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Recent and Future trends in Islamic
Education By Mogamat Faadiel Arnold 10 October 2019
Many papers have
been written on the history and aims and objectives by academia in the
development of quality Islamic Education that will ensure human dignity, social
ethics and prosperity. The influence of the western philosophies and frameworks
on the minds of Muslim scholars can be detected in the terms, methodologies and
systems they propose, unwittingly. The need for a holistic approach that
incorporates the divine and ephemeral is core in their appeals. Fragmentation
of Islamic and Secular knowledge has been the “backbone” of destruction of the
appreciation of the value of knowledge and hence the ‘ILM [Distinguished
Awareness]The Qur'an and Prophet Mughammad PBUH refers to, has been lost within
the school and university systems and attempts to remedy the problems that have
occurred as years have gone by. A core feature that distracts researchers is
that they believe that Qur’an and secular knowledge are separate entities that
need to be combined for progress, not realising that the secular is actually the
sacred proofs of the divine miracles’ayaat and that the westerner has actually
worked to prove what Allah SWT Challenges man’s intellect to do in the Qur’an.
The desire to look for another curriculum and other textbooks other than the
Quran, goes against the Quranic challenge that all the pens and seas upon seas
cannot exhaust Allah SWT’s Word. It is not the lack of Arabic proficiency that
creates the difficulty in the quality of the learning of Islam. It is the lack
of depth, integrative meaning patterns of an Arabic word in the Qur’an. Allah
SWT relates to us that He has sent the Qur’an in Arabic so that we can use our
faculty of reflection. What is reflection Tafakkur – it is quieting the mind
from external and internal thought noises and allow the heart [centre of
Fitrah] to focus on the inherent, essential value [Fitrah] of the object of
observation, then it will by itself expose its value, as the plants and animals
communicated with Nabie Sulaiman AS. The Qur’anic stories are not fairy tales.
The Qur’an contains examples of every aspect of life and if anyone wants
guidance how to handle life’s socio-economic challenges, then Allah SWT Tells
us to Reflect on Surah Yusuf. If we have this kind of respect for the Miracle
of the Qur’an and the Practical example of the Prophet Mughammad SAW, then we
will see that Islam is the remedy for all ills and it needs no external
curriculum or leadership course to help us succeed in this life and the next.
In shaa Allah. So why are we having problems in seeing the Remedy right in
front of us? It is because we have been influenced by western systems that were
designed to feed our ego through exercising power. Allah SWT warns us in the
Qur’an not to seek power because it
belongs to Him alone . He is the rich and we are the poor. We are His workers
not His Boss. He even addresses the disbeliever as His Servants. So how is the
disbeliever His servant – he discovers the truths of Qur’an in Science and he
works to feed his family. Why do I say we are obsessed with power? It is
because we actually refuse to take the Quran as our Guide and want to create
our own new designed curricula, monitoring systems and controlled, standardise
assessment criteria that will be accredited by the western educational
institutions - which in real terms were designed by the West to break down the
selfworth of students. We are still seeking validation from the non-Muslim
institutions, even though The World Bank has admitted in their September 2017
Report that the western education system has failed and they are looking for a
new educational paradigm. The problems we face is the problems we are creating
and by which we suffer through our own hands – and even that is a Mercy from
Allah SWT to return to Him wholeheartedly. The Colonialists only gave independence
when their education, government,legal and economic systems were ingrained in
society and there were trained indigenous leaders that would keep the masses at
bay through marginalisation – and the most effective marginalisation system is
certifications based on examinations that builds fears and stops reasoning.
That keeps the strong youth unemployed and wanting while mass production
creates enormous profits with minimal labour and capital intensive industries
that destroys the environment which creates enough illness to keep the elite
medical and pharmaceutical industry flourishing. Now immediately we realise
that we are part of the destruction of our people through a capitalistic
educational system that ensures that the bell curve is maintained to ensure
a class system that drives high profits
for the few, debt for the mass middle and poverty for the majority = perfect
grounds for pseudo politics that saps the people income through taxes,
interests, debt and municipal service fees, The mere concept “Islamic
Education” subtly states that the west
own education and we did not have an education and now we have to adapt theirs
The strength of Islam lies in the Qur’anic Arabic and
Ayaat that can holistically be applied and not only incorporate any finding,
but can give deep and universal expansion of the concept.
One verse in the Qur’an can encapsulate all sciences
and research – Everything Created in Qadr [Number, Proportion, power, quantity,
scope, scale, rate, measure, value, worth, degree, grade, Divine decree]
One Ayah can
create holistic value-based meaning in all facets of existence – Everything in
the heavens and earth serves mankind as a Gift from Allah SWT
One Ayah can spiritualise every existence – Everything
Praises Allah SWT and hence Orbits in adoration of Him sabbagha
We now become
excited to see how the Qur’an is used as The Single Text for All sciences and
discoveries and how the Sunnah can ensure prosperity for all, even the
disbeliever.
Seeking
leadership is seeking power and control – a colonial trap-result - subjugation
of the masses deterioration of the quality of life
Seeking
servanthood is seeking humility and service – the Sunnah – result - freedom and
prosperity for all
The purpose of
life and death is courteous, good work –
which translates into Maruuf (universally accepted good) underpinned by
sadaqa, zakaah and nafaqa [trade and support]
Nabie Mughammad
PBUH could not read and write –yet he helped a country to transform from
barbarism to excellence because he was connected to the Fitrah in him, which
Allah SWT Gave him.
Remember that
English primarily is militaristic in its style, meaning patterns and expression
while Arabic is rhythmic, poetic, flowing and merciful. To effect change we
have to raise the English translations to the Arabic Richness and not drag
Arabic down to English elementary meanings that have reduced the value of Islam
to a series of militarised rules and regulations.
When we approach
our research and work from these perspectives we realise that Islam is enough –
it is sound, safe, harmonious, peaceful and prosperous in its submission to
truth, openness, trust and endeavour, that is opposite to theorisation , the
obsession of Modern education. We then see the need to transform the whole
system and that Islamic Studies as a subject in a oppressive school structure
then becomes just another tool of oppression. Periods, lesson plans, different
curricula that are not connected are the weapons of capitalism - divide and
rule through fragmentation of education and management because it creates
bureaucracy and competitions, what the Prophet Mughammad PBUH warned us
against, because that prevents a caring, holistic supportive community of
people.
The positive
advice of the above is a Holistic –Tauhid-based philosophy-HLL-Holistic Leisure Learning - that breeds excellence and
prosperity without the danger of arrogance.
Remember a child
is in Fitrah, Absolute Goodness and The Sharia is the Refreshment Station
/waterhole to maintain the Fitrah until we meet Allah SWT Again.
And All Good
comes from Allah SWT and everything is created in Fitrah – absolute pure divine
essence – so approach everything from a frequency of essential goodness within
the heart
And Bunyah rather means essence not
pillars “the essence of Islam is towards the sincerity of 5…
Muslims are bothers of each other so
we must not oppress each other nor hand a person over to an oppressor – help an
oppressor – stop him – but supply one another with his/her needs and Allah SWT
will supply us with our needs - graded examinations
based on memory is oppression. Something we have accepted without critical
thought.
Everything orbits in praising Allah
SWT and hence every learning exposure is discovering its means of praising
Allah SWT, the HLL allows students to venture with
holistic guidance which builds talents, skills and creativity - things
prescribed curriculum and standardised exams, kills.
The new methodology that I present here is called
Holistic Leisure Learning HLL. It can be read in full on my blog Bo Kaap Helper
Transformation of Education
Holistic is the Tauheed approach –
everything are integratively linked
Leisure – do what is easy for us
Learning – continuous
HLL – Halla – to express the Kalima and rejoice
My experience as the Islamic Art consultant of the IIUM
Islamic International University of Malaysia , as the Islamic art curriculum writer for the
international school project, put together the inherent Islamic principles in
the arts and cultures of different
nations Alghamdu Lillaah.
This work proves that modernity has its origin in
Islam, culturally, artistically, linguistically and scientifically.
The industrial revolution caused the West to become the
servants for the Muslims, while the Muslims so called backwardness was actually
the period which Islam's originality could be grounded like the youths in the
cave and then to come back into the society,
generations later. with original knowledge untainted by then modernity.
This is the Method I see in Allah’s Mercy for the
“traditionalists” to help the advanced muslims and non Muslims to return to
Allah SWT through gratefulness Alghamdu Lillaah
Bo kaap, and the
Muslim countries with their riches can now in the presence of original holistic
resource-based education give guidance
to the dying West to appreciate Islam and save themselves by following our
example
With HLL combined with NODEBTYOUTH we can set the service
example with resources Allah SWT has Given us, to save all our youths and
communities from the total destruction of human dignity, when advancement is applied without its
inherent divine essence. It is Allah SWT Mercy to drop divineless western
education and socio-economies into a downward spiral so that we as Muslims, can with
our imaan, redirect advancement through original sources to inspire new heights
that will invite many non- Muslims into Islam in shaa Allah. and those Muslims who want to lose their
faith through Western bureaucracies, will then be replaced with better people
who will love Allah SWT because they see Allah’s Mercy in everything. My
research in The Arts in Islam revealed that the conquering Arabs sat at the
feet of the artists and educated ones. They were now rulers but humbly learnt
from the conquered and then made the conquered aware of how to express divine
reference through art and architecture. This respect for the indigenous artists
made many become Muslims then and now. The arts in Islam is attracting many
into the fold of Islam through the rich Islamic heritage. Those who were
granted Wisdom by Allah through tolerance and humility, became creative for
generations. Allah SWT Grants those who put their trust in Him and not in man made systems and icons,
Wisdom to unite the old and new into marvels of remembrance of Him. In shaa
Allah.
