Confirmatory Validation of a Multidimensional Islamic Educational Leadership Model: Integrating Principals’ Instructional Practices, the Ulul Albab Paradigm, and Holistic Student Outcomes in Malaysian Secondary Schools

This article presents the confirmatory validation of a multidimensional leadership model that integrates Principals’ Instructional Leadership, the Ulul Albab educational paradigm, and holistic student development outcomes within the context of Malaysian secondary education. Drawing on a sample of 384 respondents from Terengganu state schools, the research employs Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) via Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Pooled CFA using IBM SPSS AMOS 21.0. Eight domains of instructional leadership and three foundational dimensions of the Ulul Albab framework—Quranic, Encyclopedic, and Ijtihadic—were empirically tested. All constructs met established thresholds for model fit (RMSEA < 0.08; CFI > 0.90; χ²/df < 3.0) and demonstrated robust construct validity, internal consistency (CR > 0.7), and discriminant validity (inter-construct correlations < 0.85). The results confirm the theoretical distinctiveness and empirical reliability of the integrated model. This article contributes to the advancement of Islamic educational leadership theory by operationalizing the Ulul Albab framework through psychometrically validated constructs. It further offers a methodological benchmark for future leadership evaluation in value-based schooling contexts. The validated instrument holds practical utility for leadership development, policy formulation, and institutional transformation aligned with holistic national education goals.