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Religious gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation that uses religious authority and teachings to question or doubt a person's perceptions, emotions, and experiences, so that the victim feels guilty or unfaithful. In the context of the Muslim community, this practice can occur when religious understanding is used narrowly and authoritarianly, suppressing freedom of thought, and perpetuating power imbalances—both in family relationships, communities, and religious institutions. This article examines the phenomenon of religious gaslighting from the perspective of critical Islamic education, with the aim of dismantling manipulative patterns wrapped in religious narratives. The approach used is qualitative-descriptive with literature analysis of classical and contemporary Islamic sources, as well as interdisciplinary studies in the fields of religious psychology and educational philosophy. The results of the study show that religious gaslighting is not only a matter of individual morals, but also part of an authoritarian social and cultural structure that needs to be countered through liberating (ta'dib) and transformative Islamic education. Islamic education based on the values ​​of justice (al-‘adl), compassion (rahmah), and deliberation can be a critical tool for building a healthy spiritual awareness and freeing people from the shackles of manipulative authority. Thus, education has a central role in forming a generation of Muslims who are able to distinguish between the authenticity of Islamic teachings and their misuse in the practice of power.    

The expository learning strategy in Islamic Religious Education (PAI) remains relevant as a classical Islamic scholarly heritage but requires creative transformation to address digital-age challenges. This article examines the implementation of expository strategies through literature study, analyzing philosophical foundations, effectiveness, contemporary challenges, and innovation models. The research reveals that expository strategies are effective for normative PAI materials but face complex challenges including shifting cognitive patterns of digital natives, decentralization of knowledge authority, and technological disparities. Various innovative models (interactive, contextual, multimedia, reflective) offer solutions by integrating traditional expository strengths with modern approaches. The study concludes that successful implementation requires paradigmatic reconstruction through "pedagogical ijtihad" balancing Islamic scholarly authenticity with 21st-century learning needs. PAI teachers must master three core competencies: depth of religious knowledge, pedagogical sophistication, and technological literacy.