Islamic Religious Education amid the Digital Literacy Crisis: Building Students’ Critical Awareness and Moral Responsibility

Digital information flows challenge primary education, particularly in guiding students to judge the truth of information and to account for its use morally. This study describes informants’ views on integrating Islamic values into Islamic Religious Education (PAI), students’ interpretations of evaluating digital information, and their link to moral responsibility. A qualitative field study with a case study design was conducted at MIN 1 Gorontalo Utara. Data were collected through interviews with five informants (the madrasah head, an Akidah Akhlak teacher, a Fiqh teacher, and two sixth-grade students) and analyzed through data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification. The madrasah head and both teachers regarded tabayyun (verification), honesty, trustworthiness, and responsibility as relevant values for guiding students. Both students expressed an early understanding of tabayyun: not immediately believing unclear information, asking parents or teachers, considering the impact on others, and being willing to apologize and correct mistakes. These findings reflect stated understanding and intentions, not proven behavior, independent source verification, or the effectiveness of a literacy program. The article proposes tabayyun as a conceptual framework for evaluating information: identifying sources, distinguishing fact from assumption, seeking confirmation, and considering consequences before sharing. The framework requires further testing.