Abstract
Religious radicalism in Indonesia frequently emerges from theological objections to the universality of human rights and democratic values rather than from political or economic grievances alone. This paper argues that Religious Education (RE) can serve as an effective form of preventive deradicalization when democratic principles are taught through internal theological frameworks rather than imposed as external secular norms. Focusing on Islamic political theology, the paper advances a pedagogical framework grounded in two key concepts. First, Addamiyah affirms the inherent dignity of every human being prior to religious distinction, providing a theological basis for universal human rights. Second, Maqashid Sharia is employed to demonstrate the compatibility between Islamic objectives of law and liberal democratic principles, including human rights, pluralism, and political participation. Together, these concepts allow democratic values to be articulated as expressions of Islamic moral purpose rather than foreign ideological constructs. The paper proposes Religious Education as Human Rights Education, where democratic norms are internalized through faith-based moral formation. Such an approach reframes democracy and human rights as theological commitments to human flourishing and social justice. The study concludes that this educational model offers a viable strategy for strengthening democratic culture, enhancing social cohesion, and countering religious radicalization in Indonesia's plural context.