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Towards the Construction of a Contemporary Islamic Educational Theory 
Fathi Malkawi     
  
Islamization of Knowledge: Conceptual Background, Vision and Tasks       
Salisu Shehu

Economic Guidelines in the Qur'an  
S.M. Hasanuz Zaman    

Contribution of Islamic Thought to Modern Economics  
Misbah Oreibi    

An Introduction to Islamic Economics       
Muhammad Akram Khan

Islamic Thought and Culture       
Isma'il R. al Faruqi

Islamization of Knowledge: Background, Models and the Way Forward
Malam Sa'idu Sulaiman

More books... 

A Holistic and Institutional Analysis of Islamic Education PDF Print E-mail
Mawdudur Rahman
 
Knowledge is the source of economic, social, and political energy as well as divine enlightenment. An individual or a nation succeeds only by gaining and using beneficial knowledge. Gaining useful knowledge and using it for a proper cause for the pleasure of Allah is emphasized in Islam. The Qur’an mentions repeatedly the importance of knowledge (Qur’an 30:22, 36:36, 39:9, 58:11). The Prophet also emphasized the importance of acquiring knowledge in many contexts: “A person who follows the path of acquiring knowledge, Allah will make easy for him/her the passage to paradise” (Muslim) and “A person who goes out of his/her house in search of knowledge, he/she is on Allah’s way till the person returns” (Tirmidhi).

The Prophet encouraged Muslims to be unrelenting in their search for useful knowledge and considered an ‘alim (learned person) superior to an ‘abid (worshiper) (ibid.). In the Qur’an, Allah reserved higher ranks for people of knowledge (Qur’an 58:11). The Prophet said: “Wisdom is the lost property of the faithful, who deserve it most wherever it may be found.” Muslim scholars accepted all useful knowledge that is consistent with Shari‘ah (al Faruqi 1992).

We acquire knowledge through formal and informal education systems. Schools, colleges, and universities are institutions that provide formal education. In addition to schools and universities, we gain knowledge from such informal sources as the family unit, social ‘ groups, and personal undertakings. Islam made the acquisition of knowledge a priority for all Muslims, and scholars and students are blessed in Islam (Tirmidhi). Knowledge, however, has to be useful to the cause of the creation and to the praise of the Creator. Islamic knowledge benefits human society, complements nature, and advances spiritual gain.

While such contemporary Muslim scholars as I. R.al Faruqi (1987), Siddiqui (1991), and Safi (1992) have researched the Islamization of knowledge and the secular-religious duality of education, these topics are not the focus of this paper. We will deal with the contingency or situational approach in Islamic education, examine the educational processes used to gain knowledge of Islamic principles, and propose behavior modifications in accordance with these principles.

Din al Islam

Islam is not a religion in the ordinary sense of the word. It is a din: a complete code of life that is integral and that is to be adopted in its entirety. Islam combines our activities in this world and in the hereafter (Qur’an 2:200-203; 3:22) and requires us to acquire knowledge that will benefit human society in both worlds.

The Qur’an and the Sunnah, as sources of the Shari’ah, provide a unified knowledge. Without knowledge of the Shari‘ah, the power of Islam as a complete code of life and the integrity of Islam remain unknown. The unity, integrity, and balance of Islam enable a Muslim to fulfill the mission of life with the pleasure of Allah. Imagine being a professional in the fields of medicine or engineering without having the proper qualifications. This may bring disaster to oneself and to society. Similarly, an ignorant Muslim harms not only himself/herself but also to the Muslim society.

The lack of Islamic knowledge among the vast majority of Muslims is the primary cause for not practicing Islam. In a recent survey, Yousif (1992) showed that more than 80 percent of Muslims living in Canada are “less committed” and “least committed” to practicing Islam. He commented that this apparent lack of commitment to Islam will intensify a future identity crisis for Muslims if a proper institutional base is not created and maintained.