Eksistensi Mendahului Esensi: Telaah Filosofis Pemikiran Jean-Paul Sartre Dan Implikasinya Bagi Bimbingan Dan Konseling Islam

Abstract

This article explores the philosophical thought of Jean-Paul Sartre and its implications for the development of Islamic Guidance and Counseling (BKI). Sartre’s central principle, “existence precedes essence,” asserts that human beings first exist and then define themselves through freedom, choice, and responsibility. Using a hermeneutic-philosophical approach based on Sartre’s major works, this study examines his key ideas freedom, authenticity, responsibility, and meaning-making—and interprets their relevance to the Islamic counseling framework. The findings reveal that Sartre’s existential concepts can enrich BKI by strengthening its reflective and humanistic dimensions. Freedom, within an Islamic perspective, is understood as ikhtiyar (free will within the boundaries of Sharia), responsibility as taklif (moral accountability before Allah), and the search for meaning as an act of servitude (‘ubūdiyyah). Thus, Sartre’s philosophy serves not as a theological doctrine but as a reflective lens to bridge the philosophical gap in BKI, helping counselors guide clients toward self-awareness, moral responsibility, and spiritually meaningful living. This integrative reflection allows BKI to evolve from a moral-spiritual framework into a holistic practice that nurtures authentic, responsible, and faith-oriented human existence.

Keywords: Existence; Jean-Paul Sartre; Existentialism; Freedom and Responsibility; Meaning; Islamic Guidance and Counseling