|
Islamic Education Movement: Recent
History and Objectives
 |
Islamic Education Movement, which is otherwise widely known
as the Movement for the Islamization of Knowledge, as a new phenomenon
started its journey sometimes in 1977-1978. A group of scholars thought that
the educational system in the Muslim World is not fulfilling the needs of
the Muslim countries and that it should be thoroughly revised and updated.
In this backdrop, the first Islamic Educational World Conference was held in
Makkah in 1977 in which more than 300 academicians, scholars and
intellectuals participated. The first Conference made certain significant
recommendations for the Islamization of Knowledge. Later more such
Conferences were held in other parts of the world in which Ulama,
academicians, scholars and intellectuals of various countries joined. Such
Conferences were held, among other countries, in Pakistan, Indonesia and
Bangladesh. This writer had the opportunity to take part in the Conference
held in Dhaka in 1980. These Conferences helped to a great extent in
crystallizing and conceptualizing what should be the future shape and
structure of the Islamic Education. Later notable institutions like
International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), USA joined in this
Movement. The prime focus of activities of IIIT since then had been on the
Restructuring of Thought and Islamization of Knowledge including
Islamization of Education.
As the outcome of the painstaking efforts of the learned scholars of various
disciplines to formulate a pragmatic Islamic Education Policy through the
Islamic Education Conferences and contribution of eminent Islamic
organizations and individuals, the first Islamic University, the
International Islamic University (IIU), Malaysia, was established.
Distinguished Islamic scholars of the world, well known for their
contribution in relevant fields, who are at the same time specialist in
their own discipline and subject and at the same time firm believer in Islam
assembled in the new alma mater. Many of these scholars were leaders of the
Islamic Movement in their own countries and were at the forefront of dawah,
Islamic activities in their own arena. Dr. AbdulHamid AbuSulayman, renowned
scholar and current Chairman of IIIT USA took the responsibility of the IIU;
Malaysia after initial work has been done by the 1st Rector of the
University Prof. Dr. A. Rauf along with his colleagues. A prolific writer,
Dr. AbulHamid has in his credit a number of publications of which ‘Towards
an Islamic Theory of International Relations’ and ‘Crisis in the Muslim
Mind’ are widely acclaimed. Dr. AbulHamid, on assuming the responsibility of
the University, vigorously started the work of Islamization of Education.
Arabic and Fiqh, Islamic Law and Jurisprudence were introduced as compulsory
university requirement courses. The University from the very beginning took
steps to gradually Islamize the subjects of the social science discipline
and the effort is still on.
Later more Islamic universities have been established in other parts of the
world following the model of IIU, Malaysia. One such university has been
established in Islamabad (Pakistan), another in Uganda in Africa and another
in Kushtia (Bangladesh). It must be admitted that the Islamic University,
Bangladesh has, to some extent, lost direction because of political
environment within the country, and the University could not make much
headway following the model of IIU, Malaysia; nevertheless it has to be
accepted that Islamic University, Bangladesh also made some contribution in
the Islamization of Education and Islamization of Knowledge. Later Darul
Ihsan University and Islamic University, Chittagong were established with
the same mission.
To many it remains a question why Islamization of Education is important and
this demands an in-depth examination and critical and careful analysis.
Islamization of Education is significant because the root cause of all
problems and malaises of the Ummah, the Muslim community, is education. If
we look at the setback and crisis of the Ummah, if we evaluate the
political, economic and social dilemma of the Muslim world and particularly
if we refer to the overall scenario prevailing in the Muslim countries from
the Islamic point of view and look at them from an Islamic vision and
perspective then we shall reach to the conclusion that the ultimate reason
for all these ills in the Muslim world lies in our failure to restructure
the education which shall not only meet the demand of our time but at the
same time make a Muslim a Muslim. Had we been able to educate Muslims, as
worthy Muslims there would not have been political, economic and social
problems in the Muslim world of the size and level as exist now. Such
prominent scholars and academicians as Ismail Raji al Faruqi, AbdulHamid
AbuSulayman and Syed Ali Ashraf, eminent educationist, Islamic scholar and
founder of Darul Ihsan University Bangladesh share this view.
Islamic educationists and scholars are of unanimous opinion that the root
cause of all problems of the Ummah is education, it is more appropriately
the crisis of education. Such thinkers and intellectuals identify the
failure of the education as being the prime reason of the crisis faced by
the world today. They think that education has failed to achieve the desired
objective because our education has ignored ethics and morality during the
last one hundred years.
The crisis humankind, the world civilization is facing is because the
curriculum of the educational institutions have ignored ethics and morality
for at least last one hundred years. As an outcome of this disrespect to
eternal moral values, our educational institutions have produced violent and
cruel man devoid of love, affection, fraternity, brotherhood and fellow
feeling. What has happened in Bosnia, Kosava, Chechnya, Iraq, Kashmir,
Afghanistan and more recently in Gujrat in India is the result of modern
education, which has produced cruel and violent man. Modern man is not
imbibed with the eternal humane values and therefore most sophisticated
nations do not mind to bomb unarmed civilian, women and children in
Afghanistan and does not mind to continue sanction against Iraq at the costs
the lives of millions of Iraqi children. Nobody can hope to change this
sorry state of affairs, to really improve the face of modern civilization
unless the educational curriculum is restructured and emphasis is given on
moral and ethical values.
What is, therefore, required is to reorganize the education on the
foundation of ethical principles, to combine moral education with
professional education. Professional excellence has to be integrated with
morality and ethics, which basically can be derived from religion. As far as
Muslims are concerned such values can be drawn from Islam and if Muslim
societies are not rectified in the light of the precept and teachings of
Islam then the Muslim societies nay the whole world is bound to suffer. That
means humankind will suffer. The solution, therefore, lies in combining
Islamic values with modern subjects in case of Muslims. Where non-Muslims
are in majority as in Japan, China and other countries modern subject should
be combined with ethics and morality. Nobody should forget that in the days
of globalization and internet in the new millennium no region remains
unaffected if any part of it is affected. Therefore the problem has to be
addressed both at regional and international levels.
Dr. AbdulHamid A. AbuSulayman, former Rector IIU, Malaysia and currently
Chairman of IIIT USA addressing a seminar in Dhaka during his recent visit
to Bangladesh pointed out: “Muslims are not performing. Bangladesh is not
performing. The Muslim world is not performing”. He pointed out that in
January 2001 (or December 2000) the total GDP of the Muslim world was US $
1100 billion whereas the GDP of Japan at that time was US $ 5500 billion,
five times more than Muslim world whereas Muslim world is spread over from
Pacific to Atlantic. Why this is the condition of the Muslim world, Dr.
AbdulHamid asked? “Why are not Muslims performing, why are not Muslims
motivated, why are not Muslims big actors in the world scene, why are they
only spectators, why they are in the fringe”, Dr. AbdulHamid asked his
learned audience in the seminar.
Dr. AbdulHamid thinks that Muslims are marginalized because: “We are not
motivated”. The present educational system has failed to motivate Muslims
and one of the foremost reasons of this is that Muslims still have slavish
mentality of the colonial period. We could not leave, get rid of slavish
mentality. We only imitate. We do not think positively and in a constructive
way. We have lost our originality and creativity. Dr. AbdulHamid thinks that
we must give due importance education deserves and integrate moral values
and ethics with modern professional knowledge. He believes that we as
Muslims should integrate professional education and social science with
Islamic values.
Now if we look back to history what we see. If we look back to Abbasi,
Usmania or Mughul period we will find that their educational system did
produce army generals or civil servants who studied the then modern subjects
and at the same were fully conversant with teachings of the Quran, Sunnah,
the Tradition of the Prophet (SAWS), Fiqh, Islamic law and jurisprudence.
There was integration in the educational systems of them. An army officer
during the Abbasi used to know not only military science but also such an
officer was conversant with the teachings of Quran, Sunnah, Fiqh and Arabic
language. Likewise a civil servant was required to study the then
professional subjects along with Quran, Sunnah, Fiqh and Arabic.
Approximately 150 to 200 years earlier, the system of education was an
integrated whole.
What is then the responsibility of the new generation of Muslims? The duty
and obligation of the Muslims, the task of the entire humankind is to think
and reflect on how to restructure the educational system and not to give
over emphasis only on professional knowledge for if we only over emphasize
on professional knowledge then we shall only produce robot and not man with
soul and values. In fact we have to structure educational system in such a
way, for all nations in all countries worldwide, which shall integrate
professional knowledge with ethics and morality and we Muslims believe it
and are fully committed to it. This can be done on the basis of religion. It
should however be made clear that the establishment of Islamic University
does not mean that the door of such educational institutions shall remain
closed for the non-Muslims. Islamic University is open for all. Any student
can study in such a university and the teachings of Islam shall not be
imposed on the non-Muslim student. Non-Muslim student shall have to study
only the educational program (including the University requirement courses).
It needs to be further examined whether non-Muslim student can be offered
optional subjects in some discipline or areas.
The message of Islam is universal. Islam addresses humankind: Ya Ayyuhan
nass, O mankind. Allah has revealed Quran not to divide mankind. The duty of
the Prophet (SAWS), was to unite people. Islam teaches man not to take away
the rights of others but to protect it. Islam stands for moderation. In real
sense there is no extremism in Islam. Islam is a middle way. Allah (SWT) in
Surat Al Baqarah has revealed: “We have created you as a balanced
community”(2:143). Allah did not tell that We created you as extreme
community.
It is, therefore, clear that if we are fully able to appreciate and realize
the true meaning of Islam, then we cannot turn out to be extremist. There is
no reason of non-Muslim being afraid of Islam. If we look back to history
then we shall find that Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) established a system in
which life, honor and property of the non-Muslims were fully secured.
Moreover, in the commonwealth established by the Prophet (SAWS) under the
Charter of Medina the Jews were self governing and autonomous and they used
to conduct the life according to their own laws. The Muslims used to follow
their own law. The state was run according to Islamic Shariah and all the
communities participated in the joint activities of the state such as
defense.
The essence of Islam is Tawheed, which not only means that Allah is one but
also it signifies that humankind is one and its honor is inviolable. The
objective of the Shariah is welfare of the mankind. Tawheed signifies the
welfare of the entire mankind. It also means and implies that believers of
Tawheed must always wish, and long for well-being and happiness of others
and must not distinguish between man and man and respect all man. There may
be small difference between man and man for various reasons but it is not
good to differentiate between man and man. It is against the principle of
Tawheed. Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) fully absorbed the full meaning of Tawheed.
He (SAWS) said in his farewell pilgrimage speech: No Arab has superiority
over non-Arab. White colored has no superiority over the black. What is the
meaning of this? There is male and female both in white skinned and black
skinned people. It signifies that female of a particular race is not
superior to male of another race nor male of a particular race is superior
to another. Likewise what is the meaning of Arabs and non-Arabs are equal.
It means Arab female is to equal to non-Arab male and non-Arab male is equal
to Arab female.
Small differences do not change the basic equality of humanity. All human
beings remain basically equal in honour, respect and dignity, despite
differences in duties and responsibilities. The differences that exist in
our society are the result of the prevalent educational system. There is
nothing to fear from Islamic education. If Islamic educational system is
established in Bangladesh the door of education shall remain wide open for
all. There shall be various options open for the non-Muslims to prosecute
their studies. New avenues shall be opened and new scopes and opportunities
shall be created. Human equality shall be pursued meticulously. The honor,
dignity and respect of the non-Muslims shall be vigorously guarded. There
shall be no compulsion in respect of religion as enunciated in the Quran: La
Ikraha Fiddeen (Surat Al Baqarah: 256).
|
|
Phase Two: Early Reforms: Technical and Military Institutes.
|
Inheritance from the Past.
|
|
|
|
St.Valentines Day
:The
effects of globalization are having a great impact on our society,
culture and moral values. Slowly and gradually social activities which
were looked down upon in the past, are now being accepted as a norm - a
part and parcel of this age of modernization. St. Valentine's Day is one
such festival, which in the recent years has seen a sudden boom in our
society and is now 'religiously' celebrated by the young and old
MORE
|
|
