Metaphorical Leadership of a Muballigh in Establishing an Islamic School in A Marginal Rural Area: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study

Abstract

This study examines the metaphorical leadership of a muballigh (Islamic preacher) in establishing and leading an Integrated Islamic Primary School (Sekolah Dasar Islam Terpadu, SD IT) in a marginal rural area of Eastern Lombok, Indonesia. Drawing on interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), the research explores how Islamic leadership metaphors, khalifah (vicegerent), ra'in (shepherd), qudwah (moral exemplar), and imam (spiritual leader), function as cognitive and moral frameworks guiding educational leadership in contexts of infrastructural scarcity and social marginality. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and document analysis involving school founders, teachers, community leaders, and parents. The findings reveal that leadership is experienced as a spiritual calling rooted in dakwah, enacted through pastoral service and moral exemplarity, and sustained by collective action and religious coping. The ra'in metaphor emerged as the most salient in daily practice, emphasizing care for vulnerable learners and inclusive education. This study contributes to Islamic educational leadership theory by demonstrating how metaphor-based leadership integrates spiritual accountability, community collaboration, and character education, offering an alternative to dominant managerial paradigms in marginal education settings.