Islamic Approach to Education Balancing Religious and Secular Knowledge in Pakistani Schools
Keywords:
Islamic education, curriculum integration, religious knowledge, secular knowledge, Pakistani schoolsAbstract
The Islamic approach to education emphasizes a holistic integration of religious and secular knowledge, aiming to cultivate well-rounded individuals who are morally upright and intellectually capable. In Pakistan, this approach has been pivotal in shaping educational policies and curricula, but the challenge remains in achieving a balanced curriculum that effectively combines both aspects. This article explores the historical and philosophical foundations of Islamic education, highlighting the principles that guide the integration of religious and secular knowledge. It examines the current educational landscape in Pakistan, where religious education often dominates in madrassas, while secular subjects are prioritized in public and private schools. The article argues for a more integrated curriculum that aligns with Islamic values while addressing the demands of modern society. It proposes practical strategies for achieving this balance, including curriculum reforms, teacher training, and community involvement. By aligning religious teachings with contemporary knowledge, Pakistani schools can produce students who are not only spiritually grounded but also equipped to contribute meaningfully to society. The discussion also addresses the challenges and potential resistance to such integration, offering insights into how these can be mitigated. Ultimately, the article advocates for an educational model that fosters intellectual growth, moral development, and societal progress, rooted in Islamic principles.
References
. AMAN, Nazim. "Religion and Citizenship Education in Pakistan: The Case of Gilgit-Baltistan." PhD diss., Doctoral dissertation, University of Hong Kong, 2021.
. Sunan Ibn M?jah, Kit?b al-Muqaddimah, Hadith 224.
. ASHRAF, MUHAMMED. "CLASSIFICATION OF ISLAMIC SCIENCES."
. Kamali, Mohammad Hashim. "Islam and sustainable development." ICR Journal 7, no. 1 (2016): 8-26.
. Omar, Lazim, Abdullaah Jalil, Mohd Shaifulbahri Abdullah, Abdul Wahid Salleh, and Mohd Shahrizal Nasir. "Arabic For Special Purposes In The Context Of Management Studies." Editors (2017): 167.
. Sahin, Abdullah. "Critical issues in Islamic education studies: Rethinking Islamic and Western liberal secular values of education." Religions 9, no. 11 (2018): 335.
.Ariffin, Adlina Haji. "A Comparative Analysis of Ibn Sina and Al-Ghazali: Their Philosophical Underpinnings and Contributions toward Muslim Education." PRICE: RM 35.00 (2011): 101.
. Berkey, Jonathan P. "Madrasas medieval and modern: Politics, education, and the problem of Muslim identity." Schooling Islam: The culture and politics of modern Muslim education (2007): 40-60.
. Fortna, Benjamin C. "Islamic morality in late Ottoman “secular” schools." International Journal of Middle East Studies 32, no. 3 (2000): 369-393.
. Fortna, Benjamin C. "Islamic morality in late Ottoman “secular” schools." International Journal of Middle East Studies 32, no. 3 (2000): 369-393.
. Sahin, Abdullah. "Critical issues in Islamic education studies: Rethinking Islamic and Western liberal secular values of education." Religions 9, no. 11 (2018): 335.
. Durrani, Naureen, and Máiréad Dunne. "Curriculum and national identity: Exploring the links between religion and nation in Pakistan." Journal of Curriculum Studies 42, no. 2 (2010): 215-240.
. Wolf, Patrick J., and Stephen Macedo, eds. Educating citizens: International perspectives on civic values and school choice. Brookings Institution Press, 2004.
. Anzar, Uzma. "Islamic education: A brief history of madrassas with comments on curricula and current pedagogical practices." Paper for the University of Vermont, Environmental Programme 55 (2003).
. Yasunaga, Mari. "Non-formal education as a means to meet learning needs of out-of-school children and adolescents." Montreal: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2014).
. Sathar, Zeba A., and Cynthia B. Lloyd. "Who gets primary schooling in Pakistan: Inequalities among and within families." The Pakistan Development Review (1994): 103-134.
. Evans, Carolyn. "Religious education in public schools: An international human rights perspective." Human Rights Law Review 8, no. 3 (2008): 449-473.
. Durrani, Naureen, Anjum Halai, Laila Kadiwal, Salima Karim Rajput, Mario Novelli, and Yusuf Sayed. "Education and social cohesion in Pakistan." Project Report. UNICEF (2017).
. Bano, Masooda. "Madrasa reforms and Islamic modernism in Bangladesh." Modern Asian Studies 48, no. 4 (2014): 911-939.
. Kazeem, Aramide, Leif Jensen, and C. Shannon Stokes. "School attendance in Nigeria: Understanding the impact and intersection of gender, urban-rural residence, and socioeconomic status." Comparative education review 54, no. 2 (2010): 295-319.
. Qazi, Habib. "National identity in a postcolonial society: A foucauldian discourse analysis of Pakistan’s national curriculum textbooks and their social practices in schools for shaping students’ national belonging." PhD diss., University of Leicester, 2020.
. Nelson, Matthew J. "Religious education in non-religious schools: a comparative study of Pakistan and Bangladesh." Commonwealth & Comparative Politics 46, no. 3 (2008): 271-295.
. Stambach, Amy. "Religion, education, and secularism in international agencies." Comparative Education Review 55, no. 1 (2011): 111-142.
. Wahby, Muhab Medhat. "Re-Constructing the Zeal of Hamas."
. Alberts, Wanda. Integrative religious education in Europe: A study-of-religions approach. Vol. 47. Walter de Gruyter, 2007.
. Fair, C. Christine. The madrassah challenge: Militancy and religious education in Pakistan. Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace Press, 2008.
. Nord, Warren A., and Charles C. Haynes. Taking Religion Seriously Across the Curriculum: ASCD. ASCD, 1998.
. Sathar, Zeba A., and Cynthia B. Lloyd. "Who gets primary schooling in Pakistan: Inequalities among and within families." The Pakistan Development Review (1994): 103-134.
. Gardner, Ryan S., Kate Soules, and John Valk. "The urgent need for teacher preparation in religious and secular worldview education." Religious education 112, no. 3 (2017): 242-254.
. Müftügil, Ay?e Seda. "Compulsory religion education and religious minorities in Turkey." PhD diss., Universiteit van Amsterdam [Host], 2011.
. Malik, Sajjad Anwar, Muhammad Shabbir Ch, Zahira Batool, and Sadaf Mahmood. "Challenges and opportunities in implementation of single national curriculum: A qualitative inquiry." Journal of ISOSS 9, no. 1 (2023): 85-98.
. Bahroni, Imam. "The Principle of Integrated Islamic Education." At-Ta'dib 9, no. 1 (2014).
. Byrne, Cathy. Religion in secular education: What, in heaven’s name, are we teaching our children?. Vol. 21. Brill, 2014.
. Byrne, Cathy. Religion in secular education: What, in heaven’s name, are we teaching our children?. Vol. 21. Brill, 2014.
. Ball, Stephen J., and Richard Bowe. "Subject departments and the ‘implementation’of National Curriculum policy: an overview of the issues." Journal of curriculum studies 24, no. 2 (1992): 97-115.
. Strand, Steve. "School effects and ethnic, gender and socio-economic gaps in educational achievement at age 11." Oxford Review of Education 40, no. 2 (2014): 223-245.
