Fundamental Concepts of Islamic Religious Education: Efforts to Build Moral Awareness in Generation Alpha

Abstract

Generation Alpha, the group of children born between 2010 and 2025, is growing and developing in a digital ecosystem unprecedented by previous generations. This generation's attachment to gadgets, social media, and artificial intelligence has dual consequences: on the one hand, it accelerates access to information and sharpens cognitive skills, but on the other hand, it triggers symptoms of declining moral awareness, such as decreased empathy, weakened self-regulation, and a shift in value orientation toward instant hedonism (Sari & Arifin, 2023). This article aims to examine the basic concept of Islamic Religious Education (PAI) as a strategic instrument in building the moral awareness of Generation Alpha. This study uses a descriptive qualitative approach with a library research design, where data is collected through searching and content analysis of relevant journal articles, books, and scientific documents, which are then analyzed thematically. The study results show that Islamic Religious Education (PAI) has three main pillars of function in the formation of moral awareness, namely the cognitive-theological function, the affective-spiritual function, and the psychomotor-behavioral function, which must be implemented through a humanistic, contextual, and role-model-based approach to be able to reach the visual, interactive, and fast-paced learning character of Generation Alpha. Tri-center collaboration between family, school, and community is an absolute prerequisite for the successful internalization of values. This article recommends a reformulation of Islamic Religious Education materials, methods, and media that are adaptive to the digital ecosystem without reducing the substance of Islamic teachings.