Religious and Spiritual Engagement Among Muslim Students Experiencing School Bullying: Pathways to Coping, Resilience, and Wellbeing
This qualitative study of 30 Muslim students reveals that while school bullying severely undermines their wellbeing, religious and spiritual engagement can serve as a context-dependent resource for coping and resilience, provided it is supported by positive interpersonal relationships and responsive institutional environments.
Original paper licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This is an AI-generated explanation of the paper below. It is not written or endorsed by the authors. For technical accuracy, refer to the original paper. Read full disclaimer
School is supposed to be a place of learning, but for many children, it is also a place where they feel unsafe. When a student is bullied, the harm goes far beyond a single mean comment or a shove in the hallway. It can shake a young person's sense of who they are, make them feel like they do not belong, and damage their emotional health. For students whose identity is deeply tied to their faith, this experience becomes even more complex. They carry with them a set of beliefs, prayers, and community connections that shape how they see the world. The question researchers have long asked is whether these spiritual resources act as a shield against the pain of bullying, or if the relationship is more complicated. Understanding this is crucial because schools are increasingly diverse, and the way a child copes with trauma often depends on the cultural and spiritual tools they have available to them.
A team of researchers at Halu Oleo University in Indonesia set out to explore this specific dynamic among Muslim students. They did not simply ask if being religious made students less likely to be bullied or if it automatically made them feel better afterward. Instead, they wanted to understand the lived experience of thirty Muslim students who had been bullied. The researchers sat down with these young people for long, detailed conversations, listening to their stories about what happened to them, how they felt, and how they used their faith to navigate the pain. They also looked at school documents and observed the environment to understand the full picture of the students' lives. Their goal was to see how religion and spirituality functioned in the real world when a student was under attack, rather than treating faith as a simple statistic.
The study revealed that bullying is a heavy burden that disrupts a student's entire sense of safety. The students described feeling constant fear, shame, and loneliness. For many, the school transformed from a place of learning into a place where they had to be on high alert, waiting for the next insult or exclusion. Some students were targeted specifically because of their religious identity, such as their clothing or the way they prayed, which made them feel singled out and different. However, the research found that for some of these students, their faith became a vital lifeline. They did not just use prayer as a ritual; they used it as a way to calm their racing hearts, to find a private space where they could express their anger or sadness to God, and to make sense of why they were suffering. For them, religious beliefs provided a framework that helped them see the bullying as a difficult test rather than a sign that they were worthless.
Yet, the researchers were careful to show that faith is not a magic cure that instantly fixes everything. The study found that religious engagement works differently for everyone. For some students, their faith gave them hope and the strength to keep going. They found comfort in the idea that they were not alone and that their suffering had a meaning. But for others, the experience was more confusing. Some students questioned why God would allow them to be treated so badly, leading to feelings of anger or spiritual struggle. The research suggests that whether religion helps or hurts depends heavily on the environment around the student. If a student has supportive parents, caring teachers, or a welcoming religious community, their faith is much more likely to become a source of strength. If they feel isolated or if the adults around them ignore the bullying, their religious resources may not be enough to protect them.
The most important finding is that religious and spiritual engagement is not a standalone shield that automatically protects a student from the effects of bullying. Instead, it acts as a tool that works best when combined with a supportive network of people. The researchers described a process where a student first feels the disruption of bullying, which shakes their sense of security. Then, if they have the right support system, they can use their faith to rebuild their confidence, regulate their emotions, and find a path toward recovery. This recovery is not a single event but a gradual journey of regaining trust in themselves and others. The study emphasizes that schools cannot simply tell students to "pray about it" and expect the bullying to stop. Faith can be a powerful part of healing, but it must be supported by a school environment that actively prevents bullying and responds with care when it happens.
This research offers a clear path forward for schools and the adults who work with students. It suggests that when helping a bullied student, teachers and counselors should ask if their faith is important to them and how they use it to cope. If a student finds strength in prayer or religious community, these resources should be respected and integrated into their support plan. However, this must always happen alongside strong anti-bullying policies and professional care. The study argues that we should stop viewing religion as a simple factor that is either good or bad for mental health. Instead, we should see it as a dynamic part of a student's life that interacts with their relationships and their school environment. When schools create a space where students feel safe, respected, and understood, their spiritual resources can truly help them heal and thrive after experiencing the pain of bullying.
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