Premarital Education And Ustadzah Parenting Development Through The Study Of Riyadus Sholihin

Abstract

Premarital education is commonly understood narrowly as marriage-related content, while its role in preparing the parenting orientations of prospective mothers, particularly through classical text recitation in Islamic boarding schools, remains underexplored. This study examines the premarital education of female Islamic teachers (ustadzah) through the study of Kitab Riyadus Sholihin, the accompanying parenting perceptions and orientations, and the conceptual relationship between the two. A qualitative case study was conducted at Pondok Pesantren Nurul Huda Pudak with seven informants (six ustadzah and one caregiver) over eight months, using semi-structured interviews and participant observation; data were analyzed through reduction, display, and conclusion drawing. Three findings emerged. First, informants reported that parenting values are transmitted through textual content, historical exemplarity, and the caregiver’s contextual experience, with the management of heart, mind, and action as a foundation preceding technical skills. Second, ustadzah take part in simulated caregiving of new students and report a shift from viewing parental roles as physical care toward the “first madrasah.” Third, the orientation they report resembles authoritative parenting, combining text-grounded firmness with the caregiver’s warmth. Because the data rest mainly on perceptions and post-marriage practice was not observed, the findings are read as changed perceptions and anticipated practice, not demonstrated parenting-style formation. The study proposes broadening premarital education toward character formation, a proposition that remains to be tested.