<![CDATA[Purpose – This study aims to identify the profesional and pedagogical challenges faced by Islamic Education Teachers, known in Malay as Guru Pendidikan Islam (GPI), in schools, a critical inquiry given the significant transformation of their role as in contemporary educational contexts.Design/methods/approach – A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted, guided by the PRISMA protocol. A systematic search of literature was performed using the Scopus and Web of Science databases for publications published between 2023 and 2026. Findings – A total of 28 articles were selected based on the inclusion criteria and analysed thematically. The important findings of this article show that the contemporary challenges form a complex ecosystem of five interconnected themes: challenges related to curriculum and teaching materials; challenges from external influences and the social environment; challenges in teacher competence and teaching methods; challenges of professional identity and role; and challenges in relationships and social interaction.Research limitations – The findings are limited to literature published between 2023-2026 from Scopus and Web of Science. Additionally, as this study is a Systematic Literature Review, it relies exclusively on secondary data sources and does not involve direct fieldwork or primary data collection.Originality/value – The main contribution is the introduction of an integrated framework for understanding the challenge ecosystem and the proposal of a Simultaneous Support Model for holistic intervention. The study emphasises the practical need for a concurrent, multi-faceted support approach to empower GPI in effectively fulfilling the role of al-Murabbī.]]>
