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EXPLORING STUDENT MOTIVATION AND CHALLENGES IN TAHFIZ CLASS IN SELECTED

PRIVATE ISLAMIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SELANGOR: A CASE STUDY

BY

FATHIYAH SOLEHAH BINTI MOHD SABBRI

A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master in Teaching of Islamic Education

Kulliyyah of Education

International Islamic University Malaysia

JUNE 2016

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ABSTRACT

This research sought to explore the factors behind student motivation in the memorization of the Quran as well as to investigate the challenges which hindered student motivation while memorizing the Quran. It also examined how students overcome these challenges at Sekolah Menengah Islam Al-Amin Gombak and Sekolah Menengah Islam Al-Amin Bangi. A qualitative study through one to one interview to 6 participants were done to gain data for this study. The findings suggested that parents, teachers and the participants themselves influenced student motivation in the memorization of the Quran. In addition, the challenges in Quranic memorization which can be identified included time constraint, lack of motivation, unable to recall, emotional challenges and external noise. The participants overcame the challenges in memorization through the feeling of empathy, parents’ prayer and advice, continuous repetitions, early morning practices, smart scheduling for memorizing, having a partner, introspection, punishment and other learning materials.

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ثحبلا ةصلاخ

ته ةساردلا هذه ةةفرع ى ا د

بلاطلا عةدت تيلا لعاورلا ى إ

نآفقلا ظفح يمفكلا

انهأ امك ،

تيلا تيادحتلا نع ثحبت قورت

ةيرقاو بلاطلا نع

ظفلحا امك انهأ تةدح ى إ

هةفرت ةيفيكو ،

بعوغب ةيعلاسلإا ةيوناثلا ينعلآا ةسردع في بلاطلا ىدل تيادحتلا هذه ىلع بلغتلا ا

و ك

تيفجأ دقو ،ةيفيك ةسارد يه ةساردلا هذهو .يغنابب ينعلآا ةيعلاسلإا ةيوناثلا ينعلآا ةسردع تراشأ .ةساردلا هذله تاعولرلماو تناايبلا ىلع لوصحلل ينكراشع ةتس عع ةيصخشلا ةلباقلما فلح ةيرةادلا ىوتسع في نوفثؤي مهسفنأ ينكراشلماو ،ينملرلماو ،نيدلاولا نأ ى إ جئاتنلا ظ

.نآفقلا

،كلذ ى إ ةةاضلإباو هيإة

تيادحتلا تيلا

هجاوت

؛َى إ نآفقلا ظيفتح نمضتت

ةلقو ،تقولا قيض

ءاضوضلاو ،ةيفطارلا تيادحتلاو ،فكذتلا في فرضلاو ،عةادلا ةيجرالخا

شلما ناك . نوبلغتي نوكرا

قيفط نع ظفلحا في تيادحتلا ىلع ساسحلإا

،امهحئاصنو نيدلاولا ءاعدو ،فطارتلبا

،كيفش دوجوو ،ظفحلل لوادلجا ميظنت في ءاكذلاو ،فكابلا حابصلا في ظفلحاو ،فمتسلما رافكتلاو

.ةيميلرتلا داولما نع اهيرغو سفنلا ةبسامحو ،ةيتاذلا ةرجافلماو

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APPROVAL PAGE

I certify that I have supervised and read this study and that in my opinion, it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a dissertation for the degree of Master of Education (The teaching of Islamic Education).

……..….………..

Nik Md Saiful Azizi Nik Abdullah Supervisor

I certify that I have read this study and that in my opinion, it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a dissertation for the degree of Master of Education (The teaching of Islamic Education).

..………..

Adnan Abdul Rashid Examiner

This dissertation was submitted to the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and is accepted as a fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Education (The teaching of Islamic Education).

..…..………...

Tahraoui Ramdane

Head, Department of Curriculum and Instruction

This dissertation was submitted to the Kulliyyah of Education and is accepted as a fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Education (The teaching of Islamic Education).

..………..………...

Nik Ahmad Hisham Ismail Dean, Kulliyyah of Education

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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.

Fathiyah Solehah Mohd Sabbri

Signature ... Date ...

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COPYRIGHT PAGE

INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA DECLARATION OF COPYRIGHT AND AFFIRMATION

OF FAIR USE OF UNPUBLISHED RESEARCH

EXPLORING STUDENT MOTIVATION AND CHALLENGES IN TAHFIZ CLASS IN SELECTED PRIVATE ISLAMIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SELANGOR: A CASE STUDY

I declare that the copyright holder of this thesis is Fathiyah Solehah Mohd Sabbri.

Copyright © 2016 Fathiyah Solehah Mohd Sabbri. 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 Fathiyah Solehah Mohd Sabbri

………. ………..

Signature Date

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Firstly, it is my utmost pleasure to dedicate this work to my dear parents Mohd Sabbri bin Md Yudin and Che Azizah Bt Ismail and parents in law, Syed Saifuddin Al-Ayubi bin Syed Alwi and Sharifah Zubaidah Bt Syed Hassan who granted me the gift of their unwavering belief in my ability to accomplish this goal: thank you for your support and patience.

I wish to express my appreciation and thanks to my friends especially Nur Naimatu Azkiyai Abdullah and Amirah Bt Supyan who provided their time, effort and support for this study. This thesis is also dedicated to my dearest love, Syed Ahmad Miqdad Bin Syed Saifuddin Al-Ayubi who encouraged me to work harder and supported me whenever I felt lost. Thank you, husband.

Finally, a special thanks to Dr Nik Md Saiful Azizi, my respected supervisor for his continuous support, encouragement and leadership, and for that, I will be forever grateful.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract ... ii

Abstract in Arabic ... iii

Approval Page ... iv

Declaration ... v

Copyright Page ... vi

Acknowledgments ... vii

List of Tables ... xi

List of Figure ... xii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ... 1

1.1 Background of the Study ... 1

1.1.1 The Case of Malaysia ... 3

1.2 Statement of the Problem ... 6

1.3 Objectives of the Study ... 10

1.4 Research Questions ... 10

1.5 Theoretical Framework ... 11

1.6 Significance of the Study ... 13

1.7 Delimitation of the Study ... 14

1.8 Definitions of Terms ... 14

1.8.1 Motivation ... 14

1.8.2 Students’ motivation ... 15

1.8.3 Memorization of the Quran ... 15

1.8.4 Tahfiz Class ... 16

1.8.5 Private Islamic School ... 16

1.8.6 Challenges ... 17

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ... 18

2.1 Introduction ... 18

2.2 Studies on Motivation towards Learning ... 18

2.2.1 Motivation for learning by oneself ... 18

2.2.2 Motivation towards learning through influence from parents ... 20

2.2.3 Motivation towards learning through influence from teacher ... 21

2.2.4 Motivation towards learning through the use of instructional Material in the class ... 31

2.2.5 Motivation towards learning through influence from peers ... 31

2.3 Studies on Quranic Recitation and Memorization ... 32

2.4 Challenges in Learning ... 33

2.5 Islamic View on Memory... 35

2.6 Historical Background of Sekolah Menengah Islam Al-Amin ... 38

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY ... 40

3.1 Introduction ... 40

3.2 Research Design ... 40

3.3 Sample ... 41

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3.4 Reliability and Validity of the Instrument ... 41

3.5 Data Collection Procedure ... 42

3.5.1 Before the Study ... 42

3.5.2 During the Study ... 43

3.5.3 After the Study ... 44

3.6 Data Analysis Procedure ... 44

CHAPTER FOUR: ANALYSIS OF DATA ... 46

4.1 Introduction ... 46

4.2 Students Demographic ... 47

4.3 Factors Influencing Students Motivation in Memorization of the Quran ... 47

4.3.1 Family Influence ... 48

4.3.2 Self- Influence ... 51

4.3.3 Teacher Influence ... 52

4.4 Challenges in Memorization of the Quran ... 53

4.4.1 Time Constraint ... 54

4.4.2 Lack of Motivation ... 56

4.4.3 Unable to Recall ... 56

4.4.4 Emotional Challenges ... 57

4.4.5 External Noise ... 58

4.5 Overcoming Challenges in Memorization of the Quran ... 59

4.5.1 Empathy ... 61

4.5.2 Parents’ prayer and advice ... 61

4.5.3 Continuous repetition ... 62

4.5.4 Early morning practices ... 63

4.5.5 Timetable for memorizing ... 64

4.5.6 Having Partner ... 65

4.5.7 Punishment ... 65

4.5.8 Introspection ... 66

4.5.9 Other learning materials ... 66

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ... 68

5.1 Introduction ... 68

5.2 Discussion of Finding ... 68

5.2.1 Research Question 1 ... 67

5.2.2 Research Question 2 ... 73

5.2.3 Research Question 3 ... 74

5.3 Conclusion ... 75

5.4 Recommendation... 75

5.4.1 Recommendation for Sekolah Menengah Al-Amin Management 75 5.4.2 Recommendation for Teachers Improvement ... 76

5.4.3 Recommendation for Further Studies ... 77

BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 78

APPENDIX I ... 83

APPENDIX II ... 84

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1.1 Distribution of tahfiz institutions in Selangor 5

Table 3.3 Characteristics of the Participants 42

Table 4.2 Student demographic 47

Table 4.3 Three major factors of students’ motivation in Quranic memorization

47 Table 4.3.1 Summary of family factors from both schools 48 Table 4.3.2 Summary of self-factors from both schools 51 Table 4.4 Five Challenges in Quranic memorization 54 Table 4.4.1 Summary of reasons for the time constraint from both

schools

54 Table 4.4.4 Summary of reasons for emotional challenges from both

schools 57

Table 4.5 Students’ techniques of overcoming challenges in

memorization of the Quran 59

Table 4.5.1 Overcoming challenges in memorization through feeling

empathy 61

Table 4.5.2 Overcoming challenges through parents prayers 62 Table 4.5.3 Summary of table of memorization of the participants 64

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1.5 Learning Motivation Factors adapted from Salasiah, et al (2011) 13

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CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

According to Al-Ghazali (1997), engagement in learning process is the most sincere form of worshipping Allah. Through learning, one can understand and worship Allah better as His servant. The importance of learning can be seen from the first commandment given by Allah in the first revelation of the Quran:

One day, while the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) sat in a cave at Mount Hira’, Gabriel, the angel of Revelation appeared to him and said, “Recite! “He said in surprise, “What shall I recite?” Again the divine voice very clearly and openly called out, “Recite, O Muhammad!”

And the third time Gabriel repeated, “Recite in the Name of Your Lord Who created. He created the human being from a clot. Recite and your Lord is Most Honorable, Who taught (to write) with the pen, taught the human being what he knew not...” (Holy Quran, Al-Alaq 96: 1-5) (from www.ezsoftech.com/islamic/hira.asp).

The verse above indicates a clear message by Allah; that knowledge will come to those who learn. The Prophet (peace be upon him) also mentioned in one of his hadith: “Verily, knowledge comes by learning”. Muslims should learn and seek knowledge as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that seeking knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim (Al-Ghazali, 1991, p.18).

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stressed on the importance of learning especially through reciting Quran, as it can serve as a good example for all believers including purifying our morals, habits and lives at large (Latefah, 2001, as cited in Rahman, 1982). While according to Imam Al-Nawawi (1988), he stated that a believer should never be satisfied with the acquisition of knowledge till he reaches Paradise.

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Through reciting the Holy Quran, an individual is able connect between himself and his Creator.

Boyle (2006), after conducting ten months of fieldwork on the practices and tradition of Quranic memorization in Morocco concluded that;

Quranic memorization is a process of embodying the divine, the words of God and as such is a far more learner-oriented and meaningful process that is typically described. The mission of the contemporary Quranic educationing, with Quranic memorization at its core, is concerned with developing spirituality and morality as well as with providing an alternative to public education, when the availability and the quality of public education is limited (p. 478).

Memorization of the Quran started in the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) time. Surah Al-Alaq indicates this when it relates the first commandment of Allah to the Prophet to be the study of the Quran. The Prophet (peace be upon him) himself was ‘ammi’ which means ‘illiterate’. Since Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was unlettered, he memorized the revelation that was sent to him gradually through Gabriel. He made sure that he understood the revelation and memorized it well before he taught his companions the revelation.

With the spread of Islam to the whole world, the Prophet (peace be upon him) realized that there was a need for many huffaz to teach the Quran to people. Many companions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) memorized the Quran when the revelation first came to them through the Prophet.

Dr Raghib al-Isfahani in his book, ‘Orang Sibuk pun Bisa Hafal Al-Quran’

(Busy people would also memorize the Quran) concluded that memorization of the Quran is extremely important as for several reasons: 1) an immense rewards waiting for the memorizer, 2) Promise that the memorizer of the Quran enjoyed special status above all human being, 3) they are placed at the highest level in Jannah. This is proven by a hadith by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) where he said:

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“The best among you is the one who learns the Quran and teaches it”. (Al-Bukhari) While in other hadith, Abdullah ibn Amr narrated that the Prophet said, “It will be said to the companion of the Quran after he has entered Paradise, ‘Recite, and rise!’

For every verse he recites he will rise one level (in Paradise), until he recites the last verse with him (i.e., in his memory).” (Sunan Abu Dawood)

Muslims all over the world strive to memorize the Quran. In recent times there has been an increased interest in memorization due to parental demand for their children to memorize the Quran as well as the increasing number of programs on tahfiz and dakwah on television. Many people also are more aware that memorization of the Quran is important in their lives which motivates them to look for people or program to enhance their Quranic recitation and memorization. In Malaysia especially, there has been a rise in the number of people undertaking memorization of the Quran at various schools, mosques and at home.

1.1.1 The Case of Malaysia

According to Rosnani (2004), Islamic schools in Malaysia had started even before the colonization of the British.

“..Muslim children used to be sent for education under the supervision of Islamic religious teachers. These institutions for Islamic education were called Quranic Schools. With the coming of the colonialists to Malaya, the modern secular system of education was introduced to the country. It stimulated the Quranic schools to develop and evolve into a more organized and systematized institutions where the pondoks (little house) were provided within the school compound for students’ accommodation.

The pondok system was enhanced to a slightly more systematic religious school known as madrasah. After independence, the curriculum under the madrasah system was broadened to include subjects that are now offered in the national examination at the lower, upper and higher secondary levels.”

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However, the colonization by the British and Dutch led to their culture and religion being influenced in the pre-independence Malaysian education system by secular system. Based on the review of Che Noraini and Langgulung (2005), they argued that the mixed and broadened curriculum introduced in Islamic school were the reasons which made many Muslim parents trusted the Islamic schools more than the schools which only provided a secular curriculum in the syllabus. They summarized the reasons for Muslim parents’ choice as below:

i. The high cost of living has ‘forced’ both Muslim parents to work full-time, thus they have limited time to educate their children.

ii. Some parents were not able to impart religious instruction to their children.

iii. Islamic Knowledge taught at national schools was considered inadequate.

iv. Muslim parents wished to protect their children from many forms of social illnesses by imparting religious knowledge that could serve as a defense.

Now, not only the younger generation get to learn and memorize the Quran, but the older generation has the opportunity to learn it too. Statistics show that 278 Tahfiz schools are registered as public and private institutions in Malaysia. The approximate number of Huffaz can be said to be close to 13, 000 students (Jabatan Pembangunan Al-Quran, 2011).

In Selangor, there are around 80 Tahfiz institutions in all districts (Persatuan Institut Tahfiz Al-Quran Selangor, 2015). Table 1 below shows the distribution of Tahfiz institutions in all districts in Selangor.

Table 1.1 Distribution of Tahfiz institutions in Selangor

District No of Tahfiz Institutions

Sepang 3

Hulu Langat 16

Kuala Langat 7

Hulu Selangor 7

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Kuala Selangor 7

Klang 8

Petaling 15

Sabak Bernam 5

Gombak 12

The opening of many Tahfiz institutions, programs and classes has made it a lot easier for people in the community to memorize the Quran since they are not strictly for children. The first Tahfiz institution, Maahad Tahfiz al-Quran wal Qiraat known as Darul Quran can be said to be the starting point for many other educational institutions to further develop their own modules and techniques on Quranic memorization.

The government has also agreed with the implementation of Tahfiz Model Ulul Albab (TMUA) in all public secondary schools using the Integrated Tahfiz Curriculum.

The curriculum emphasizes on the Quranic approach, encyclopedia approach as well as ijtihadik (high level thinking) approach that would enable students to memorize the 30 juz of Al-Quran, become professionals with strong religious foundation based on Al- Quran and al-Sunnah, competent, credible and concerned, while at the same time optimizing their higher order thinking skills and building relationship with Allah, the people and the universe (Surat Pekeliling Ikhtisas, Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia, 2016).

Different institutions provide different tahfiz module for different purposes. By learning tahfiz, an individual can get even closer to the Creator while trying to understand and practice the religion in their lives. Interesting tahfiz modules, easily accessible instituions for learning, and the affordable fee for tahfiz program and classes encourage not only the parents but also students because they find it comfortable to learn when they can choose their own time and places to learn. However, no matter how

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good the Tahfiz programs are, they are not complete without addressing the students’

motivation to memorize.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

People tend to focus more on something that they want the most. As such, Highly motivated people expand their ultimate energy to achieve their desired goals, unlike people with low motivation who stop short when difficulties or problems arise.. (Reilly & Lewis, 1983).

This statement clearly shows that motivation is something that is already inside an individual. We are born with it. This has been corroborated by psychologists in their defining motivation as “a force originating from within the individual rather than something that the teacher does to the student, ” (Reilly & Lewis, 1983). But, the force in the individual needs to be encouraged and boosted over and over again to ensure its effectiveness.

The process of learning the Quran is not necessarily about how they learn, but how much they see and have interest in the subject during the process of learning. Being motivated would boost the level of perseverance to continue repetition to learn and memorize the Quran. When the students fail to see the necessity of learning, they tend to lose interest and do not feel motivated in the class (Wirth, K. R. & Perkins, D. 2007).

It does not matter what subject they are learning, motivation plays a crucial role in encouraging them to learn. Mc Carty and Siccon (2001), as cited in Saudullah Ali (2003), stressed that the lesson itself should be motivational, and the information presented by the teachers should be important and relevant to the students. This is essential as students’ motivation is much affected by the curriculum, syllabus and textbook of the subject, as well as parents’ role in encouraging their children. When

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students perceive something as being relevant and important to them, they will then find the learning to be meaningful.

Students should be able to relate what they are reading to the real world in their Tahfiz lesson. Students need to feel the urge and the importance of memorizing the Quran so that they will value what they memorize and will be able to spread it to others . Suleiman (2003) as cited in Syarifah Firdaus Kasim (2004) stated that both internal and external motivation play a great role in the learners’ participation and readiness in the process of learning.

In memorizing the Quran, one ought to have these two elements, understanding and motivation, so that memorization can be made into meaningful lesson. Entwistle (2003) in his analysis on understanding and memorization showed that learning through repetition contributed to the acquisition of knowledge. Students tend to get bored when they have been memorizing for too long, thus, they need some motivation in order for them to keep going. Furthermore, according to Benta and Cremene (2004) as cited in Nor Musliza Mustafa & Mokmin Basri (2014) when students are feeling motivated they are able to understand better and this supports the students’ retention on learning. This is extremely important in memorizing the Quran as students can memorize the verses faster when they can comprehend the ayah better.

Sternberg (2003) as cited in Muhammad Ikhwanuddin (2013) mentioned about how educational institutions only promote rote learning through recitation and repetition whilst ignoring that evaluation and interpretation is also crucial.

By citing Westwood (2004) he added,

Rote learning encourage students to commit to memory information which is not understood and have no functional value, where information stored is not easily retrieved and is also easily forgotten.

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Hence, when students memorize the Quran without understanding the meaning of the verse, they could lose their memorization quickly. Studies related to motivation in learning had been developed and discussed for many years. Aragon (2002) in his study on motivation asserts that students preferred teachers who provide feedback, actively participated in students’ learning as well as the materials used in supporting learning.

On the other hand, studies on motivation in recitation and memorization of the Quran are scarce. A study on visually impaired students’ attitudes in learning Quranic recitation showed low students’ motivation (Hajarul Bahti Zakaria, Ab Halim Tamuri, Norshidah Mohd Salleh & Mohd Huzairi Awang, 2014). The reason seem to be lack of motivation from both themselves and the teachers in encouraging them recite the Quran better.

Additionally, based on the review of studies on Quranic memorization with relation to motivation, there are only a few studies related to parental role in promoting Quranic memorization. A study done by Norkhairolizah (2005) found that parents played greater role in developing children’s mind setting and academic goal, while at the same time, they were pivotal in establishing a routine and monitoring their children’s memorization of the Quran. In addition to that, parents also took part in providing a good environment to support their children’s Quranic memorization.

While a study on the use of video in increasing students’ understanding and motivation shows that it helps in positively encouraging students to be more active and focused. Students also understand the lesson better as they became interested in learning (Cik Wan Noorli, Che Haslina & Tengku Muhaini, 2011).

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Based on the studies above, there are some factors in learning that could be highlighted: 1) attitude and interest of the students in learning, 2) motivation from parents and teachers as well as 3) the use of instructional material in the class.

There is also still a lack of study on the challenges faced by students in the memorization of the Quran and how they overcome the challenges. Statistic showed that out of 10 students who memorize the Quran, one of them tend to forget their memorization after some time. While there are some students who do not finish their memorization at scheduled period and do not continue memorizing after that (source:

JAKIM).

A research on obstacles to learning identify several difficulties in learning which are: 1) being unable to admit we don’t know, 2) having the pretense of knowing, 3) not granting permission to others to teach you anything, 4) needing to look good, 5) being blind to your cognitive blindness, 6) needing too much clarity, 7) not having time, 8) not willing to dive deeply, 9) being overly serious, 10) judging yourself as you attempt to learn, 11) confusing knowing with learning, 12) excluding the body from learning and some others (Metamorphosis, Teaching Learning Communities, 2010).

Thus, by seeking the challenges behind students’ motivation, it will help to minimize the gap of the study in the field of Quranic memorization. Since tahfiz program in SMIAAG and SMIAAB are basically based on the parents’ wish for their children to memorize the Quran, it is important to seek for some factors behind students motivation in memorization of the Quran while at the same time stress on the barriers faced by students and how they overcome the barriers while memorizing.

Thus, the current research aims to address these deficiencies in the understanding of the role of motivation in the memorization of Quran in order to provide pragmatic

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solutions to challenges in maintaining an optimal level of motivation as well as memorization as a whole.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

As students need motivation in learning, a study on the factors behind their eagerness to learn is necessary. This study is set to achieve the following objectives:

1. To explore the factors behind motivation in the memorization of the Quran, 2. To investigate the challenges that impede the students’ motivation while

memorizing the Quran,

3. To clarify techniques implemented by students in order to overcome the barriers in Quranic memorization.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions are formulated to further elaborate on students’

motivation and challenges in Tahfiz class:

1. What are the factors underlying students motivation in memorizing the Quran?

2. What are the challenges that impede students’ motivation in the memorization of the Quran?

3. How do student overcome challenges in the memorization of the Quran?

1.5 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Studies related to motivation had long been discussed by scholars. However, studies on motivation in Islam have just recently increased in number. Since this study focused on

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the motivation in Quranic memorization which falls under Islamic studies, it is important to point out the Islamic perspective of motivation.

Seifert (1999) mentioned,

Motivation refers to the impact of reinforcement on behavior. A reinforcement that works effectively is considered to be motivating. If receiving gold stars for academic performance makes a student work harder, then gold stars are motivating; if praise is what works, then praise is motivating (p.181).

Motivation in Islam can be divided in two namely the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation comes from one’s own desire to achieve or overcome challenges. So, they do not need any incentive to encourage them to do any work. The satisfaction coming from the work itself is a reward for them. Extrinsic motivation refers to motivation to perform a behavior in order to get rewards and avoid punishment (Alizi and Mohammad Zaki, 2005). They added that the intrinsic motivation may decrease due to extrinsic rewards.

Alizi and Mohammad Zaki (2005) then supported their argument by raising questions on whether Muslims should perform ibadah as a submission to Allah or because they are afraid of the consequences that comes by not performing or neglecting it. They then pointed out that those with high level of iman would be more likely to perform ibadah for the sake of Allah.

Extrinsic motivation can help teachers in motivating students. Gold stars, tokens, candy, stickers, honor rolls, special treats like field trips, praise, test grade and class rank are among the familiar extrinsic motivators teachers routinely use by providing students with something they desire.

(Fuhrman & O’day., 1996, p.34).

While Ola Abdel-Kawi and James Kole (1991) stated that extrinsic motivation helped in encouraging Muslims to do better. In their observation of the process of motivation, an Islamic model of the process was developed. The model involved a

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sequence; it started with the explanation on the rewards given, the witnessing of past experiences that were satisfactory and then followed by the good conduct of behavior.

Chang (2005) as cited in Garcia & Pintrich (1996) then defined intrinsic motivation as participation in an activity due to curiosity and one’s desire to engage and contribute to something. When students engage in this kind of motivation, they tend to develop a goal that they themselves want to achieve regardless of the difficulties they may face. In addition to that, Chang (2005) as cited in Dev (1997) also defined extrinsic motivation. These are outside motives that developed from the goal provided in front of them. He gave the example of a student who studied hard to get a good grade so that he/she could get a new car. Thus, learning through extrinsic motivation can hardly lead students to study for the purpose of knowledge but rather, it was manipulated by other things.

Salasiah et al. (2011) in their research on students’ motivation in Islamic education provide an overview on the factors behind their motivation. The figure below shows their model of learning motivation factors.

Figure 1.5 Learning Motivation Factors adapted from Salasiah, et al (2011) Intrinsic Motivation

Student's personality Spiritual connection with Allah

Extrinsic Motivation Family

Peer Financial Teacher

Facilities in Learning

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13 1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is important as many schools in Malaysia provide Tahfiz classes at their respective schools. The increasing demand parents and guardians for Tahfiz schools in sending their children to memorize the Quran shows how much this study will help in understanding the factors underlying motivation in memorizing the Quran particularly in Tahfiz classes at Sekolah Menengah Islam Al-Amin, Gombak and Bangi. As much as the parents wants their children to memorize the Quran, do the children themselves willingly undertake the task and set their target in memorization of the Quran? This research could be the starting point for further research in exploring the students’

motivation in Quranic memorization.

The findings will help stakeholders, especially teachers to further tap into students’ motivation in memorizing the Quran effectively, while students in particular can be encouraged to increase their efforts in memorizing the Quran without depending on others’ influence.

Other than that, this study will help lower the gap in Quranic memorization in relation to motivation while at the same time suggest ways in which challenges that block student motivation in memorization of the Quran can be overcome. When barriers have been pointed out, it will help teachers as well as the students to implement ways to encourage their motivation in memorization of the Quran.

1.7 DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study was limited to six Tahfiz students (3 students from Sekolah Menengah Islam Al-Amin Gombak and 3 students from Sekolah Menengah Islam Al-Amin Bangi). It is restricted in finding out the students’ motivation in memorizing the Quran in Tahfiz class.

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