Peran Kegiatan Keagamaan dalam Melestarikan Kebersamaan Masyarakat di Desa Kesamben, Kecamatan Ngajum, Malang, Jawa Timur

Abstract

Desa Kesamben merupakan ruang sosial pedesaan yang plural, di mana keberagaman agama menjadi sekaligus modal sosial dan tantangan pembangunan. Berlokasi di Kecamatan Ngajum, desa ini memiliki tradisi keagamaan yang kuat dalam Islam, Hindu, dan Kristen. Namun, arus modernisasi memunculkan gejala menurunnya partisipasi generasi muda dalam kegiatan keagamaan serta mulai merenggangnya relasi sosial lintas generasi dan lintas agama. Kondisi ini menegaskan urgensi strategi yang menempatkan kegiatan keagamaan bukan sekadar sebagai praktik ritual, melainkan sebagai media sosial untuk memperkuat kohesi dan membangun harmoni antarumat beragama secara nyata. Pengabdian ini dirancang untuk memperkuat solidaritas sosial lintas agama melalui revitalisasi kegiatan keagamaan berbasis partisipasi. Tujuan khususnya meliputi: (1) meningkatkan partisipasi aktif masyarakat, terutama pemuda; (2) memperdalam pemahaman dan pengamalan nilai-nilai keagamaan; (3) melestarikan tradisi keagamaan lokal; serta (4) mengarusutamakan praktik moderasi beragama di tingkat desa. Pendekatan yang digunakan adalah Participatory Action Research (PAR), yang melibatkan masyarakat secara aktif sejak tahap perencanaan, pelaksanaan, hingga evaluasi. Kegiatan mencakup pendampingan tahlil dan Maulid Diba’ bagi umat Islam, observasi partisipatif pada ritual Reboan di pura bagi umat Hindu, serta keterlibatan dalam ibadah rutin gereja bagi umat Kristen. Data dikumpulkan melalui observasi partisipatif, wawancara semi-terstruktur dengan tokoh agama dan perangkat desa, serta dokumentasi kegiatan. Peserta berkisar antara 20–50 orang per kegiatan, dengan peningkatan signifikan selama program berlangsung, terutama keterlibatan pemuda yang naik hingga 40% pada kegiatan Maulid Diba’. Secara sosial, program ini mempererat relasi antarwarga; secara spiritual, memperkuat pemahaman agama dan identitas lokal; serta secara normatif menumbuhkan praktik toleransi dan moderasi beragama yang konkret dan berkelanjutan.

Desa Kesamben represents a plural rural setting in which religious diversity constitutes both a social asset and a developmental challenge. Situated in Kecamatan Ngajum, the village possesses strong religious traditions across Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity. However, processes of modernization have contributed to declining youth participation in communal religious life and the gradual loosening of intergenerational and interfaith social bonds. This condition underscores the need for a strategic intervention that repositions religious activities not merely as ritual obligations but as social platforms for strengthening cohesion and cultivating lived interreligious harmony. This community engagement program was designed to reinforce cross-religious social solidarity through participatory religious activities. Specifically, it sought to: (1) increase active community participation, particularly among youth; (2) deepen understanding and practice of religious values; (3) preserve local religious traditions; and (4) promote moderation in religious life at the village level. Employing a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, the program actively involved community members in planning, implementation, and evaluation processes. Activities included mentoring Islamic gatherings such as tahlil and Maulid Diba’, participatory observation in Hindu Reboan rituals at the local temple, and engagement in regular Christian worship services. Data were collected through participatory observation, semi-structured interviews with religious and community leaders, and documentation of activities. Participants ranged from 20–50 individuals per event, with notable growth during the program—especially a 40% increase in youth involvement in Maulid Diba’. Socially, the initiative strengthened interpersonal ties; spiritually, it enhanced religious understanding and local identity. Most importantly, it fostered tangible practices of tolerance and religious moderation, positioning the village as a model of harmonious coexistence in diversity.