Qur’anic Foundation of Islamic Education

1. Qur’anic Foundation of Islamic Education Dr. Q Abdus-Sabur Adjunct Professor of Education Virginia Commonwealth University http://home.comcast.net/~qabdussa

2. Workshop Objective • Imams as teachers • What do teachers teach • Teaching the curriculum www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=1119

3. سورة المائدة (Al-Ma'idah) • الْيَوْمَ يَئِسَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن دِينِكُمْ فَلاَ تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَاخْشَوْنِ الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلاَمَ دِينًا • This day have those who reject faith given up all hope of your religion: yet fear them not but fear Me. This day have I perfected your religion for you completed my favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.(5:3)

4. Role of Imam • The primary responsibility of an Imam is to teach… • What do we teach? • Qur’an? • Sunnah? • Do we also teach cultural practices? • Black nationalism • Imitate Arab, African, Pakistani, Etc.

5. سورة الحجرات(Al-Hujuraat) • يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَى وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ • O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things). (49:13)

6. What should we teach • The religion of Islam is based on Qur’anic principles • They are “Universal” and applicable to all human societies (cultures) • We, as teachers, must teach Islam in the context of our American culture.

7. We must teach … • The “Qur’anic way of Life” • There can be a difference between what is perceived as • an “Islamic” way of life and • a “Qur’anic” way of life

8. Islamic way of life • Sometimes what is considered an Islamic way of life contains cultural practices some of which are contradictory to Qur’anic principles • Examples • Women are inferior to men • Dress • Nationalism

9. Women are inferior to men • For Muslim men and women for believing men and women for devout men and women for true men and women for men and women who are patient and constant for men and women who humble themselves for men and women who give in charity for men and women who fast (and deny themselves) for men and women who guard their chastity and for men and women who engage much in Allah's praise for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward. (33:75)

10. Dress • O ye children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment (clothing) upon you to cover your shame as well as to be an adornment to you but the raiment (clothing) of righteousness that is the best. Such are among the signs of Allah that they may receive admonition! (7:26)

11. Nationalism • Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) farewell khutbah. • All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over a white - except by piety and good action. http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/prophet/lastsermon.html

12. Qur’anic way of life • Aysha said that the character of the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) was the Qur'an. (Muslim: Hadith 1623) • Referring to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) Qur’an states, “And thou (stands) on an exalted standard of character. (68:4)

13. Qur’anic Character • Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) internalized Qur’anic principles • Then applied those principles in the context of his cultural life • Muslim Americans need to do the same

14. Understanding the Teaching Process www.upenn-msa.org/.../education/pastevents.html

15. If Imams are teachers.. • What do teachers teach? • Pass on the belief, values, norms and ways of understanding from older members of society to its youth. • If you live in an non-Qur’anic society what is usually being taught? • Social values, some of which may be contradictory to Qur’anic principles (e.g. dating, social drinking, etc.)

16. If Imams are teachers.. • As Imams we must totally understand the education process • We cannot effectively educate Muslims (young & old) if we do not • Important concepts used to understand the education process • Political Economy • Ideology • Schooling (any form of education)

17. The social, cultural, economical, political, and demographic dimensions of a society (social classes, multicultural highly technological) How its structures, processes, and physical and mental resources give it its character and distinctiveness (e.g. meritocracy – the best rises to the top) Political Economy

18. Ideology • Refers to the beliefs, values and ways of understanding that guide policy formation in a society (e.g. all men are equal but women are less equal than men) • Explains and justifies the society’s institutions and social arrangements (e.g. Black children are not very smart so society should spend less money on their education)

19. Schooling • All activities that take place within a society of an educational nature • Includes schools, religious institutions, and mass media, • Includes planned courses & programs of study, sports, clubs, school newspapers, and all unplanned learning experiences (learning moral values from TV)

20. Political Economy Ideology Schooling Ecological Relationship • A change in one forces a change in the others • Examples: America, Developing Nations, Arab Nations

21. America & Western Nations • Political Economy – democratic, capitalistic, liberal, highly technological • Ideology – highly competitive, individualistic, moral values are often self-defined • Schooling – highly partitioned (private schools vs. public schools), education focuses on individual success

22. African & Developing Nations • Political economy – agricultural, little technology, developing economic system, sometimes corrupt leadership • Ideology – family centered, moral values are passed on through generations, strong work ethic • Schooling – education is focused on future economic growth of the nation

23. Arab Nations • Political Economy – monarch or oligarchy, father centered, oil wealth makes technological growth possible • Ideology – believe women inferior to men, moral values based on societal interpretation of Qur’an, deeply rooted cultural practices • School – two systems (religious vs. secular), often modeled after western schools, divided on Islam vs. modernity

24. Muslim Americans • Political Economy – poor or working class, little collective political / economic power • Ideology – believe Islam can correct perceived social injustices, American individualism undermines collective progress • Schooling – usually accept the existing public systems

25. Therefore for Muslim Americans • Political & economic characteristics are unique • Ideology should be grounded in Qur’anic principles – not compromised through tendency toward individualism • Existing educational institutions are inadequate (schools, mass media, & “uninformed” religious leaders

26. What’s Needed • A Qur’anic based approach to education • A curriculum approach that can be used by teacher & Imam • What follows is such an approach www.athensnewspapers.com/.../111701/ g_alhudaislamic4.shtml

27. Curriculum … the aggregate total of all activities, academic, social, and spiritual in an educational setting that contributes to the Qur'anically guided intellectual development of individuals as they internalize the oneness of Allah's creation and their subservient role therein

28. Testing our Definition • Were these three components present during the time of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)? • Academic Content; Social Solidarity & Spirituality www.oerb.com/teachers/ curriculum.asp

29. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) & Companions • Muslims were encouraged to learn to read; teach what they had learned; & travel in search of knowledge • Muslims developed a unique subculture among the Arabs; social unity was based on Qur'an & Sunnah • Qur'anic principles were an integral part of learning & Muslim life

30. Educating Muslim Americans • An effective educational program for Muslim Americans must include these three major components: academics, social solidarity, and spirituality; these components must be balanced, and they must reinforce specific educational goals.

31. Academic Content • A variety of subject offerings: academic classes offered at the Masjid • Extracurricular activities: Masjid organized trips & events: www.uvm.edu/academics/

32. Social Solidarity • An existing social purpose for schooling • Desire for collective participation in society • Works to end excessive individualism ca.geocities.com/local343/

33. Spirituality • Spiritual basis for all educational activities • Foundation of educational objectives should be grounded in Qur’anic principles www.divinedigest.com/ islamscript.htm

34. Contemporary American Education • These three components have consistently been part of American education: even today when there is a ubiquitous claim of the separation of church and state

35. 1600s - late 1700s (New England states) • Emphasis in reading writing , and memorization of Christian scriptures • Centered upon development of a new nation • Based on Puritan Christian beliefs www.gettysburg.edu/~s330558/ schooling.html

36. 1800s - early 1900s • Influenced by Common School Movement • Emphasis on academics necessary to participate in a republican democracy • Centered on unifying immigrant, rural and urban citizens toward common goals • Based on a universal view of Christian beliefs members.rogers.com/robandsheila/ frederictongallery2.html

37. 1900s - Present • Comprehensive high school academic, industrial and commercial courses • Two types of solidarity: those that society supports and those that society discriminates against • Emphasis is placed on a secular spirituality based on enlightenment ideology www.waldner.de/schule/medienfluegel/ e_kalkar.html

38. Danger for Muslim • The real danger for Muslims is the placing of emphasis on a secular spirituality in American educational activities.

39. Secular Spirituality • Religion is "a system of beliefs and practices by means of which a group of people struggles with [the] ultimate problems of human life” (J. Milton Yinger, Sociologist) • Further, he argues that communism and nationalism function as religions, as does science when it becomes a "way of life" for people rather than just a methodology.

40. Secular humanists … • Believe that there is no God • That mankind is the result of evolutionary forces • That we have no transcendent spiritual qualities • That the highest goal of human action is to maximize human fulfillment.” • (Judge B. Hand, 1987) Cited in Warrren A. Nord from Religion & American Education: Rethinking a National Dilemma

41. Imams … • Need to understand the effects of the above discussion on Muslim Americans • Must teach Qur’anic principles in a way that addresses cultural practices inconsistent with Qur’anic principles

42. The Role of Schooling in a Society • Schools & other educational activities, (TV, music, religious institutions, etc) transmit the beliefs, values, norms of a society to its members • Imams must understand American society, the ways in which it is consistent and inconsistent with Qur’anic principles, and teach these differences to believers mongolia.worldvision.org.nz/ lightfuture.html

43. Religion & American Education (Nord) • We modern-day Americans have a spiritual problem. There is something fundamentally wrong with our culture. We who have succeeded so brilliantly in matters of economics, science, and technology have been less successful in matters of the heart and soul.This is evident in our manner and morale; in our entertainment and our politics; in our preoccupation with sex and violence; in the ways we do our jobs and in the failure of our relationships; in our boredom and unhappiness in this, the richest of all societies. (Religion and American Education By Warren Nord)

44. So, what does it all mean? • Muslim institutions that adopt secular ideology and teach classes in Arabic & Qur’anic studies 1) understand the importance of living according to Qur’anic principles; • But, at the same time they may be unconsciously teaching that Allah’s laws do not apply to daily practices in American life. • In this case, they are in fact teaching the separation of church & state and that is contradictory to Islam.

45. Oh Allah… Please forgive us our shortcomings, have mercy upon us and save us from the punishment of the Fire!