the classroom. This research was conducted at the Muhammadiyah University of Tangerang Postgraduate Program. Active students consist of Muslim and non-Muslim students. This study aims to determine non-Muslim students’ perceptions of Islamic education held by the Postgraduate Program at the University of Muhammadiyah Tangerang. This type of research is descriptive and qualitative with observation, interviews and documentation scientifically and naturally. This study's results indicate that non-Muslim students' perceptions toward Islamic education are positive. Non-Muslim students received well the Islamic teaching material presented by the lecturers in the first semester. The perception of non-Muslim students towards Islamic education is a process of building character in accordance with Islamic teachings which are full of peace and uphold human values. In the classroom learning process, three learning models are used, namely learning centered on prepared material, teacher-centered and student-centered. Non-Muslim students feel enthusiastic and comfortable while participating in the Islamic education process because they are treated on the same level as other Muslim students. Non-Muslim students received well the Islamic teaching material presented by the lecturers in the first semester. The perception of non-Muslim students towards Islamic education is a process of building character in accordance with Islamic teachings which are full of peace and uphold human values. In the classroom learning process, three learning models are used, namely learning centered on prepared material, teacher-centered and student-centered. Non-Muslim students feel enthusiastic and comfortable while participating in the Islamic education process because they are treated on the same level as other Muslim students.


A. INTRODUCTION
Education has a very important and strategic position in Islamic teachings (Mukhtarom, 2021).This can be traced from the many verses in the Qur'an which hint at the importance of education, including as mentioned in the Al-Qur'an Luqman [31]: 13 and Al-Mujadilah [58]: 11.In an Islamic perspective, education is an effort to improve the quality of human resources and develop human potential, namely the potential of the mind, body and spirit.Armed with education, humans will be successful in carrying out their duties as servants of Allah and as caliphs of Allah on earth, or in other words education will lead humans to success and safety in this world and in the hereafter.
The word Islam which is integrated with the word education or called Islamic education is the process of educating, teaching, guiding and fostering children or students according to the provisions of Islamic teachings.The word Islam that stands behind the word education is "color", meaning Islam is a characteristic or identity that distinguishes it from other educational concepts other than Islamic education (Tafsir, 2016).These differences can be seen from the sources of education taken and the educational goals to be achieved.Islamic education can also be understood as a type of education that makes Islamic teachings the main knowledge (Saputra, 2018).
One of the educational institutions that is committed to organizing Islamic education is the Muhammadiyah college which has been established in several regions of Indonesia.The latest data from the Muhammadiyah Central Executive shows that there are more than 170 Muhammadiyah tertiary institutions spread across several regions in Indonesia, this data will increase in number as the permits for the establishment of Muhammadiyah tertiary institutions in several regions have not yet been issued.

B. METHOD
This research uses a descriptive qualitative research type.The steps used are observation, interviews (in-depth interviews), and documentation.By using this type of research, researchers can find out the perspectives of non-Muslim students in depth on Islamic education.The determination of informants in this study was carried out by means of purposive sampling (Moleong, 2013), namely taking samples from targeted groups and having certain attributes in order to produce an understanding of a topic with accurate results.

C. RESULTS
Muhammadiyah College is a charity business in the field of higher education belonging to the Muhammadiyah organization.Apart from establishing higher education institutions, Muhammadiyah also established educational institutions starting from 1094 elementary schools, 1123 junior high schools, 558 senior high schools, and 554 vocational high schools (Dikdasmen, 2023).This number will continue to increase in line with the needs of the community in several areas.Education for Muhammadiyah is a tool to free this nation from adversity and backwardness.Through progressive education, the Indonesian nation will become a superior and productive nation (Afif, et al, 2022).So far, the Indonesian nation is known as a nation that is not yet developed because it does not yet have many quality human resources.this can be proven by the fact that most people are unable to manage their natural resources optimally and are still dependent on other nations.Therefore, the Indonesian people must be aware that education is the key to rising from all backwardness (Prasetyo, et al, 2022).Extensive natural resources must be balanced with superior human resources so that what is owned by the Indonesian people can also be enjoyed by the Indonesian people.
The education developed by Muhammadiyah is holistic education based on Al-Islam and Muhammadiyah.This model of education seeks to enlighten and foster students' awareness that Allah is the Lord of the universe, guiding students in mastering science, technology, and art.According to Haedar Nashir, the concept of holistic education is a character of Muhammadiyah education (Suara Muhammadiyah, 2023), and the output of this holistic education is able to produce superior human beings with noble character.
Since its inception in 1912 (PP Muhammadiyah, 2008), Muhammadiyah has developed modern Islamic education that integrates religious knowledge and general knowledge.The concept is the result of deep thought from KH. Ahmad Dahlan as the founder of Muhammadiyah who wants graduates from Muhammadiyah educational institutions to have competence in the fields of general science and religious knowledge.For KH. Ahmad Dahlan, national issues can be overcome through human resources who are strong in faith and excel in the development of science and technology.According to him, the decline of Islamic education so far is due to the perspective that general knowledge is not important, this is a misleading perspective and the cause of a nation's backwardness.Islamic teachings actually do not dichotomize or separate general science and religious knowledge, Both of these sciences have a very useful position for human life.With the provision of general knowledge, humans will prosper in the world, and with the provision of religious knowledge, humans will be safe in the hereafter.(Achmadi, 2008).
The learning process of Al-Islam and Kemuhammadiyahan is carried out using several learning models, namely subject matter-centered learning models, these models are oriented toward material that has been planned in the lecture syllabus.
Then Al-Islam and Kemuhammadiyahan learning can also use the teacher center learning model or a lecturer-centered learning model whose role is active, and student-centered education (student center learning) which requires students to be active during the learning process such as individual or group discussions.
Students who take part in Al-Islam and Kemuhammadiyahan lessons at Muhammadiyah universities are not only Muslim students, but also non-Muslim students such as Christians, Hindus and Buddhists.Non-Muslim students are required to take part in Islamic learning because this learning is included in the curriculum of study programs which have semester credit units with varying amounts starting from one to two semester credit units (Pajarianto, 2020).If students do not follow the learning then the consequence is not graduating from college.Thus learning Islamic education binds all students, both Muslims and non-Muslims.
Muhammadiyah tertiary institutions realize that students who study are not only from Muslims, but many are also from non-Muslims.There is even a Muhammadiyah college where the majority of students are non-Muslims, this is a phenomenon that does not occur in other Islamic universities.Non-Muslim students in the lecture process interact with Muslim students and receive Islamic education in the form of Al-Islam and Kemuhammadiyahan courses.In addition to getting Islamic courses, non-Muslim students also take part in activities outside of class such as Islamic seminars, social services, and other activities that are integrated with Islam.
The existence of non-Muslim students at Muhammadiyah colleges is actually proof that Muhammadiyah colleges are inclusive and open to anyone who wants to continue on to higher education.There is no discrimination at all non-Muslim students.Muhammadiyah tertiary institutions embrace all students from different ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds.In fact, not a few foreign students from various countries continue their education at Muhammadiyah universities according to their own choice.
In practice, Islamic education that is introduced to all students is Islamic teachings that are tolerant, humanist, democratic and just.This is to foster students' understanding and awareness of the importance of mutual respect, respect and cooperation with one another in building the progress of the nation.This is actually Muhammadiyah's attempt to remove the stigma of Islam as an intolerant and radical religion that has been inherent in the views of some non-Muslim communities.
For the Muhammadiyah organization, the tertiary institution created not only functions as a place for education and learning processes, but also functions as a place for spreading Islamic teachings (Nasution, et al, 2019) The results of interviews with non-Muslim students can be concluded that the process of Islamic education carried out by Muhammadiyah universities can be well received by non-Muslim students.The perception of non-Muslim students towards Islamic education is positive, they assess the Islamic teachings that are taught more towards moderate Islamic teachings or wasathiyah, one of the characteristics of which is teaching tolerance, mutual respect, and tolerance for differences (Najib, 2020) These materials are taught every semester with a different theme at the undergraduate level.While at the level of strata two to strata three more to the deepening of Islamic teachings.The purpose of Islamic education held by Muhammadiyah universities is to form learning people who are pious, have noble character, are progressive, and excel in science and technology . Before participating in the Islamic learning process on campus, non-Muslim students get Islamic knowledge with negative narratives, such as radical Islam which leads to acts of terror.But after getting Al-Islam material in class, students discover the true character of Islamic teachings which are full of teachings of goodness, peace and safety.is stated in the chess dharma of education, namely teaching and education, research, community service, and Al-Islam and Muhammadiyah.Implementation of Islamic education in the Muhammadiyah University Postgraduate Program in the form of Al-Islam and Kemuhammadiyahan learning and outsideclass activities such as seminars and Islamic discussions.The learning model uses the subject matter center learning, teacher center learning, and student center learning approaches.The perception of non-Muslim students towards Islamic education is a positive perception, meaning that non-Muslim students can receive Islamic education well.The perception of non-Muslim students towards Islam is that Islamic teachings teach peace, tolerance, and nationalism.According to non-Muslim students, while attending the lectures there was no discrimination from the lecturers in charge of Al-Islam and Kemuhammadiyahan courses.In association on campus, non-Muslim students can be accepted by Muslim students.