The nature of Islamic education
The purpose of seeking knowledge in Islam is to inculcate goodness in people as people and as individuals. The end of education in Islam is to build a ‘good man’, and not — as in the case Western civilization — to build a ‘good citizen’.
Islam, just like any other religion or philosophy, has a worldview that projects its vision of reality and truth, and that shapes the spiritual, legal, ethical and socio-political dimensions of Islam and its ideas and institutions. In Islam, all ethical human actions including skilled knowledge should be based on clear and true intellectual and conceptual understandings, grounded with sincere intentions.
Ethical actions are based on right and proper knowledge. The unitary nature of the worldview of Islam as reflected in the key concept of tawhid, directly implies that various principles and values, virtues (and their opposites) and human competence (such as hard and soft skills) are interrelated and cannot be treated independently.
There are some similar and overlapping aspects between the worldviews of the west and Islam, for instance, a universe created by God, an appreciation of sin and life in heaven are accepted by the West and Islam.
However, there are overlapping aspects among them such as human virtue, efforts to seek knowledge, respect of others and maintaining and protecting the universe.
The difference is, Islamic scientific principles are based on empirical knowledge (science) and common sense under the guidance of the Koran and the hadith.
All ideas and concepts of human science are derived from the thought of secular intellectuals who have been awed by logical and rational thinking. On the other hand, from Islamic teachings, man has a dual nature; he is both body and soul. He is at once a physical being and spirit.
People, however, have also been given limited knowledge of the spirit, of his true and real self or soul. Furthermore, it is said that the seat of knowledge in a person is a spiritual substance which is variously referred to in the Koran as the heart (al-qalb), the soul or self (nafs), the spirit (al-ruh) or the intellect (al-aql).
The process of the acquisition of knowledge is not called education unless the knowledge required includes a moral purpose, which is called “adab” — the right action that springs from self-discipline founded upon wisdom.
So, simply speaking, adab is “right action” based on the Koran and the Sunnah. A person may be a great general, distinguished scholar, first-class pilot, outstanding engineer or a renowned doctor but still remain semi-educated, ill-mannered, immoral, ill-disciplined, unrighteous and unjust.
Similarly, a person may be a very fine technician, a good poet whose love of beauty may be highly delicate and sensitive, but may, at the same time, be a cruel, brutal, untruthful and asocial individual.
People could be highly selfish and deliberately ignore their duty to others, such as their neighbors or even their families, spouses and children. This is not the aim of Islamic education.
A true believer is one who performs with sublime morality. In Islam, sublime morality constitutes the “fruit of Islamic tree which rooted faith (aqidah) and possess leaves of Islamic law (shariah)”. In Islam, human soft skills should be unified with the Koran and as Sunnah values of teaching.
Muslims may achieve excellent performance in this world but they should put first their intention to reach happiness in the life hereafter.
Muslims should become star performers to combine “worldly activities” (ad-dunya) and obedience to Islamic teachings for the life hereafter (al-akhirah).
Aries Musnandar
Student at State Islamic University
Malang, East Java
Boosting education in rural areas
Education can increase living standards and develop cultures. Therefore, education is the foundation to developing economy, culture, politics, technology, science, etc.
Poverty in rural area is mainly caused by the low education levels of most of the people. This is in line with the theory of F Harbison and CA Myer in their book titled Manpower and Education 1956.
They said “… in the final analysis, the wealth of a country is based on its power to develop and effectively utilize the capacity of its people.”
Most of the poor people live in rural areas. The number of Indonesians living in poverty has reached about 30 million people, 19 million of which live in rural areas.
That is why I looked forward to watching a news report saying that a non-profit group, led by the wives of Cabinet ministers and female ministers aimed to develop science centers in rural areas, where many people cannot even finish elementary school.
I applaud the plan of the Solidarity of Unified Cabinet Ministers’ Wives (SIKIB) to operate 263 activity centers that can help people living in rural areas obtain higher education.
I want to participate in building the program. Indonesia needs volunteers to boost education. Actually, many wealthy people want to take part in improving the quality of education in the country.
But many of them do not know who will manage their donations to boost education. SIKIB could be an alternative to help progress education in rural areas.
The establishment of such a center would help many smart people in rural areas empower themselves and have a greater chance at getting a decent education.
Abrar
West Lombok, NTB
Let the clemency stand
First, I want to establish that it is of no relevance that I am Australian. This is about a sentence that was inconsistent in relation to those given for murder, terrorism, rape and Indonesian drug offenders and offences.
Let’s not forget Schapelle Corby’s entire case was circumstantial. No evidence was put forward in court to link Corby to the marijuana.
There was not one fingerprint, no CCTV footage, no past drug related crime, no drugs in her system, and most importantly, no search of her home in Brisbane.
It was nothing but a blatant assumption of guilt. No backlash in Australia. No cops looking for links to Schapelle and the marijuana. I could go on forever. Corby deserves clemency because she has done more than eight years for a crime she did not commit. Anyone with a decent amount of common sense can see that nothing about her case made any sense. No one smuggles marijuana into Indonesia for starters.
I applaud President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. I would bow at his feet if I could. The critics of President Yudhoyono should bow their heads in shame.
To think Yusril Ihza Mahendra is a former law and human rights minister shocks me to the core.
Schapelle Corby’s human rights were abused beyond belief. This is clearly a power trip by those against President Yudhoyono.
Show the rest of the world that truth and justice are alive and well, and living in Indonesia. Let the clemency stand.
Teri Bradshaw
Jakarta
The purpose of seeking knowledge in Islam is to inculcate goodness in people as people and as individuals. The end of education in Islam is to build a ‘good man’, and not — as in the case Western civilization — to build a ‘good citizen’.
Islam, just like any other religion or philosophy, has a worldview that projects its vision of reality and truth, and that shapes the spiritual, legal, ethical and socio-political dimensions of Islam and its ideas and institutions. In Islam, all ethical human actions including skilled knowledge should be based on clear and true intellectual and conceptual understandings, grounded with sincere intentions.
Ethical actions are based on right and proper knowledge. The unitary nature of the worldview of Islam as reflected in the key concept of tawhid, directly implies that various principles and values, virtues (and their opposites) and human competence (such as hard and soft skills) are interrelated and cannot be treated independently.
There are some similar and overlapping aspects between the worldviews of the west and Islam, for instance, a universe created by God, an appreciation of sin and life in heaven are accepted by the West and Islam.
However, there are overlapping aspects among them such as human virtue, efforts to seek knowledge, respect of others and maintaining and protecting the universe.
The difference is, Islamic scientific principles are based on empirical knowledge (science) and common sense under the guidance of the Koran and the hadith.
All ideas and concepts of human science are derived from the thought of secular intellectuals who have been awed by logical and rational thinking. On the other hand, from Islamic teachings, man has a dual nature; he is both body and soul. He is at once a physical being and spirit.
People, however, have also been given limited knowledge of the spirit, of his true and real self or soul. Furthermore, it is said that the seat of knowledge in a person is a spiritual substance which is variously referred to in the Koran as the heart (al-qalb), the soul or self (nafs), the spirit (al-ruh) or the intellect (al-aql).
The process of the acquisition of knowledge is not called education unless the knowledge required includes a moral purpose, which is called “adab” — the right action that springs from self-discipline founded upon wisdom.
So, simply speaking, adab is “right action” based on the Koran and the Sunnah. A person may be a great general, distinguished scholar, first-class pilot, outstanding engineer or a renowned doctor but still remain semi-educated, ill-mannered, immoral, ill-disciplined, unrighteous and unjust.
Similarly, a person may be a very fine technician, a good poet whose love of beauty may be highly delicate and sensitive, but may, at the same time, be a cruel, brutal, untruthful and asocial individual.
People could be highly selfish and deliberately ignore their duty to others, such as their neighbors or even their families, spouses and children. This is not the aim of Islamic education.
A true believer is one who performs with sublime morality. In Islam, sublime morality constitutes the “fruit of Islamic tree which rooted faith (aqidah) and possess leaves of Islamic law (shariah)”. In Islam, human soft skills should be unified with the Koran and as Sunnah values of teaching.
Muslims may achieve excellent performance in this world but they should put first their intention to reach happiness in the life hereafter.
Muslims should become star performers to combine “worldly activities” (ad-dunya) and obedience to Islamic teachings for the life hereafter (al-akhirah).
Aries Musnandar
Student at State Islamic University
Malang, East Java
