Systematic Literature Review: The Role of Islamic Religious Education in Character Formation

Abstract

This study aims to examine the role of Islamic religious education in shaping students’ character through the cultivation of moral and spiritual values derived from the Qur’an, Hadith, and Islamic creed. This research employs a qualitative approach using a literature review method of relevant scholarly sources to analyze the contribution of Islamic religious education in developing students who are not only intellectually competent but also possess noble character, piety, and social responsibility. The study highlights the process of internalizing Islamic values through habituation and exemplary conduct, as well as discusses adaptive learning methods, challenges in the implementation of Islamic religious education, and development strategies in accordance with contemporary demands. The findings indicate that the success of character formation based on Islamic religious education is largely determined by the improvement of teachers’ competencies, the development of contextual curricula, and the synergy between schools, families, and the wider community. Therefore, this study suggests that future researchers further explore innovative and practical learning models in Islamic religious education and examine the effectiveness of multi-stakeholder collaboration in strengthening students’ character development in the future.