Islamic Religious Education in Single-Mother Families: Religious Socialisation, Moral Modelling, and Negotiated Discipline in Sumbawa

Purpose – To examine how Islamic teachings are enacted through moral modelling, routines, and negotiated discipline in single-mother families in Sumbawa. Design/methods/approach – A multiple-case study examined five families in Brang Bara. Seven interview informants comprised five mothers, one adolescent from one family, and one Islamic religious education teacher. Interviews, five home visits, and documents were interpreted through reflexive thematic analysis and cross-case comparison. Findings – Five themes concern Islamic moral orientation, modelling through communication and emotional regulation, worship and school routines, rule negotiation, and kin support alongside a school perspective. Mothers related adjustments to work schedules and children’s responses. One-month school records showed zero to three instances of tardiness but did not measure religiosity or value internalisation. Most accounts of children’s responses came from mothers. Research Implications – The study offers a contextual synthesis linking religious commitments, observable practices, children’s responses, and caregiving adjustments. Family–school support should distinguish compliance, religious meaning, and support needs. The findings neither establish causal effects nor represent all single-mother families.