<![CDATA[This study investigates the role of Islamic Religious Education (PAI) teachers in shaping students' akhlak in the digital era. The main problem is the degradation of students' morals due to exposure to negative digital content like toxic social media and AI, impacting Islamic values such as honesty, trustworthiness, and tolerance among junior and senior high school students. The research aims to analyze PAI teachers' strategies in integrating exemplary conduct, Islamic digital learning, and preventive approaches to foster adaptive akhlak. A qualitative phenomenological method with a case study approach was employed at three Islamic high schools in Batam, involving 50 students, 6 PAI teachers, and 4-month observations. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, participant observations, and Merdeka curriculum content analysis, validated by triangulation. Key terms include: akhlak (noble character based on Quran and Sunnah), PAI teacher (Islamic educator as role model or uswah hasanah), digital era (period dominated by information and communication technology), and akhlak formation (moral value internalization via habituation and Islamic digital literacy). Findings indicate PAI teachers effectively improved students' akhlak by 65% using blended learning models with platforms like Islamic YouTube and Qur'an apps, enhancing prayer discipline and online ethics. Teachers are advised to develop holistic digital literacy for metaverse challenges. This research contributes a theoretical framework for digital akhlak. The implications of this study highlight the importance of strengthening digital literacy competencies among PAI teachers, developing digital akhlak-based curricula, and fostering sustainable collaboration between schools and parents in guiding students’ moral behavior within virtual environments]]>
