This research aimed to analyse the increasing ideological influences from religious groups on Islamic education practices in schools controlled by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Ministry of National Education in East Lombok, Indonesia. A qualitative approach, as a cognitive framework, was used to examine the contemporary dynamics of Islamic education. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations, and documentation. The results indicated that the strengthening control of religious groups over Islamic education posed a dilemma, as it must fulfil the ideological, religious, and general science curricula of the religious groups, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, and the Ministry of National Education. Balancing these competing curricula can be challenging, and the results indicated that ideological control from religious groups tended to be stronger than that of the two Ministries. This trend is a result of the growth of local, national, and transnational religious groups since the onset of democracy in Indonesia in 1998. It is therefore recommended that proper state policies be developed to enhance the quality and competitiveness of Islamic education in the development of non-religious subjects.