My Talk in Malaysia

786

KL - Malaysia RTD

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.

Alghamdu lillaah

Shukran

Salaam

Mogamat Faadiel Arnold PTD III. BA, PhD HC

ICEE round Table Discussion KL Malaysia 10 October 2019.