Multicultural Islamic Education in Encouraging Spirit of the Elderly

ABSTRACT: This study aims to reveal Multicultural Islamic Education in encouraging the spirit of the elderly in terms of enthusiasm and optimism, the power to fight frustration and group spirit through the existence of Multicultural Islamic Education. This qualitative research with a phenomenological approach was conducted at Griya Werdha Surabaya-Indonesia. The data were collected using in-depth interviews, observations and documents involving seven Muslim elderly people and three representatives of the leadership taken purposively. The results of this study indicate that it has an impact on three aspects of the spirit of the elderly. In the aspect of enthusiasm and optimism, the elderly have a deeper spiritual closeness to God which has a positive impact on the elderly to have good behavior towards fellow elderly in their daily lives. In the aspect of strength against frustration, the elderly no longer blame themselves or those around them for the conditions that befell them. For the aspect of the spirit of the elderly to group, the elderly are encouraged to interact with one another and live a harmonious life in their daily lives