The Necessity of Political Education of Children in Islam

The political education of children in Islam is considered a subset of educational matters. Various schools of thought have seriously addressed this issue. However, a prevailing misconception among some Islamic currents and the general beliefs of the faithful regarding the political education of children is that it is merely aligned with political factions. While there is no conflict with healthy political activity, the objective is to expand and perpetuate the celestial nature of society in accordance with the tenets of Islamic law through the foundational structure of society, namely the family. Therefore, it is necessary to correct the public perspective. This study aims to answer whether political education within the family is necessary and whether Islam endorses its necessity. To address this question, a descriptive-analytical method was used to examine the theoretical background of the topic in the traditions of both Islamic and non-Islamic rationalists, as well as the religious justifications for the necessity of the topic. The results indicate that political education within the family involves nurturing the social and political dimensions of the family, which has two approaches: The first approach is nurturing in line with the source of duty, encompassing God, human needs, and societal needs. The second approach involves nurturing within the realm of education, encompassing all possible methods and examples in the field of education. All definitions agree that the subject of societal education, particularly of children, is realized through various factors, including the family, governance, and society, with leadership by divine laws or government, executed by parents, particularly the father. To achieve this crucial task, it is necessary to address various aspects, including the prerequisites for political education, the requirements of political education, the mechanisms of political education, and the outcomes of political education.