Strengthening Religious Moderation Among Generation Z through Islamic Religious Education in the Digital Era

Abstract

This study aims to analyze how Islamic Religious Education can strengthen religious moderation (moderasi beragama) among Generation Z learners who live in an intensive digital environment filled with hate speech, hoax content, and exposure to extremist narratives. The study is grounded in the reality that Indonesian students increasingly encounter provocative religious content on social media, which has the potential to erode tolerance, foster exclusivist attitudes, and, in extreme cases, contribute to radicalization. In this context, Islamic Religious Education should not merely transmit normative religious knowledge, but must also cultivate wasatiyyah (moderation), tasamuh (tolerance), tawazun (balance), and ta'adl (justice) as lived dispositions. This research employs a qualitative approach using library research. Data were obtained from national and international journal articles, conference proceedings, and institutional reports relevant to religious moderation, Generation Z, digital literacy, and Islamic Religious Education. The data were analyzed using content analysis by identifying, classifying, comparing, and synthesizing ideas from various sources of literature. The findings indicate that religious moderation can be strengthened through curriculum integration, teacher exemplarity, digital literacy training, interfaith dialogue, and habituation of moderate religious practice. This approach has the potential to help learners critically navigate online religious content, resist exclusionary narratives, and internalize tolerance as part of their religious identity. Thus, Islamic Religious Education based on religious moderation can be positioned as a preventive, reflective, and contextual strategy for safeguarding social harmony among the digital generation.