TEENAGE CHARACTER EDUCATION THROUGH THE TAHFIDZ AL-QUR'AN

PROGRAM

By:

Ikfina Kamalia Rizqi

NIM. 2052116079

IAIN Pekalongan Postgraduate Student

ABSTRACT
This study aims to describe how the tahfidz al-Qur'an program plays a role in
fostering and enhancing the positive character of adolescents. This research is a
qualitative research with a descriptive method, namely the acquisition of
information or data that is relevant to the problem to be studied by analyzing
various concepts or theories put forward by experts. Descriptive method is a
research method used to answer questions about the nature of symptoms or
questions about what it is ( what ), or describe what it is and how ( how). The
collection technique is done by studying the literature, which is looking for data
sources by exploring various literatures such as books, articles, journals and
other scientific researches . In testing the hypothesis, the researcher triangulated
and analyzed the data sources in the form of the theory obtained. So it can be
concluded that the tahfidz al-Qur'an program can be an alternative method and
strategy in character education among adolescents. The results of this study are
expected to become information and input for teaching and learning activities in
schools, especially as motivation for all levels of society to introduce children to
memorizing the Qur'an from an early age.

Keywords: education, character, tahfidz al-Qur'an

PRELIMINARY

The portrait description of the situation and condition of adolescents in this

era is very concerning. Phenomena that occur among adolescents are classified
as deviant behavior and even reach the realm of crime. There are many cases of
deviant behavior and crime involving teenagers. Even in 2013-2014, there were
15 cases of rape by junior high school
students in 12 cities. The number of perpetrators was 54 children (some of the cases
1
were rape in rotation). As for the number of victims, 15 girls, consisting of 4
elementary school students, 10 junior high school students, and 1 high school
student. Of the fifteen cases, three cases are considered the most violent because
rotation basis each by 8, 9, even 11 junior high students. Meanwhile, during 2013-
2014 there were 2 cases of attempted rape by junior high school students that were
successfully thwarted by the community, involving 5 perpetrators, 2 victims (all
junior high school students), which occurred in 2 cities.1

How can efforts be made to overcome these problems? In this case, all
parties should take responsibility in overcoming this problem, both from the
government, educational institutions, parents and the community who must
improve strategies in cultivating character education. Starting from the most basic
level, namely the family. Parents must start to instill children's character education
from an early age, before entering school. The first stage of basic education should
be the family environment. Family is the first education a child receives. The
influence and shape of parenting styles for parents and families will determine how a
child's character will shape in the future. Then character education is continued in
the school environment. This is where the role of the teacher becomes important and
has a significant impact on the development of children's character, besides that the
role of society also plays an important role in the development of the ability to solve
concrete problems at hand ( problem solving ). To be able to achieve the desired
efforts, many strategies and methods are offered from various parties, both
learning from the experiences of developed countries and from the results of
research. There is one method that the author thinks is very good and is
expected to provide a solution, namely the tahfidz al-Qur'an program
(memorizing the Qur'an).
The program of tahfidz al-Qur'an (memorizing the Qur'an) has many
advantages and benefits for those who run it. Memorizing the Koran can increase
intelligence (IQ), emotional intelligence (EQ), and spiritual intelligence (SQ).
The study, conducted by Shaleh bin Ibrahim Ashani,
lecturer from the Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud University in Riyadh, in his
research involved two groups of students at the Malik Abdul Aziz University in
Jeddah. In this study, it was concluded that there was a positive correlation
between rote quantity Al-Qur'an and the level of mental health and character is
better than those with low memorization. Mental health and character have an
effect on the development of student skills and good academic achievement in
1
Cholis Akbar, "Glass Screen Pornography and the Suffering of Indonesian Youth",
Hidayatullah.com, http://www.hidayatullah.com/artikel/ghazwul-fikr/pornografi-layar-kaca-dan-derita-
remaja-in accessed on October 14, 2020.
2
school. So that most likely by memorizing the Qur'an it is easier to understand the
lesson and improve learning outcomes.2 As an effort of an educator, the author
calls for the implementation of the tahfidz al-Qur'an program in various schools.
The tahfidz al-Qur'an program is expected to produce individuals with
disciplined, honest, responsible and other positive characteristics . It is also hoped
that this paper can increase knowledge and good choices that parents and
educational institutions can choose to improve and enhance the character of
adolescents.

DISCUSSION
A. TEENAGE CHARACTER EDUCATION
1. Definition of Character Education
According to Haynes, who was quoted by Sukiyat, character education
is a national movement to create schools that foster character, responsibility
and care for young people by exemplary and teaching good character based
on mutually agreed upon universal values.3

In terminology, meaning the character forward by Thomas Lickona. He said the

character is "a reliable inner disposition to respond to situations in a morally good
way." Then he added, "so conceived Character has three interrelated parts: moral
knowing, moral feeling, and moral behavior" (Lickona, 1991: 51). According to
Lickona, noble character (good character) includes knowledge of goodness, and
cause commitment (intention) of goodness, and finally actually doing good. In other
words, the characters refer to a set of knowledge (cognitives), attitudes (attitudes),
and motivations (motivations), and behavior (behaviors) and skills (skills). From the
above it is understood that the character is identical to the character, so the character
of the values of universal human behavior that covers all human activities, both in
order to relate with God, with himself, with others, as well as with the environment,
which manifests itself in the mind, attitudes, feelings, words, and actions based on
religious norms, laws, manners, culture, and customs. From this emerged the concept
of character education concept character (character education). The next, Hill (2002)
said: “Character determines someone’s private thoughts and someone’s actions done.
Good character is the inward motivation to do what is right, according to the highest
standard of behaviour, in every situation”. Character education teaches habitual ways
2
Ummi Online, "Improving Brain Performance by Memorizing the Qur'an", Rumah Kurma
Sahara, http://www.rumahkurmasahara.com/2020/14/men Improve-kinerja - otak - dengan - menghafal -al-
Qur'an .html , accessed on 14 October 2020.
3
Sukiyat, Character Education Implementation Strategy, (Surabaya: CV. Jakad Media
Publishing, 2020), p. 6
3
 of thinking and behaviors that help individuals to live and work together as a family,
community, and state and help them to make decisions that can be accounted for.4

Character education aims to make the nation's young generation have

a noble personality and have sufficient provisions to live life in an
increasingly open and dynamic era. The state of the era has more or less
changed the way of life of humans, it is easy for someone to get
information from various media so that the opportunity to follow the trend
is very large. Unfortunately, these developments have not only had a
positive impact on society but
also have a negative impact, especially for the nation's young generation. 5
2. The Importance of Character Education
Imam Ghozali considers that character is closer to morality, namely the
spontaneity of humans in behaving, or doing actions that have become
integrated in humans so that when they appear there is no need to think about it
again. Thus it can be concluded that character is related to moral strength, has
a positive connotation, not neutral. So a person with character is a person
who has (certain) positive moral qualities. Thus, education builds character,
implicitly implies building traits or behavior patterns based on or related to
positive or good moral dimensions, not negative or bad ones. This is supported
by Peterson and Seligman who directly link character strength with virtue
(Raka, 2007: 5). Characters strength is seen as the psychological elements that
build virtues. One of the main criteria for character strength is that the character
contributes greatly in realizing the full potential and aspirations of a person in
building a good life, which is beneficial for himself, others, and his nation.

Character education is closely related to moral education where the goal

is to shape and train individual abilities continuously for self-improvement
towards a better life. Character education should be instilled as early as
possible. Because with character education children can develop their academic
potential so that they become individuals who think well, have good hearts, and
behave well. In accordance with the National Education System Law states:
"National Education functions to develop and assist the character and
civilization of the nation with dignity in the

4
Syamsu A. Kamaruddin, Character Education and Students Social Behavior, (Journal of Education
and Learning. Vol.6 No. 4), hlm. 225.
5
Muhammad Shobirin, "Learning Tahfidz Al Qur'an in Cultivating Islamic Character",
QUALITY , (Vol. 6, No. 1, 2018), p. 18.
4
 framework of nation educating". The sentence to educate the nation itself
does not refer to the achievements of a child, but rather the intelligence of
how children can behave well among others. This is where the role of
parents should be. Children learn the most from what they see and hear.
Therefore it is very important to place children in an environment that can
nurture and educate children to become human beings who is mature,
compassionate, intelligent, able to empathize with others and has a
conscience.6
Character education holds that widely shared, pivotally important, core ethical
values such as caring, honesty, fairness, responsibility, and respect for self and others
along with supportive performance values such as diligence, a strong worth ethic, and
perseverance form the basis of good character. A school committed to character
development stands for these values (sometimes referred to as “virtues” or“ character
traits”), defines them in terms of behaviors that can be observed in the life of the
school, models these values, studies and discusses them, uses them as the basis of
human relations in the school, celebrates their manifestations in the school and
community, and holds all school members accountable to standards of conduct
consistent with the core values. In a school committed to developing character, these
core values are treated as a matter of obligation, as having a claim on the conscience
of the individual and community. Character education asserts that the validity of these
values, and our responsibility to up hold them, derive from the fact that such values
affirm our human dignity, promote the development and welfare of the individual
person, serve the common good, meet the classical tests of reversibility (i.e., Would
you want to be treated this way?) and universality (i.e., Would you want all persons
to act this way in a similar situation?), and in form our rights and responsibilities in a
democratic society. The school makes clear that these basic human values transcend
religious and cultural differences, and express our common humanity.7

B. THE TAHFIDZ AL-QUR'AN PROGRAM

1. Definition of Tahfidz al-Qur'an
Memorizing comes from the word "memorized" which means "has
entered into memory, can pronounce it by rote". 8 In the verb form of
memorizing it itself in Arabic, namely Haffadza-Yuhaffidzu-

6
Adi Supriyanto, Wahid Wahyudi, Character Education in the Millennial Era, (Yogyakarta:
Deepublish, 2020), p. 148.
7
Tom LIickona, dkk., CEP’s Eleven Principles of Effective Character Education, (t.t., Character
Education Partnership, 2007), hlm. 1
8
Meity Taqdir Qadratillah, et al., Indonesian Dictionary for Students, (Jakarta: Agency for Language
Development and Development, Ministry of Education and Culture, 2011), p. 152.
5
 Tahfiidzan which means to maintain, guard, memorize. 9 Tahfidz is
the process of memorizing something into memory so that it can be
pronounced by heart in a certain method. Meanwhile, people who memorize
the Koran are called hafidz / huffadz or pregnant / pregnant al-Qur'an.
Meanwhile, the word al-Qur'an comes from the word qara'a-yaqra'u-
qira'atan-wa qur'anan which literally means reading or reading, with a
sound. Sometimes, qara'a also means looking at what is written and
studying it silently.10

The definition of the Koran in terms has been defined by Ahmad Von in his
book 'Ulum al-Qur'an: An Introduction to The Sciences of The Qur'an, namely The
speech of Allah sent down upon the last prophet Muhammad trough the Angel
Gabriel in its precise meaning and precise wording, transmitted to us by numerous
persons ( tawatur ), both verbally and in writing. 11 The Qur'an is the word (word) of
Allah that was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. through the angel Gabriel
precise meaning and lafaznya, delivered to the people ( mutawatir ) either orally or
in writing.

Memorizing the Koran is a process of memorizing the Koran as a

whole, both rote memorization and accuracy of reading, as well as
persevere, routinize and devote attention to protecting memorization
from forgetfulness.12

So, the notion of the ability to memorize the Koran is the capacity
of an individual to process the verses of the Koran into memory in order
to remember and recite them by heart, and expressed through certain
measurements.

2. The Priority of Tahfidz Al-Qur'an in Implementing Youth Character

Education

Following are the virtues of memorizing the Qur'an which can be a

method of character education, including:
9
Atabik Ali, Ahamd Zuhdi Muhdlor,, Arabic-Indonesian Contemporary Dictionary ,
(Krapyak: Multi Karya Grafika, nd), p. 724.
10
Dawud al-'Athar, New Perspectives on the Science of the Qur'an, trans. From Mujaz
'Ulumul Qur'an by Afif Muhammad, Ahsin Muhammad, (Bandung: Pustaka Hidayah, 1994), p. 18.
11
Ahmad Von, 'Ulum al-Qur'a: An Introduction to The Sciences of The Qur'an, (Malaysia,
Zafar Sdn Bhd, 1991), p. 17.
12
E-book: Fifi Lutfiyah, “The Relationship Between Memorizing Al-Qur'an and Learning
Achievement of Al-Qur'an Hadith for MTs students. Asy-Syukriyyah Cipondoh Tangerang ”, Thesis,
(Jakarta: Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah, 2011), p. 12.
6
 a. Increase Intelligence
People who consistently and regularly read and memorize the
Koran have increased cognitive abilities that are centered on the brain,
in other words, people who frequently read the Koran will have
increased intelligence, both intellectual intelligence (IQ), emotional
intelligence (EQ), and spiritual intelligence (SQ). Until finally it is
able to influence human behavior and character which is stored
strongly in the memory of the brain.13
b. Practicing self-discipline
The desire for implementing the task of memorizing it as well as possible and the
need to meet how memorizing al-Quran success will encourage the memorizers
of the Qur'an ( Hafiz Qur'an ) to be disciplined in carrying out their duties.
Always have the initiative improving the memorization process will
encourage discipline in doing anything that concerns the success of
memorizing the Koran.14

ANALYSIS
Tahfidz al-Qur'an is something of a very high and noble degree and
reward. The virtue of those who memorize the Koran, apart from receiving a
great reward and dignity with Allah, also has direct and concrete benefits that
can be felt. These benefits are very good and in accordance with character
education. The benefits and virtues of memorizing the Koran in character
education include:

1. Memorizing al-Qur'an ( tahfidz al- Qur'an) as a Means to Increase IQ,

EQ, and SQ
People who memorize must be istiqamah (intensively) repeat the
verses that are already memorized. This of course utilizes and optimizes
performance, sharpens memory and improves intelligence, both IQ and
EQ and SQ. people who have intelligent intelligence, of course, will have
a smart / brilliant mindset, producing innovative and creative thoughts.

13
Jamil Abdul Aziz, "The Influence of Memorizing Al-Quran on Character Building of
Students in Roudhotul Atfal (RA) Jamiatul Qurra Cimahi", Scientific Journal of Early Childhood
Development , (Vol. 2 No. 1, March / 2017), p. 7
14
Oemar Hamalik, Psychology of Learning and Teaching, (Bandung: Sinar Baru Algesindo
Offset, 2009), p. 108.
7
 Emotional intelligence (EQ) will produce a person who has a sense of
empathy, high concern, tolerance, mutual respect, and strives to be able
to contribute to society.
Children who are trained to memorize the Qur'an from an early age, will
experience an increase in spiritual intelligence very well. Because, by chanting the
holy verses of the Koran, children indirectly have a relationship with Allah SWT. A
person with spiritual intelligence can feel Allah's presence wherever they are.
Therefore, their hearts will always feel calm and will always be careful in their
actions because they realize that their every action is under the supervision of Allah
SWT. So that moral values will be preserved. Because all actions that come from
the choice of his heart, will give birth the ability to choose from anything
based on the principles of faith. Children who have high spiritual
intelligence will always do good.15

2. Memorizing al-Qur'an ( tahfidz al- Qur'an) as a means of

practicing discipline
At the Hidayatul Qur'an Dormitory (HQ) Darul 'Ulum
Islamic Boarding School, memorizing the Koran is an effort to
discipline its students, because in the process of memorizing the
Koran there are rules that must be adhered to by having the
obligation to always increase memorization verse by verse, so that a
hafidz al-Qur'an is always required to be able to divide the time to
complete his memorization target. Starting from here the character
and habits for discipline are ingrained.

The results obtained from the research at this boarding school

are: 1) There are five rules for memorizing the Koran which must be
obeyed by all students who memorize the Koran. 2) Discipline of
students in the HQ dormitory is high with a percentage of 74.88%.
3) There is a positive and significant influence between memorizing
the Koran on the discipline of students in participating in activities
at the Hidayatul Qur'an Dormitory, Darul 'Ulum Islamic Boarding
School, Jombang.16

15
Toto Tasmara, Spiritual Intelligence, (Transcendental Intelligence), forming a Responsible,
Professional and Moral Personality, (Jakarta: Gema Insani, 2001), p. 14-15.
16
Saiful Fuad Burhanuddin, "The Influence of Memorizing the Koran on Student Discipline at
the Hidayatul Qur'an Dormitory (HQ) Darul 'Ulum Jombang Islamic Boarding School", Thesis, (Darul'
Ulum Islamic Boarding School University, 2015), p. v.
8
 3. Memorizing the Koran ( tahfidz al- Qur'an) Can improve Healthy
Character

Memorizing the Koran is one of the methods and strategies for growing
and enhancing a healthy character, which means that it will create and
strengthen characters who are optimistic, active, courageous, independent, full
of enthusiasm and cheerfulness. The results of the analysis can be visualized
through the following scheme:

Program Tahfidz Koran

Upgrade Which
Increase IQ, SQ, and EQ Train Discipline Healthy Character

Character
Education Ima
ge 1.

Flow and Scheme of the Tahfidz al-Qur'an Program in Character Education

CONCLUSION

Based on the results of the above analysis, it can be concluded that the tahfidz al-
Qur'an program can cultivate and improve the character and mentality of
students, so to speak that the tahfidz al-Qur'an program can be an alternative
method and strategy used in carrying out character education, seen from the
benefits and virtues obtained by memorizing al-Qur'an ( tahfidz al-Qur'an ).

REFERENCES

Akbar, Cholis, "Glass Screen Pornography and the Suffering of Indonesian

Youth", Hidayatullah.com, http://www. hidayatullah.com/artikel/ghazwul-
fikr/pornografi-layar-kaca-dan-derit accessed on October 14, 2020.

al-'Athar, Dawud, New Perspectives on Qur'anic Science , trans. From Mujaz

'Ulumul Qur'an by Afif Muhammad, Ahsin Muhammad, (Bandung: Pustaka
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Ali, Atabik, Ahamd Zuhdi Muhdlor,, Arabic-Indonesian Contemporary Dictionary ,

(Krapyak: Multi Karya Grafika, nd).
9
Aziz, Jamil Abdul, "The Influence of Memorizing Al-Quran on Character Building
of Students in Roudhotul Atfal (RA) Jamiatul Qurra Cimahi", Scientific
Journal of Early Childhood Development , (Vol. 2 No. 1, March / 2017).

Burhanuddin, Saiful Fuad, "The Influence of Memorizing the Qur'an on Student

Discipline at the Hidayatul Qur'an Dormitory (HQ) of the Darul 'Ulum
Jombang Islamic Boarding School", Thesis, (Darul' Ulum Islamic Boarding
School University, 2015).

E-book: Fifi Lutfiyah, “The Relationship Between Memorizing Al-Qur'an and

Learning Achievement of Al-Qur'an Hadith for MTs students. Asy-
Syukriyyah Cipondoh Tangerang ”, Thesis, (Jakarta: Faculty of Tarbiyah and
Teacher Training, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah, 2011).

Hamalik, Oemar, Psychology of Learning and Teaching, (Bandung: Sinar Baru

Algesindo Offset, 2009).

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(Journal of Education and Learning. Vol. 6 No. 4).

LIickona, et al., CEP's Eleven Principles of Effective Character Education, (tt.,

Character Education Partnership, 2007).

Qadratillah, Meity Taqdir, et al., Indonesian Dictionary for Students, (Jakarta:

Agency for Language Development and Development, Ministry of Education
and Culture, 2011).

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Character", QUALITY , (Vol. 6, No. 1, 2018).

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Media Publishing, 2020).

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(Yogyakarta: Deepublish, 2020).

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Responsible, Professional and Moral Personality, (Jakarta: Gema Insani,
2001).

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Dates Sahara, http://www.rumahkurmasahara.com/2020/14/menakan-
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10