» AL-IMAM: Journal on Islamic Studies, Civilization and Learning Societies
Aim: This study examines how a madrasah principal enacts emotional intelligence, identifies its supporting and inhibiting factors, and explores the integration of dhikr and pikir within the ulul albab paradigm at MAN 1 Nganjuk, Indonesia. Method: A qualitative single-case study was conducted using three semi-structured interviews with the principal, participant observation by a researcher working as a teacher, and institutional documents. Data were analysed through condensation, display, and conclusion drawing. Results: Emotional intelligence was manifested through tabayun-based self-regulation, personal engagement and informal dialogue, and participatory, bottom-up communication. The principal understood leadership as service (khadimul ummah), delegated responsibilities according to organisational roles, and retained accountability. Enabling conditions included leadership experience, willingness to learn, clear delegation structures, and external partnerships; obstacles included resistance to change, limited cohesion, cultural differences, and unbudgeted needs. Decision-making combined verification and rational analysis with prayer, followed by spiritual consultation when reasoning reached an impasse. This integration was most evident in the principal’s decision-making, while its application in classroom teaching remained insufficiently explored. Evidence came primarily from one principal, limiting transferability across educational settings. Implications: These findings suggest that madrasah leadership development should combine emotional regulation, participatory approaches, and spiritual reflection. They also highlight the importance of understanding Islamic educational leadership within its organisational and cultural context. Originality/Added Value: The study proposes a context-specific, provisional conceptual model connecting emotional intelligence, servant leadership, and the ulul albab paradigm. It identifies tabayun-based self-regulation as a distinctive, contextually documented expression of emotional intelligence in madrasah leadership, without claiming that the proposed model has been causally tested.