Children Islamic Leadership According to Abdullah Nashih Ulwan: Forming Islamic Characters Through Story Telling

Abstract

Islamic education plays a crucial role in shaping children’s character based on Qur’anic values. Abdullah Nashih Ulwan, through his work Tarbiyatul Aulad fil Islam, emphasizes comprehensive child education covering faith, morality, intellect, and social responsibility as the foundation of Islamic leadership. This study aims to analyze Ulwan’s concept of children’s Islamic leadership and explain how storytelling serves as an effective pedagogical method for forming Islamic character. Employing a qualitative library research method, the study reviews primary and secondary sources related to Ulwan’s educational philosophy. Data were analyzed through content analysis to identify themes connecting leadership principles, moral development, and storytelling in Islamic pedagogy. The findings show that Islamic leadership begins with self-leadership grounded in moral awareness and spiritual discipline. Storytelling functions as an interactive medium to internalize these values, transforming abstract moral lessons into lived experiences. Thus, integrating storytelling into Islamic education can foster empathy, moral reasoning, and self-leadership in children.