<![CDATA[This study examines the role of Al-Islam and Muhammadiyahan Studies (AIK) in strengthening students’ religious character at Muhammadiyah 11 Senior High School Padangsidimpuan. The study was conducted because character education remains an important issue related to students’ discipline, responsibility, and moral behavior in the digital era. The purpose of this study was to analyze the implementation of AIK learning, teachers’ efforts in developing religious character, and the challenges faced in strengthening students’ religious values. This study used a qualitative descriptive approach. Data were collected through observations, interviews, and documentation involving the principal, AIK teachers, and students. The data were analyzed through data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The findings showed that AIK learning contributed positively to students’ discipline, responsibility, politeness, and social behavior through classroom learning, religious habituation, teacher role modeling, and school culture. Religious activities such as congregational prayer, Qur’an recitation, and moral guidance helped strengthen students’ emotional awareness and social interaction. However, challenges such as peer influence, family background, social media exposure, and inconsistent discipline outside school still affected students’ character development. The study concludes that AIK learning plays an important role in strengthening students’ religious character when supported by school culture, continuous supervision, and cooperation among schools, teachers, and families.]]>
