Integration of Islamic Boarding School Values in the Development of Islamic Culture-Based Counseling: A Study in the Islamic Education Environment

Abstract

This study explores the integration of Islamic pesantren values in developing culturally based counseling models at Pondok Pesantren Salafiyah Darul Azhar, Mandailing Natal, Indonesia. Using a qualitative ethnographic design, data were collected through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and document analysis. Thematic analysis identified seven core values: sincerity and adab, ukhuwah/ta'āwun, deliberation (musyawarah), respect for kyai and ustaz, moral commitment, spiritual balance (tazkiyatun nafs), and collective responsibility. The findings show that pesantren education functions not only as religious knowledge transmission but also as a socio-spiritual counseling system embedded in daily practices. Discussion reveals strong alignment between pesantren traditions and counseling approaches such as spiritual-cultural support systems, group-based counseling, collaborative counseling, and community-based counseling. These values enhance relational, moral, and spiritual dimensions of counseling within Islamic contexts. The study concludes that pesantren provides an empirical foundation for developing contextual, holistic, and culturally responsive counseling models relevant to Indonesia's religious and multicultural society.