Islamic Character Internalisation through PAI Teachers’ Practices: Developing Students’ Moral Agency amid Alcohol Consumption Culture

Abstract

Islamic character education faces challenges when students encounter social practices that contradict religious values. Alcohol consumption culture in community celebrations provides a context in which students negotiate between school-based Islamic values and observed social behaviours. This article examines how Islamic Religious Education (PAI) teachers internalise character values and contribute to the development of students’ moral agency in responding to alcohol consumption culture at wedding celebrations.
Employing a qualitative approach with a case study design, this research was conducted in Sumberkare Village, Probolinggo Regency. Data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation involving PAI teachers, school principals, students, religious leaders, community leaders, village officials, and community members. Data were analysed using Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña’s interactive model through data condensation, data display, and conclusion verification. The findings reveal that Islamic character internalisation occurs through value understanding, teacher role modelling, religious habituation, contextual learning, reinforcement, and mentoring. These processes enable students to transform religious knowledge into moral judgement and self-regulation when encountering social practices inconsistent with Islamic teachings. Alcohol consumption culture does not directly determine students’ behaviour but functions as a counter-value context that tests the consistency of internalised values. The findings highlight that PAI teachers act as mediators between school values and social realities by supporting students’ moral agency development. Islamic character education therefore extends beyond value transmission toward the cultivation of students’ capacity to evaluate, regulate, and maintain value-based choices within complex social environments.