Internally...

Internally, weak faith, lack of moral discipline, and spiritual emptiness often lead young individuals to pursue fleeting pleasures over enduring values. Externally, globalization, materialism, and digital media have introduced powerful influences that distort the moral compass of the youth.

The (peace be upon him and his family) warned of this moral drift when he said: “There shall come upon the people a time in which the one who is patient upon his religion will be like the one holding onto a burning ember. [6] ” This hadith reflects the moral pressures faced by people, particularly the youth, in environments where vice is normalized and virtue is ridiculed.

Religious education, therefore, plays a crucial role in strengthening resilience against these influences by grounding youth in an ethical worldview. It provides them with moral reasoning derived from revelation rather than mere social convention. Socially, deviance can also result from weak family structures, poor parental guidance, or the absence of role models. Islam places great emphasis on the family as the first school of moral instruction. The Qur’an commands, “O you who have faith!

Save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel will be people and stones” (Qur’an 66:6). From the blessed verse, it is obvious that “preservation of one’s family indicates fostering and educating them, enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, preparing a pure family environment. …Such a plan is to be acted upon through all the stages by precise and accurate planning.

In other words, giving what is due to one’s wife and children is not restricted to providing them with accommodation and sustenance, but helping them with gaining spiritual growth through accurate education bears further significance. [7] ” Religious Education and Prevention of Youth Deviance Islamic religious education is a proactive and preventive framework designed to protect youth from moral, social, and spiritual deviance.

Rather than relying solely on punitive measures or societal enforcement, Islamic education cultivates internal moral awareness ( taqwā ), ethical reasoning, and self-discipline, thereby addressing the root causes of deviant behavior [8] . By fostering a spiritually anchored identity, youth are equipped to resist negative influences and make choices aligned with divine guidance.