Integrating Islamic Environmental Ethics and Social Justice into Social Studies Education: A Hifz al-Bi’ah Perspective in Lombok

Abstract

Environmental degradation increasingly represents not only an ecological challenge but also a problem of social justice, ethical responsibility, and citizenship. This study aims to examine the integration of Hifz al-Bi’ah as an Islamic environmental principle into Social Studies Education and to investigate its relationship with students’ environmental citizenship in Lombok, Indonesia. A sequential exploratory mixed-methods design (QUAL → QUAN) was employed. The qualitative phase involved semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis with teachers, students, Islamic scholars, and educational stakeholders, while the quantitative phase surveyed 356 students using a structured questionnaire. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically using NVivo, whereas quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS and SmartPLS through measurement-model and PLS-SEM analyses. The findings indicate that Hifz al-Bi’ah significantly influences Islamic Environmental Ethics (β = 0.672, p < 0.001) and Social Justice (β = 0.438, p < 0.001). Islamic Environmental Ethics also significantly influences Social Justice (β = 0.521, p < 0.001), while Social Justice significantly predicts Environmental Citizenship (β = 0.593, p < 0.001). The indirect effect of Hifz al-Bi’ah through Islamic Environmental Ethics and Social Justice is also significant (β = 0.207, p < 0.001). The study concludes that Hifz al-Bi’ah offers a culturally responsive framework for connecting religious values, ecological responsibility, justice, and citizenship within Social Studies Education.