PRESERVING CULTURAL IDENTITY THROUGH ISLAMIZATION OF EDUCATION:
IMPLICATIONS FOR MUSLIM HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
BY
SAUDULLAH ALI
A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in
Education (Social Foundations of Education)
Kulliyyah of Education
International Islamic University Malaysia
JULY 2016
ii
ABSTRACT
The departure of Muslims, in their lifestyles and social behaviours, from the right path of Islam and the resultant loss of adab in Muslim individuals; and the scientific backwardness in Muslim communities indicate that the Ummah is experiencing a crisis in cultural identity. To address this issue, this study argues for the importance of preserving Islamic culture as the cultural identity of the Muslim Ummah and analyses the role of Islamization of education in enhancing the mission of Muslim higher education institutions in the preservation of this cultural identity. The analytical research approach was employed to achieve the purposes of the study. The concepts and ideas related to cultural identity and Islamization of education were grasped by exploring the Muslim intellectual heritage. The problem of Islamic cultural identity among Muslims was examined based on the literature from primary and secondary sources. In order to analyse the role of the agenda of Islamization of education, the study identified first the requirements of the preservation of an Islamic cultural identity. To achieve these requirements and to solve the problem of cultural identity crisis of the Ummah, the study asserts the agenda of Islamization of education which is based on the Islamic philosophy of education and includes Islamization of several aspects of education. In analysing the role of Islamization of education, the practices of International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), as a model of Islamization, were analysed. The study found that indications of a crisis in cultural identity exist and internal and external causes or challenges are still working as a threat to cultural identity. It also found that the most important requirements of cultural preservation are achieving the goals and objectives of Islamic culture; fulfilling its functions and providing its components; and maintaining its characteristics. The study further demonstrates that Islamization of education and the practices of Islamization at IIUM have helped to achieve the requirements of preserving Islamic cultural identity. The most important implications derived from the study regarding preserving the Islamic cultural identity are accepting preservation of Islamic cultural identity as an important mission of Muslim higher education institutions; acknowledging the role of Islamization of education in preserving Islamic cultural identity; and implementing the principles and practices of Islamization of education. The most important of these are providing education based on the tawÍīdÊ paradigm and making Islamization and integration as the cores of the vision and the mission; implementing a comprehensive Islamized educational curriculum; generating research and publications with Islamic perspectives; providing non-formal education and awareness programmes from Islamic perspectives; providing co-curricular and extra-curricular activities incorporating Islamic values and ethics; and practising Islamization in educational management and services.
iii
ﺚﺤﺒﻟا ﺺﺨﻠﻣ
نأ ا دﺎﻌﺘﺑ ﲔﻤﻠــــــﺴﳌا ﻢﻴﻘﺘــــــﺴﳌا طاﺮــــــﺼﻟا ﻦﻋ
ﻢﺗﻬﺎﻴﺣ ﺔﻘﻳﺮﻃ ﰱ
،
،ﻲﻋﺎﻤﺘﺟﻻا كﻮﻠــــــﺴﻟا ﰲو و
ﻦﻣ ﻪﻨﻋ ﺞﺘﻧ ﺎﻣ
ﻣﻼـــــﺳﻹا بدﻷا عﺎﻴـــــﺿ ﻲ
و ،داﺮﻓﺄﻛ ﻟا
ﻒﻠﺨﺘ ﻲﻤﻠﻌﻟا ﰱ ا تﺎﻌﻤﺘﻟﻤﺠا ﱐﺎﻌﺗ ﺔﻣﻷا نأ ﱃإ ﲑـــــﺸﺗ ﺔﻴﻣﻼـــــﺳﻹ
ﻦﻣ
ﺔﻴﳘأ نﺎﻴﺑ ﻮﻫ ﺔـــــــﺳارﺪﻟا ﻩﺬﳍ ﻲـــــــﺴﻴﺋﺮﻟا فﺪﳍا نﺈﻓ ،ﺔﻠﻜـــــــﺸﳌا ﻩﺬﻫ ﺔﳉﺎﻌﳌ .ﺔﻴﻓﺎﻘﺜﻟا ﺎﻬﺘﻳﻮﻫ ﰱ ﺔﻣزأ ا
ظﺎﻔﳊ
،ﺔﻣﻸﻟ ﺔﻴﻓﺎﻘﺛ ﺔﻳﻮﻬﻛ ﺔﻴﻣﻼــــﺳﻹا ﺔﻓﺎﻘﺜﻟا ﻰﻠﻋ ﻢﻴﻠﻌﺘﻟا تﺎــــﺴــــﺳﺆﻣ ﺔﻤﻬﻣ ﺰﻳﺰﻌﺗ ﰱ ﺔﻴﺑﱰﻟا ﺔﻤﻠــــﺳأ رود ﺺﺤﻓو
ﻩﺬﻫ فاﺪﻫأ ﻖﻴﻘﲢ ﰱ ﻲﻠﻴﻠﺤﺘﻟا ﺞﻬﻨﳌا ماﺪﺨﺘـــــﺳا ﰎ ﺪﻗو .ﺔﻴﻣﻼـــــﺳﻹا ﺔﻴﻓﺎﻘﺜﻟا ﺔﻳﻮﳍا ﻰﻠﻋ ظﺎﻔﳊا ﰲ ﱄﺎﻌﻟا ا ﻦﻣ ﻞﻜﻟ ﺔﻘﻠﻌﺘﳌا رﺎﻜﻓﻷاو ﻢﻴﻫﺎﻔﳌا ضاﺮﻌﺘــــــــــــــﺳا ﰎو .ﺔــــــــــــــﺳارﺪـﻟا ﺧ ﻦﻣ ﺔﻴﺑﱰﻟا ﺔﻤﻠــــــــــــــﺳأو ﺔﻴﻓﺎﻘﺜﻟا ﺔﻳﻮﳍ
لﻼ
ﻰﻠﻋ ءﺎﻨﺑ ﺔﻣﻸﻟ ﺔﻴﻓﺎﻘﺜﻟا ﺔﻳﻮﳍا ﺔﻠﻜــﺸﻣ ﺔــﺳارﺪﻟا ﻩﺬﻫ ﺖــﺼﺤﻓ ﺪﻗو .ﻲﻣﻼــﺳﻹا يﺮﻜﻔﻟا ثاﱰﻟا فﺎــﺸﻜﺘــﺳا ﺔﻳﻮﳍا ﻰﻠﻋ ظﺎﻔﳊا تﺎﺒﻠﻄﺘﻣ ﺪﻳﺪﲢ ﻻوأ ﰎ ﺪﻘﻓ ،ﺔﻴﺑﱰﻟا ﺔﻤﻠــــــــــــــﺳأ رود ﻞﻴﻠﺤﺘﻟ .ﺔـﻳﻮﻧﺎـﺜﻟاو ﺔـﻴﻟوﻷا ردﺎــــــــــــــﺼﳌا ﻩﺬﻫ ﻖﻴﻘﺤﺘﻟو .ﺔﻴﻣﻼـــــــﺳﻹا ﺔﻴﻓﺎﻘﺜﻟا ﺔـــــــﺳارﺪﻟا ﻩﺬﻫ ﺪﻛﺆﺗ ،ﺔﻣﻷا ﰱ ﺔﻴﻣﻼـــــــﺳﻹا ﺔﻓﺎﻘﺜﻟا ﺔﻣزأ ﻞﺣو ،تﺎﺒﻠﻄﺘﳌا
ﰎو .ﺔﻴﺑﱰﻟا ﺐﻧاﻮﺟ ةﺪﻋ ﺔﻤﻠـــــﺳأ ﻦﻤـــــﻀﺘﺗ ﱵﻟاو ﺔﻴﻣﻼـــــﺳﻹا ﺔﻴﺑﱰﻟا ﺔﻔـــــﺴﻠﻓ ﻰﻠﻋ ﺔﻴﻨﺒﳌا ﺔﻴﺑﱰﻟا ﺔﻤﻠـــــﺳأ ﺞﻣ�ﺮﺑ ﻠﲢ ﺪﻨﻋ ،ﺔﻓﺮﻌﳌا ﺔﻤﻠـــﺳﻷ جذﻮﻤﻨﻛ،�ﺰﻴﻟﺎﲟ ﺔﻴﳌﺎﻌﻟا ﺔﻴﻣﻼـــﺳﻹا ﺔﻌﻣﺎﳉا تﺎـــﺳرﺎﻤﳌ ﺔـــﺻﺎﺧ ﺔﻴﳘأ ءﺎﻄﻋإ ﻴ
رود ﻞ
بﺎﺒــــــﺳأ نأو ،ﺔﻣﻷا ﰱ ﺔﻴﻓﺎﻘﺛ ﺔﻣزأ ﺮﻫﺎﻈﻣ كﺎﻨﻫ نأ ﱃإ ﺔــــــﺳارﺪﻟا ﻩﺬﻫ ﺞﺋﺎﺘﻧ ﺖﻠــــــﺻﻮﺗ ﺪﻘﻟ .ﺔﻴﺑﱰﻟا ﺔﻤﻠــــــﺳأ .ﺔﻴﻓﺎﻘﺜﻟا ﺔﻳﻮﻬﻠﻟ ﺪﻳﺪﻬﺘﻛ ًﺎﻌﻣ ﻞﻤﻌﺗ لاﺰﺗ ﻻ ﺔﻴﺟرﺎﺧو ﺔﻴﻠﺧاد ت�ﺪﲢو ﻢﻫأ نأ ﺔــــــــــــﺳارﺪﻟا ﻩﺬﻫ ﺞﺋﺎﺘﻧ ﺮﻬﻈﺗو
اﺪﻫأ ﻖﻴﻘﲢ :ﻲﻫ ،ﺔﻴﻣﻼـــــــﺳﻹا ﺔﻴﻓﺎﻘﺜﻟا ﺔﻳﻮﳍا ﻰﻠﻋ ظﺎﻔﳊا تﺎﺒﻠﻄﺘﻣ ﻣﻼـــــــﺳﻹا ﺔﻓﺎﻘﺜﻟا ضاﺮﻏأو ف
مﺎﻴﻘﻟاو ،ﺔﻴ
ﺔﻴﺑﱰﻟا ﺔﻤﻠــﺳأ ﺞﻣ�ﺮﺑ نﺑﺄ ﺎــﻀﻳأ ﺔــﺳارﺪﻟا تﺮﻬﻇأو .ﺎﻬــﺼﺋﺎــﺼﺧ ﻰﻠﻋ ظﺎﻔﳊاو ،ﺎﺗﻬ�ﻮﻜﻣ ﲑﻓﻮﺗ ﻊﻣ ﺎﻬﻔﺋﺎﻇﻮﺑ ﻰﻠﻋ ظﺎﻔﳊا تﺎﺒﻠﻄﺘﻣ ﻖﻴﻘﲢ ﰱ ﲑﺒﻛ ﺪﺣ ﱃإ تﺪﻋﺎــﺳ ﺔﻤﻠــﺳﻷا ﰱ ﺔﻴﳌﺎﻌﻟا ﺔﻴﻣﻼــﺳﻹا ﺔﻌﻣﺎﳉا تﺎــﺳرﺎﻤﳑو ﻫأ نأ .ﺔـﻴﻣﻼــــــــــــــﺳﻹا ﺔـﻴﻓﺎـﻘﺜﻟا ﺔـﻳﻮﳍا ﻳﻮﳍا ﻰﻠﻋ ظﺎﻔﳊا ﺔﻤﻬﻣ ﺰﻳﺰﻌﺘﻟ ﺚـﺤﺒﻟا اﺬـﻫ ﻦﻣ ﺔـﻴﻘﻴﺒﻄﺘﻟا تﺎـﺣﱰﻘﳌا ﻢ
ﺔ
تﺎﺴﺳﺆﻣ ﰲ ﺔﻴﺳﺎﺳأ ﺔﻤﻬﻤﻛ ﺔﻴﻣﻼـﺳﻹا ﺔﻴﻓﺎﻘﺜﻟا ﺔﻳﻮﳍا ﻰﻠﻋ ظﺎﻔﳊا ﺔﻴﻠﻤﻋ رﺎﺒﺘﻋا :ﻲﻫ ،ﺔﻴﻣﻼـﺳﻹا ﺔﻴﻓﺎﻘﺜﻟا ﻣﻼــــﺳﻹا ﺔﻴﻓﺎﻘﺜﻟا ﺔﻳﻮﳍا ﻰﻠﻋ ظﺎﻔﳊا ﰲ ﺔﻴﺑﱰﻟا ﺔﻤﻠــــﺳأ رود ﺔﻴﳘأ فاﱰﻋاو ؛ﺔﻣﻷا ﰱ ﱄﺎﻌﻟا ﻢﻴﻠﻌﺘﻟا ﻴ
ﺬﻴﻔﻨﺗو ؛ﺔ
سﺎـــــﺳأ ﻰﻠﻋ ﺔﻴﺑﱰﻟا ﱘﺪﻘﺗ :ﻲﻫ ،ﺔﺣﱰﻘﳌا تﺎــــﺳرﺎﻤﳌاو ئدﺎﺒﳌا ﻩﺬﻫ ﻢﻫأو .ﺔﻴﺑﱰﻟا ﺔﻤﻠــــﺳأ تﺎــــﺳرﺎﳑو ئدﺎﺒﻣ ؛ﻞﻣﺎﻜﺘﻣ ﻲﻣﻼـــــــﺳإ ﻲﻤﻴﻠﻌﺗ ﺞﻬﻨﻣ ﺬﻴﻔﻨﺗو ؛مﺎﻬﳌاو ﺔﻳؤﺮﻠﻟ ةﺮﻫﻮﺟ ﻞﻣﺎﻜﺘﻟاو ﺔﻤﻠـــــــﺳﻷا ﻞﻌﺟو ؛ﺪﻴﺣﻮﺘﻟا ةﺪﻴﻘﻋ ﱪﻟا ﲑﻓﻮﺗو ؛ﺔﻴﻣﻼــــــــــﺳإ ﺮﻈﻧ تﺎﻬﺟو ﻊﻣ تﺎــــــــــﺳارﺪﻟاو ثﻮﺤﺒﻟا ءاﺮﺟإو ﻴﻣﺎﻈﻧ ﲑﻐﻟا ﻢﻴﻠﻌﺘﻟاو ﺔﻴﻋﻮﺘﻟا ﺞﻣا
ﻦﻣ ﺔ
؛ﺔﻴﻣﻼــــــﺳﻹا قﻼﺧﻷاو ،ﻢﻴﻘﻟا ﺞﻣد ﻊﻣ ﺔﻴﻔــــــﺻﻼﻟا ﺔﻄــــــﺸﻧﻷاو كرﺎــــــﺸﳌا ﺔﻄــــــﺸﻧﻷا ﲑﻓﻮﺗو ؛ﻲﻣﻼــــــﺳإ رﻮﻈﻨﻣ
.تﺎﻣﺪﳋا ﱘﺪﻘﺗو ﺔﻴﺑﱰﻟا ةرادإ ﰲ ﺔﻤﻠﺳﻷا ﺔﺳرﺎﳑو
iv
APPROVAL PAGE
The dissertation of Saudullah Ali has been approved by the following:
_____________________________
Rosnani Hashim Supervisor
_____________________________
Ssekamaya Siraje Abdallah Internal Examiner
_____________________________
H. Sutrisno External Examiner
_____________________________
Aminuddin Hassan External Examiner
_____________________________
Othman Omran Khalifa Chairman
v
DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this dissertation is the result of my own investigations, except where otherwise stated. I also declare that it has not been previously or concurrently submitted as a whole for any other degrees at IIUM or other institutions.
Saudullah Ali
Signature... Date...
vi
INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA
DECLARATION OF COPYRIGHT AND AFFIRMATION OF FAIR USE OF UNPUBLISHED RESEARCH
PRESERVING CULTURAL IDENTITY THROUGH ISLAMIZATION OF EDUCATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR
MUSLIM HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
I declare that the copyright holder of this dissertation is Saudullah Ali
Copyright © 2016 Saudullah Ali. All rights reserved.
No part of this unpublished research may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder except as provided below
1. Any material contained in or derived from this unpublished research may only be used by others in their writing with due acknowledgement.
2. IIUM or its library will have the right to make and transmit copies (print or electronic) for institutional and academic purpose.
3. The IIUM library will have the right to make, store in a retrieval system and supply copies of this unpublished research if requested by other universities and research libraries.
By signing this form, I acknowledged that I have read and understand the IIUM Intellectual Property Right and Commercialization policy.
Affirmed by Saudullah Ali
……….……. ……….……..
Signature Date
vii
DEDICATION PAGE
Especially dedicated to:
My loving parents, Ali Hussain and Zubaidah Ibrahim My beloved wife, Fathimath Sahula
My dearest children: Irsham, Raaim and Azka
viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Rabb of the all worlds Who has endowed the human with absolute guidance to perform the role of vicegerency on earth as a good servant. Thanks to Him for giving me strength to face all trials and turbulences in the effort of striving for success in this world and in the Hereafter, Al-Íamd lillÉh.
My heartfelt gratitude and highest appreciation are due to my supervisor Prof.
Dr. Rosnani Hashim for her invaluable support, unconditional patience and insightful guidance from the beginning to the end of this work. She was the one who helped me most in attaining courage to accomplish this task at a time when I was disappointed as I had gone through a psychological condition because of many things that had happened to me. Her support was extended to ease my mind. I am really indebted to her. My appreciation also goes to those who have educated me and enlightened me in this task, especially Prof. Dato’ Dr. Sidek Baba, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suhailah Hussien and Assoc.
Prof. Dr. Ismail Sheikh to name a few.
My sincere thanks are extended to the Dean of the Kulliyyah of Education Prof.
Dr. Nik Ahmad Hisham; to Prof. Dr. Rosnani Hashim, the former Dean; to Assoc. Prof.
Dr. Arifin B. Mamat, Deputy Dean Post Graduate and Research (PGR); and to Assoc.
Prof. Dr. Ismail Hasanein, the former Deputy Dean PGR and all the administrative staff for their kind help and cooperation.
My acknowledgement goes to the management and the staff of The Maldives National University (former Maldives College of Higher Education) for providing me the opportunity to read for my Ph.D and for supporting me. In the same way, my gratitude goes to those who helped me financially till the end of this task, especially Ban’dos Island Resort.
I am deeply grateful to my loving parents, Zubaidah Ibrahim and Ali Hussain, for being my source of life who educated me (rabbayÉnÊ) in my young age and inspired me in seeking knowledge even if it requires going to the farthest lands. Thanks to my siblings and my in-laws for their sincere help and unwavering support. I specifically mention the names of Ms. Mariyam Suwaida, a relative in-law, and her spouse Mr.
Mohamed Shakeel for their greatest support to me in completing this tough journey of my life.
To my supportive life-partner, Fathimath Sahula, I thank for her willingness to be with me to face all hardships in this life and for her support in various aspects. To my adored children, Irsham, Raaim and Azka, I thank for their understanding and being adaptive to any unpredictable changes and situations.
May Allah reward all those who contributed directly or indirectly to accomplish this study. Especially those who provided me some insights and suggestions to improve the study from among my friends and relatives. May Allah, the Almighty, grant all of us happiness and success in this world and the Hereafter. Āmīn Yā Rabb al-‘Ālamīn.
ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract ... ii
Abstract in Arabic ... iii
Approval Page ... iv
Declaration ... v
Copyright ... vi
Dedication Page ... vii
Acknowledgements ... viii
Table of Contents ... ix
List of Figures ... xiv
Transliteration Table ... xv
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ... 1
1.1 Background to the Study ... 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem... 9
1.3 Purpose of the Study ... 10
1.4 Research Questions ... 11
1.5 Significance of the Study ... 12
1.6 Definition of Terms ... 13
1.7 Previous Studies ... 15
1.7.1 Culture and its Problem in the Muslim Ummah ... 15
1.7.2 Preserving Cultural Identity in the Muslim Ummah ... 19
1.7.3 Islamization as a Remedy for the Malaise of the Ummah ... 22
1.8 Limitations of the Study ... 28
1.8.1 The Reason of Focusing on Higher Education Institutions ... 28
1.9 Theoretical Framework ... 29
1.10 Research Methodology ... 31
1.11 Organization of the Study ... 35
CHAPTER TWO: THE CONCEPT OF CULTURAL IDENTITY ... 38
2.1 Introduction... 38
2.2 The Concept of Cultural Identity in General ... 38
2.2.1 The Concept of Culture in General ... 38
2.2.1.1 Lexical Definitions of Culture ... 40
2.2.1.2 Definitions of Culture in Different Human Sciences ... 40
2.2.2 The Concept of Identity in General... 44
2.2.3 Relationship between Culture and Identity ... 46
2.2.4 Characteristics and Elements of Cultural Identity ... 46
2.3 The Concept of Islamic Cultural Identity ... 48
2.3.1 Definition of ‘ThaqÉfah’ as the Equivalent for ‘Culture’ ... 48
2.3.2 The Concept of Al-thaqÉfah al-IslÉmiyyah (Islamic Culture) ... 52
2.3.3 Definition of ‘Huwiyyah’ as the Equivalent for ‘Identity’ ... 53
2.4 Conclusion ... 57
x
CHAPTER THREE: CULTURAL IDENTITY CRISIS IN THE MUSLIM
UMMAH ... 60
3.1 Introduction... 60
3.2 The Meaning of Cultural Identity Crisis in the Ummah ... 60
3.3 The Genesis of Cultural Identity Crisis of the Ummah ... 64
3.3.1 Beginning of Disintegrating of the Ummah ... 64
3.3.2 Development of the Cultural Identity Crisis ... 66
3.4 Internal Causes of the Cultural Identity Crisis ... 68
3.4.1 Departing of Muslims from the Islamic Way of Life ... 68
3.4.2 Distortion of Islamic Concepts among Muslims... 70
3.4.3 Intellectual Stagnation and Crisis in the Muslim Mind ... 73
3.4.4 Negligence of Social Fabric of the Muslim Ummah ... 74
3.4.5 Spreading of Extremism instead of WasaÏiyyah ... 75
3.5 External Causes of the Cultural Identity Crisis ... 76
3.5.1 Colonization ... 76
3.5.2 Evangelism ... 78
3.5.3 Orientalism ... 79
3.5.4 Secularism ... 81
3.5.5 Westernization ... 82
3.5.6 Globalization ... 84
3.6 Manifestations of Cultural Identity Crisis in the Ummah ... 86
3.6.1 Adapting a Lifestyle Apart from the Islamic Way of Life ... 87
3.6.1.1 Secular Trends in Political Practices ... 87
3.6.1.2 Westernized and Dualistic Education Systems ... 89
3.6.1.2.1 Westernization of Education and Intellectual Dependency on the West ... 90
3.6.1.2.2 Dualism of Education... 93
3.6.1.2.3 Neglecting of the National Languages in Education ... 94
3.6.1.3 Neglecting Islamic Principles in Economic Practices ... 96
3.6.1.4 Disregarding Islamic Values in Social Issues... 96
3.6.2 Improper Practices in Individual and Social Behaviours ... 98
3.6.3 Scientific and Technological Backwardness... 102
3.6.4 The Manifestations of Extremism ... 103
3.7 Conclusion ... 105
CHAPTER FOUR: ISLAMIC CULTURE AS A BASIS FOR CULTURAL IDENTITY: THE FRAMEWORK AND THE IMPORTANCE ... 107
4.1 Introduction... 107
4.2 The Conceptual Framework of Islamic Culture ... 107
4.2.1 A Summary on the Concept of Islamic Culture ... 108
4.2.2 Themes and Components of Islamic Culture ... 109
4.2.3 Sources of Islamic Culture ... 111
4.2.4 Goals and Objectives of Islamic Culture ... 115
4.2.5 Functions of Islamic Culture ... 117
4.2.6 Characteristics and Features of Islamic Culture ... 119
4.3 Importance of Preserving Islamic Culture for Muslims ... 131
4.3.1 Reasons Why Preserving National Cultural Identity is Important .. 131
4.3.2 Recognizing Diversity in Cultural Identities ... 135
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4.3.3 The Benefits of Islamic Culture for Muslims ... 137
4.3.4 The Need for Preserving Islamic Culture among Muslims... 139
4.4 Conclusion ... 141
CHAPTER FIVE: ISLAMIZATION OF EDUCATION (IOE): A SOLUTION FOR CULTURAL IDENTITY CRISIS ... 143
5.1 Introduction... 143
5.2 The Role of Education in Preserving Cultural Identity ... 143
5.2.1 Importance of Education in Preserving Cultural Identities ... 144
5.2.2 Importance of an Islamized Education for Muslims ... 146
5.3 Islamization of Education: A Solution for Cultural Identity Crisis of the Ummah ... 152
5.3.1 Background of the Agenda of Islamization of Education ... 152
5.3.2 The Concept of Islamization of Education (IOE) ... 157
5.3.2.1 Islamization of Human Knowledge and Relevantization of Revealed Knowledge... 161
5.3.2.2 Islamization of Curriculum and Educational Philosophy . 164 5.3.2.2.1 The Concept of Integrated Islamic Curriculum ... 167
5.3.2.3 Developing Teachers to be as ‘MurabbÊn' ... 168
5.3.2.4 Islamization of Other Aspects of Education ... 169
5.3.3 The Role of IOE in Solving the Problem of Cultural Identity Crisis ... 170
5.3.3.1 Disciplining (Ta’dÊb) of Muslim Individuals ... 171
5.3.3.2 Making Muslim Ummah as the Best Nation ... 174
5.4 Conclusion ... 176
CHAPTER SIX: PRESERVING CULTURAL IDENTITY THROUGH ISLAMIZATION OF EDUCATION (IOE): IIUM AS A MODEL ... 179
6.1 Introduction... 179
6.2 Iium as a Model for Islamization of Education ... 179
6.2.1 Philosophy, Vision and Mission of IIUM ... 181
6.2.2 Islamization Policies of IIUM ... 184
6.2.3 Practices of IIUM towards an Integrated Islamic Education ... 185
6.2.3.1 Islamization and Integration as the Cores of IIUM Vision and Mission ... 185
6.2.3.2 Comprehensive Islamized Educational Curriculum ... 191
6.2.3.2.1 Islamization through the University Core Courses . 192 6.2.3.2.2 Islamic Perspective Courses in Different Disciplines of Knowledge ... 193
6.2.3.2.3 The Special Case of IRKHS in Islamization and Integration ... 197
6.2.3.2.4 Credited Co-curricular Programs to Develop Muslim Personality ... 200
6.2.3.2.5 Islamic Perspective Programs at Different Institutes . 201 6.2.3.3 Research and Publications with Islamic Perspectives ... 201
6.2.3.4 Islamization through Non-formal Education and Awareness Programs ... 205
6.2.3.4.1 Trainings, Short-courses, Workshops, and Consultancies with Islamic Perspectives ... 205
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6.2.3.4.2 Conferences, Seminars, and Symposiums with Islamic Perspectives ... 208 6.2.3.4.3 Forums, Discussions, and Public Lectures with Islamic Perspectives ... 210 6.2.3.5 Islamization in Educational Management and Services ... 211
6.2.3.5.1 Making Islamic Values and Ethics as a Work Culture ... 211 6.2.3.5.2 Preserving Islamic Customs, Traditions and Codes of Ethics ... 214 6.2.3.5.3 Practicing Islamic Principles and Maintaining Islamic Characteristics ... 215 6.2.3.5.4 Helping in Developing Muslim Personality with TaqwÉ and AkhlÉq ... 217 6.2.3.5.5 Emphasizing on the Spirit of Islam when
Facilitating Different Activities ... 219 6.2.3.5.6 Assisting in Contributing to the Ummah and
Collaborating with Others ... 219 6.2.3.6 Co-curricular and Extra-curricular Activities that Support Islamization ... 220
6.2.3.6.1 Community Services Activities for the Ummah and Humanity ... 221 6.2.3.6.2 Islamic Awareness Programs and Activities ... 222 6.2.3.6.3 Activities to Enhance Muslim Unity and
Brotherhood ... 223 6.2.3.6.4 Activities to Build Muslim Character and Islamic Spiritual Development ... 224 6.2.3.6.5 Art and Cultural Activities with the Spirit of Islam 225 6.3 Analysis of the Role of the Practices of IIUM and the Agenda of IOE in Preserving Islamic Cultural Identity ... 226
6.3.1 Achieving the Goals and Objectives of Islamic Culture ... 227 6.3.2 Fulfilling the Functions of Islamic Culture and Providing its
Components ... 232 6.3.3 Maintaining the Characteristics of Islamic Culture ... 241 6.4 Conclusion ... 242 CHAPTER SEVEN: IMPLICATIONS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
INSTITUTIONS TO ENHANCE THE MISSION OF PRESERVING
ISLAMIC CULTURAL IDENTITY (ICI) ... 245 7.1 Introduction... 245 7.2 Implications for Muslim Higher Education Institutions ... 245
7.2.1 Accepting Preserving Islamic Cultural Identity as an Important Mission of Muslim Higher Education Institutions ... 246 7.2.2 Acknowledging the Role of Islamization of Education in the
Mission ... 248 7.2.3 Implementing Islamization of Education to Enhance the
Mission ... 250 7.2.3.1 Providing Education Based on TawÍÊdÊ Paradigm and Making Islamization the Core of Vision and Mission ... 250 7.2.3.2 Implementing a Comprehensive Islamized Educational
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Curriculum ... 252
7.2.3.3 Producing Research and Publications with Islamic Perspectives ... 254
7.2.3.4 Providing Non-formal and Awareness Programs with Islamic Perspectives ... 255
7.2.3.5 Practicing Islamization in Educational Management and Services ... 255
7.2.3.6 Providing Co-curricular and Extra-curricular Activities Incorporated with Islamic Values and Ethics ... 256
7.3 Conclusion ... 257
CHAPTER EIGHT: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ... 259
8.1 Introduction... 259
8.2 Summary of the Study ... 259
8.3 Contribution of the Study for Theory and Practice ... 265
8.4 Recommendations of the Study ... 267
8.4.1 Recommendations for Further Research ... 269
8.5 Conclusion ... 270
REFERENCES ... 273
APPENDIX A:PRACTICES OF IIUM REGARDING IMPLEMENTING A COMPREHENSIVE ISLAMIZED CURRICULUM ... 293
APPENDIX B:SUGGESTED CONTENTS TO PROVIDE THE COMPONENTS OF ISLAMIC CULTURE ... 298
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure No. Page No.
1.1 Theoretical Framework of Preserving Islamic Cultural Identity 30
4.1 Conceptual Framework of Islamic Culture 108
5.1 The Processes of Islamization of Education 161
6.1 The Role of IOE in Preserving Islamic Cultural Identity 226
7.1 A Model for Enhancing the Mission of Preserving Cultural Identity at Higher Education 246
7.2 The Processes of a Comprehensive Islamized Curriculum 252
7.3 The Steps of Islamizing Educational Management and Services 256 7.4 Extra-curricular Activities Incorporated with Islamic Values and Ethics 257
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TRANSLITERATION TABLE
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1
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Every community has the right of preserving and asserting its cultural identity. The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (UN General Assembly, 1966) and the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (UNESCO, 2003) affirm that. As a way to preserve cultural identity, the UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education held in 1998 noted that “higher education is required to preserve and assert cultural identity, promote the propagation and creation of cultural values” (Ohiorhenaun, 1998, p. 6). Therefore, clear mission goals in this regard are outlined in many university strategic plans. As for the Muslim nations, the objectives of the Charter of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) affirm to make Islamic culture the basis of educational curricula at all levels and to consolidate authentic Islamic culture and to protect the independence of Islamic thought against all forms of invasion and all factors of cultural alienation, distortion and disfigurement (Al-Twaijiri, 2001). Islam, as a comprehensive way of life, emphasizes on preserving the Islamic identity and to be proud of it. The Holy Quran (in many verses, such as Sūrah al-Baqarah: 111-112, 120, 128-129, 132- 133, 135-136, 138-139, SËrat Al-AnÑÉm: 161-162, SËrat FuÎÎilat: 33, and the whole SËrat Al-ÑaÎr) talks about the importance and the benefits of keeping Muslims with the religion of Islam, its Shariah and ethics as a way of life in this world. Many of the verses warn Muslims about the dangers of abandoning this way and imitating blindly the ways of life of unbelievers (such as in Sūrah al-Baqarah: 130, Sūrah Ól-ÑImrÉn: 149, Sūrah YËnus: 7-8, and the whole SËrat Al-ÑaÎr).
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However, in today’s world, the Islamic cultural identity is facing a crisis as a result of cultural imperialism on Muslims and the subsequent blind imitation of alien cultures on one hand, and as a result of misunderstanding Islam and following traditions which has no relation with the spirit of Islam, on the other hand. As a result, there is a decline in the effectiveness of the Islamic ideology which was found in the first Muslim society representing the true Islamic culture. Malek Bennabi (2000) expresses that there is a disconnection between principles and practices, and between the spiritual and social elements of the life of the Muslims. This disconnection divides the life into two parts where one part regulates the religious affairs and another part organizes the worldly affairs separately.
One of the major aspects of cultural identity crisis in Muslim societies is the negative impact of cultural globalization on Muslims. It encourages establishment of a religion-free secular society in which the role of Islam diminishes to the end, and leads to the destruction of Islamic culture (Tarabichi, 2000). It is true that globalization promotes some healthy cultural exchange, but in many cases it provides harmfulness to Islamic cultural identity. For instance, in the political field, most Muslim countries, whether they were under Western colonialism or not, adopt the rule by a generation nurtured on secular trend. Westernized Muslim rulers did not grasp the fact that their programs weaken the foundations of the faith and culture of their people. It is difficult for Muslim leaders to understand the real connection between the manifestations of Western productivity and power, and the Western worldview. They think it is necessary for Muslims to follow the secular trend and Western worldview in the political systems.
The seriousness of this issue is described by Muhammad Al-Mubarak (1980) when he says that the introduction of the democratic system without adaptation of it to Islam and without considering the firm foundations of Islam in Muslim societies led to the chaos
3
and the propagation of legally licensed immorality. It also resulted the spreading of all types of debauchery and wickedness. One of the examples of cultural globalization in the field of politics is what happened to the State of Tunisia. By virtue of running in the secular trends, Tunisia has taken far from Islam and its culture and as a result has lost its culture from the Islamic idea in various fields. The rulers of Tunisia imposed several reform agendas that ensured this direction such as disallowing polygamy, enforcing women to go out for working without headscarf, cancelling of Shariah courts, and implementing a new law for personal status instead of the Islamic law of AÍwÉl ShakhÎiyyah (Al-NadwÊ, 1985).
In the field of Education, many of the Muslim nations are following the Western educational curriculum which is rather alien to Islamic culture and identity. Through this curriculum, the individuals learn the secular values and ideologies of the West which do not support the spiritual and divine values of Islam. There is the risk that such curriculum prepares students with no sense of pride in the national identity who could contribute to promote culture and national development. Education has a very huge impact on social life in formation of culture of the society and its transmission from generation to generation including values, ethics, attitudes, customs, and traditions.
Therefore, any defect in the objectives, contents or the methodologies of education that does not imbue with the Islamic cultural identity would give a significant impact on the culture of the society. This impact is apparent from all the fields of life of the Muslim Ummah today. For instance, a significant proportion of Muslims working in professions in business and commercial sectors do not care about the Islamic principles and teachings related to their transactions and activities. The sad reality is that such attitudes and bahaviours are based on the notion that the Westernization is the path to progress.
Yet evidence relating to progress suggest otherwise. Ali A. Mazrui (1998) illustrated
4
real cases. He noted that the Japanese after Meiji Restoration in 1868 asked themselves whether they could economically modernize without culturally Westernizing. The Japanese proceeded to adopt the strategy of “Western technique—Japanese spirit” and transformed the country into a major industrial power while remaining culturally authentic. However, in the 1920s and 1930s, the Turks under Mustafa Kamal Ataturk also asked themselves the same question: “Can we economically modernize without culturally Westernizing?” The result in Mazrui’s words is:
The Turkish answer was “No – cultural Westernization is the only route towards modernization.” They substituted the Roman alphabet for Arabic in writing the Turkish Language; they westernized the legal system; they outlawed the fez; and of course, they abolished the monarchy and the caliphate. And yet in the final analysis, Turkey’s pace of industrialization and economic transformation was fare slower than Japan’s (Mazrui, 1998, p. 122).
Here also, it is important to admit that most of the contents and methods that comprise the Western education system are beneficial for Muslims in many ways.
However, at the same time it carries the elements which spoil the social, ethical and spiritual fabric of the Islamic world. According to Al-JamÉlÊ (1972) problems and dangers that carry the Western system come to us by borrowing that system without a full harmony and compatibility of the needs of Muslims and their spiritual traditions.
One of the dangerous impacts of this education system is the intellectual dependency on the West. As any other system, the Western educational system carries in it the Western personality, their values, and their worldview. Al Naduwi (1985) says that just as a living being, the educational system has a spirit and a conscience. The spirit and the conscience are the shadow of the belief and psyche of the builders of any educational system, their aims and objectives of knowledge and study of the universe, their worldview, and their ethical appearance. The spirit which flows in the framework of the educational system definitely flows in all the sciences it includes. This spirit
5
transfers to the pupils who later on become the leaders for governance, business, manufacturing, sciences and arts. The colonial powers in Muslim lands tried to do this as the educational colonial politician Lord Macaulay who was the president of educational committee in India in 1835 said in his report:
We must at present do our best to form a class who may be interpreters between us and the millions whom we govern; a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinions, in morals, and in intellect (Young, [1979] 2007, p. 375).
The effect of Western social sciences on the thoughts of students also proves the impact of Western educational system on Islamic cultural identity. Regarding studying Western literature, Mohamed Asad states that:
The boundless exaggeration of Western values and concepts naturally induces young and unripe minds to imbibe wholeheartedly the spirit of Western civilization before its negative aspects can be sufficiently appreciated. And so the ground is prepared not only for a Platonic adoration of Western values, but also for a practical imitation of the social forms based on those values: something which can never go hand in hand with the spirit of Islam (Asad, 1982, p. 70).
Another impact of this kind of education on cultural identity is the dualism, i.e.
the existence of two educational systems in the same time with contradiction and without harmony in the most part of it (Husain & Ashraf, 1979). The most important effect of educational dualism is dichotomy in the social and intellectual structure of the Muslim Ummah which encourages existence of two different groups. One group is connected to the heritage of the Ummah but needs the knowledge of progressed modernity, and the other is connected to the West widely but needs the basics of Islamic knowledge and thinking. As a result of this dichotomy, the Ummah has lost the cultural unity and harmony. This was exactly what happened to nearly all the Muslim nations.
They are suffering from cultural, social and political crisis. The problems created by favouring of some foreign languages over the national languages are also one of the
6
impacts of the Westernized education. The reason is that national languages act as the entity and identity of any nation and they carry the ethics and tradition of that nation.
The second major aspect of cultural identity crisis in the Muslim Ummah is the improperness of individual and social behaviours in accordance with the ethics of Islam.
The cultural milieu which the Muslim individual lives today and forms his or her identity through it, is not the Islamic idea of “the best nation among the people” who advertise good and forbid the bad and believe in Allah as it was happened in the time of the prophet and the Guided Caliphs. The culture in the Muslim Ummah is not but a mixture of traditions inherited from the weakened era which has no relation with the spirit of Islam, of the innovations came from different cultures, of personal actions which lacks awareness and understanding, and of faint images of the teachings and verdicts of Islam which has the least natural or logical relation between each other. One of the examples of this aspect in the Islamic Ummah is that some Muslims left the right path of the Islam behind. According to Ibn Taymiyah (2003) the right path is not what we believe and our intentions only, but it includes the manifested deeds and words of us whether they are the acts of worship or merely the customs and traditions we follow in actions like eating, clothing, marriage, housing, meeting, travelling etc. These external manifestations have a strong relation to what we believe and what we feel.
Regarding following the right path in today’s Islamic world we can notice that some Muslims are not performing the religious rituals such as ÎalÉt, Îawm, zakÉt and Íajj and sometimes this happen without any fear or deterrence. Another example is denying the Islamic principles and traditions accusing that as stagnant and backward. So the way of life including the social customs, the way of thinking, and the behaviour have deviated morally. As Al-Mawdudi (1985) depicts, the life of these Muslims after they admitted to the Islam and performing some inherited decrees such as marriage and circumcision,
7
there is nothing to be said that they are following the Islam in all their acts and bahaviours. Some of them are only concerned with performing the specific ÑibÉdah such as ÎalÉt or Îawm without giving any consideration to perform all their duties towards Allah and all the humans. The result is that there are so many rights of others are been lost. Muhammad Al-Mubarak (1977) says that we can find some Muslims performing the obligatory and some voluntary ÑibÉdah, but at the same time they, for examples, may not pay back an extended debt, deny employee’s rights, monopolize a necessary good, charge exorbitant profits at the expense of the needs of the people, or neglect their responsibilities in their jobs. Some others may take the nearest or the easiest meaning of the Islamic morals whereas they neglect the more important parts of the same morals.
AmÉnah (trustworthiness) for example, in their understanding is to return a wadÊÑah (trust) only whereas they neglect to consider the responsibilities of a job they do as amÉnah that they have to be responsible for it.
Some more examples of practices of Muslims away from the Islamic ethics and behaviours are extravagance and wastefulness of the wealth; hypocrisy and showing off in happy as well as in sad occasions; disorder and lack of sense of responsibility among the people where everyone is concerned only about the self; lack of attention to hygiene in an Ummah where its doctrine is based on cleanliness and makes removing even a very small harmful thing from the road as a charity; lack of sincerity in the work in an Ummah where it requests its followers to be efficient in all the work; and duplicity, hypocrisy and silence on mistakes whatsoever the magnitude in the relationship between the head and the employees. All these examples show how far Muslims have gone beyond the Islamic cultural framework in many affairs of their life, and in many of their personal and collective behaviour. According to Bennabi (1986), the consequence of this ethical paralyzing is the weakness of the Ummah which hampers
8 the effort to raise the Ummah.
The third major aspect of cultural identity crisis in Muslim Ummah is scientific and technological backwardness. The contemporary civilization arose on the basis of science and technology. However, the share of Muslims in this regard is very little compare to the developed countries. Most of the Islamic countries are categorized under developing or third world countries. According to InÎÉf Akram MandËrah (1985) some Muslim nations tried to alleviate this backwardness and catch up with the contemporary civilization by working at narrowing the technological and scientific gap between developed countries and developing countries. Some believed that this civilizational backwardness is due to the lack of materials. So the nations that have adequate finance started importing equipment and devices from the Western world assuming that they are building a foundation for a strong civilization. On the other hand some of the nations those have poor financial position, felt frustrations because they thought that the basis of civilization and progress is the purchasing power. Malek Bennabi (2003) discussed this disappointing feeling of inferiority caused to some Muslims by their backwardness.
He asserts that the source of this backwardness is the thought and not the materials because the progress of the contemporary world depends mainly on the intellectual measures. Furthermore, he emphasized on the importance of the moral factor as a guided direction that should be accompanied with the power of scientific thought. It is regrettable that many of the Muslim societies have weakness and backwardness as the Swedish economist Gunnar Myrdal described the reasons for the backwardness of some Asian nations. Among these are lack of discipline, lack of punctuality, superstitious beliefs, unreasonable views, lack of attention and accommodation to issues, unpreparedness for innovation and progress, despising handworks, and lack of spirit of cooperation (Myrdal, 1968). The main reason for this backwardness is that Muslims are
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not withholding rightly in their religious teachings—the teachings that made a civilization and cultural environment for innovation and creation.
The fourth major aspects of the cultural identity crisis in the Muslim Ummah is the spreading of extremism, i.e. being outside of the middle path or wasaÏiyyah that Islam is based on. The causes of this extremism are various. Yusuf Al-Qardawi (1984) has pointed out two main reasons for it. One reason is the poor insight about the Islam, i.e. lack of in-depth understanding and knowledge of its secrets, and lack of access to understand the purposes and the spirits of Islam. The second reason is following the trend of literal understanding of the Islamic scripts. The most significant manifestations of extremism are fanaticism and lack of recognition of other opinions; over emphasizing of religious obligations although Islam allows simplicity, and rejects compelling others to do what they do not have to do; cruelty in dealing, harshness in style, and vulgarity in inviting to the Islam; mistrust of people and accusing them for a simple reason without looking at their justifications; and accusing blasphemy where the extremists decline the infallibility of others and consider their blood permissible to shed and their money permissible to take.
It is clearly apparent from the above discussion that the contemporary Islamic Ummah is facing a crisis in its cultural identity where many Muslims are confused about their cultural identity. This condition of the Ummah requires thinking and taking serious actions regarding the issue of the cultural identity.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
From the above discussion it is obvious that the Muslim Ummah is facing a crisis in its cultural identity. The undesirable consequences of this at individual level are the alienation of Muslims from the right path of Islam and the resultant loss of adab. The
