Qudwah Hasanah in Al-Ghazali's Ihya' 'Ulumuddin and Its Relevance to the Exemplary Role of PAI Teachers in the Digital Era

Qudwah Hasanah dalam Ihya' 'Ulumuddin Karya Al-Ghazali dan Relevansinya bagi Peran Keteladanan Guru PAI di Era Digital

Abstract

In the digital era, the exemplarity of Islamic Religious Education (PAI) teachers is tested by social media culture. This study analyzes the relevance of Al-Ghazali's concept of qudwah hasanah in Ihya' 'Ulumuddin to the exemplary role of PAI teachers in the digital era. It employs qualitative library research, with Kitab al-'Ilm as the primary source and scholarly journal articles as secondary sources. Data were collected through documentation and analyzed using thematic analysis and contextual hermeneutic interpretation. Validity was checked by comparing the primary text, its translations, and the secondary literature in an analysis matrix. The findings show that four principles, namely harmony of knowledge and action, compassion, sincerity, and gentle advice, function as an ethical filter for PAI teachers. Each principle meets a specific tension in digital culture: curated self-presentation, fast and public communication, and the logic of the attention economy. The study formulates the digital moral guide (mursyid al-akhlaq digital) as an operational construct with four dimensions and indicators. Practically, the indicators can support teacher training, digital ethics guidelines, and teachers' self-reflection. Al-Ghazali's concept is therefore relevant when it is read critically and adapted to context, not applied automatically. Because the indicators have not been tested empirically, further survey and observation studies are needed.