The Contribution of Islamic Religious Education to Preventing the Moral Crisis of Generation Z

Abstract

Generation Z is a cohort that has grown up in the digital era, characterized by rapid technological advancement, global connectivity, and nearly unlimited access to information. While these conditions provide significant opportunities for creativity, innovation, and critical thinking, they also present increasingly complex moral challenges, including rising individualism, consumerist behavior, declining social sensitivity, and weakened ethical awareness in daily interactions. This situation highlights the strategic role of Islamic Religious Education (IRE) as a means of internalizing moral values and shaping students’ character. This study aims to analyze the role of Islamic Religious Education in fostering the morality of Generation Z within the context of digital life. The research employs a literature review method by critically examining relevant scientific books, national and international journal articles, and previous studies related to religious education and character development. The findings indicate that Islamic Religious Education plays a significant role in shaping the morality of Generation Z through four main aspects: value-based curriculum development emphasizing moral and character reinforcement; teachers’ exemplary behavior as influential moral role models; creative and contextual use of digital media to transform religious values into more engaging forms; and collaboration among schools, families, and communities to create a sustainable educational ecosystem. These findings affirm that Islamic Religious Education functions as a relevant moral safeguard in addressing the challenges of globalization and digitalization. This study contributes a conceptual foundation for developing adaptive Islamic Religious Education models aligned with the characteristics of Generation Z and provides direction for future research to empirically examine the implementation and effectiveness of digital-based Islamic Religious Education strategies in contemporary educational settings.