Islamic Education and Muslim Youth Identity in the Digital Era: Negotiating Religious Values and Online Culture

Abstract

The rapid expansion of digital media has transformed how Muslim youth access religious knowledge, interact with religious authorities, and construct their identities. This study examines how Muslim youth negotiate Islamic values and online culture in the digital era, with particular attention to the role of Islamic education in this process. A qualitative descriptive approach was employed involving 20 Muslim youth aged 18–24 who had experience with Islamic education and actively engaged with social media. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and observation of publicly accessible digital religious content and analyzed thematically. The findings indicate that digital media has created hybrid forms of Islamic learning and diversified religious authority by enabling youth to encounter scholars, influencers, content creators, and online communities. However, participants did not passively adopt digital religious and cultural influences. They evaluated, interpreted, and negotiated online content through previously acquired Islamic knowledge and values. Tabayyun emerged as an important mechanism for verifying information and critically assessing religious content. The study further demonstrates that Muslim youth identity develops through interaction between online and offline religious experiences. Islamic education therefore functions as a mediating framework that provides knowledge, ethical principles, and critical resources for navigating digital culture. The study concludes that Islamic education should integrate digital religious literacy, critical source evaluation, and ethical digital participation to support the development of reflective and value-oriented Muslim identities in the digital era.