ABSTRACT

Rina Susanti. Cultivating Students' Religious Character through the Internalization of Exmplary Rasulullah Values at Madrasah Ibtidaiyyah Darul Khair Jimbe Jenangan Ponorogo. Thesis. Postgraduate Program, Universitas Muhammadiyah Ponorogo, 2026. Advisors: Dr. Katni, M.Pd.I. and Dr. Sigit Dwi Laksana, M.Pd.I.

This research is motivated by the importance of strengthening students' religious character amidst the various challenges of moral degradation in the digital era. Religious character education in madrasahs generally remains oriented toward routine worship practices and has not fully utilized a systematic value framework based on the exemplary model of Prophet Muhammad SAW. the exemplary values of the Rasulullah SAW (Shidiq, Tabligh, Amanah, Fathonah, and Istiqamah) are viewed as a prophetic character concept capable of shaping students' religious character holistically through a continuous internalization process. This study aims to: (1) describe the strategies for cultivating students' religious character through the internalization of exemplary Rasulullah values at MI Darul Khair Jimbe Jenangan Ponorogo, (2) analyze the challenges faced in the internalization process of exemplary values of the Rasulullah SAW, and (3) describe the implications of internalizing exemplary values of the Rasulullah SAW on the formation of students' religious character.
This study employed a qualitative approach with a case study design. The research site was MI Darul Khair Jimbe Jenangan Ponorogo. The research subjects included the madrasah principal, Islamic Education teachers, homeroom teachers, and students in grades IV, V, and VI. Data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation. Data analysis utilized the interactive model by Miles and Huberman, which includes data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing/verification. Data validity was ensured through source, technique, and time triangulation.
The results showed that: (1) the internalization of exemplary values of the Rasulullah SAW values is implemented through teacher role modeling, religious habits, integration into the learning process, madrasah culture, the MABIT (Malam Bina Iman dan Taqwa) program, daily worship activities, and synergy between the madrasah and parents. The value of shidiq is manifested through cultivating honesty; tabligh through polite communication and conveying truth; amanah through responsibility and discipline; fathonah through the development of intelligence and problem-solving; and istiqamah through habituating worship and behavioral consistency; (2) the challenges of internalization include differences in student character, the influence of the family environment and digital media, limited supervision outside the madrasah, and the need for continuous guidance between the school and parents; and (3) the internalization of exemplary values of the Rasulullah SAW has positive implications for the formation of students' religious character, as demonstrated by the improved quality of worship, honesty, responsibility, discipline, courtesy, social care, wise thinking skills, and consistency in practicing Islamic values in daily life. Thus, exemplary values of the Rasulullah SAW are proven to be an effective approach to comprehensively shaping students' religious character through the integration of spiritual, moral, intellectual, and social aspects.

Keywords: Religious Character, Value Internalization, the exemplary values of the Rasulullah SAW, Character Education, Madrasah Ibtidaiyyah.