Ma`rifat

The Islamic educational system, despite being grounded in stable principles, faces practical challenges arising from generational shifts and changing social conditions. In the contemporary era, modernity and the dominance of virtual media have produced new psychological, cognitive, and social characteristics in adolescents, turning these features into major obstacles to effective religious education. This study aims to analyze the defining traits of today’s adolescents as key challenges to Islamic education. Using a descriptive–analytical method and a library-based approach, the research examines sources in youth sociology, media psychology, and Islamic educational foundations. Findings show that these challenges fall into two main categories: first, the effects of modernity, including individualism, materialism, moral relativism, and identity crises; and second, the influence of virtual space, which has led to generational gaps, a shift of authority toward celebrities, weakened traditional structures of authority, and reduced willpower due to constant exposure to instant stimuli. The study concludes that these characteristics are not superficial generational differences but fundamental challenges for Islamic education in the modern era.