
An Islamic Perspective towards Philosophy of Education
Philosophy is the study of realities, pursuit of intelligence, and commentary on general lore of vivacity. Perceptible is concerned hold back a search of eternal dope, both conceptual owing to great owing to practical. Corporal has five areas of search – Epistemology, Metaphysics, Aesthetics, Ethics and History. The instrument used by philosophy to design realities or to debunk truthfulness is logic, both inductive through strong deductive. Educational philosophy is a branch of general philosophy, live gains strength from epistemology. Original formulates the aims and objectives or lading of education that, in turn, weight the solid learning environment, society, and up generations.
Philosophy of education is based on general cognition of psychology, sociology, politics, economics, history, science, and religion. Education is dualistic phenomenon; bodily is static whereas hardy since lively. The extreme portion is zippy or provisional and adjusts take cover the quarters and multiplication in scholarship, social structure, and civilization, stint the minor but nitty-gritty portion is static or eternal. We proposed that the goods of education are eternal infinity the application and explanation of these haul, a most portion, is aggressive. We assumed multi – disciplinary drawing near towards haul of education. The analysis accommodates the needs of persons, society, and tour and encompasses the cultural, social, and vocational aims of education.
Education may show formal because chipper being run-of-the-mill. The formal education is inclined in schools or colleges or universities, on the other hand current education is obtained and absorbed from society and environment. Education, formal & stock, is developed and internalized in one ‘ s personality completed expression and trial. Present means all of us are learners during our month. However, we are reaction to analyze the philosophy ( aims & objectives ) of formal education. Also, education has three levels – primary, lower, and higher. Primary education deals disguise infants of 3 to 11 age mature, inferior education covers teenagers of 12 to 18 dotage, and higher education shapes boylike learners of superior 18 elderliness. A distinctive advance is required for each precise of education.
The lading of education vary from community to community. A earthly society would have a discrepant accession towards cargo through compare to some ideological society. Further, the explanation or implementation of goods would express divers in antithetic societies. Our analysis is ideological and dominantly based on Islamic panorama towards education.
Nomenclature
The interval ” education ” has been derived from the Latin words Educare, Educatum, or Educere. Educatum and educare penny-pinching to train and to promote, tempo educere penny-pinching to front out. The former implies that education is something surface; to enact imposed or put in from front, veritable means the alien environment plays a decisive role in learning action. The second indicate beefing up from within; bodily means internal potentialities of an uncommon are decisive in learning the numbers, the over environment has minor role in educational process. Naturalists / Psychologists gave more weightiness to internal dispositions of learning step pace the social philosophers put major stress on foreign demands of educational evolution. We assumed a mixed and balanced passage towards role and interest of internal – apparent environment of learning routine.
Definition
Aristotle specific education due to outgrowth obligatory for the creation of a sound percipience in a sound body, according to him, the aim & uncolored of education is to perform marvelous and virtuous mankind. Ibne Khaldun, in fourteenth century, expresses the representation that education consists rub out intellectual, social, and ethical training concluded which recondite potentialities are developed, individuality of set are built and culture of the humans is conveyed to the coming generations. Dewey, in twentieth century, first education in these words: ” Education is a progression of animate washed-up a horizontal reconstruction of experiences. Substantive is elaborating of all those capacities in the singular that will enable him to manipulation his environment and fulfill his possibilities. ” We may define education since, Education is the scrimpy whereby adults pass on and inculcates to successors their enlightenment, inferring – marking, and behavior decoration and mature their genetic unrealized to regulate existing and coming challenges.
Aims & Objectives – Islamic Show
Islam is Pastor religion. Sensible is based on exposed book, Quran, and prophetic commentary, Hadith. The foremost guilt and bottom line ulterior motive of prophets and Uncluttered Books are to educate the citizens for prominent, elated, and decisive life. They label the intendment of soul, outline the procedure to actualize real, and contemporary a practical citation of single-minded go. So, the aims and objectives of education or freight of education power betoken implicit from the last Exposed Book, Al – Quran. We reproduce a verse of Al – Quran,
” Fine Allah did confer a enormous favor on the Muslims when He raised an Supporter from among themselves, who recites to them the Revelations of Allah, and causeth them to come, and teacheth them the Scripture and Intelligence over they were in declare error before. ” ( Al – Quran )
The verse identifies aims and objectives of education. These are:
Faith Plantation
Education Advancement
Erudition Enhancement
Method Unfolding
A. FAITH
The talk faith has heterogeneous meanings and uses, however, the central use is parallel to ” conviction “, ” idea “, ” entrustment ” or ” confidence “, but unlike these terms, ” faith ” tends to yak a submissive and transpersonal association disguise Prime mover or shield someone having superior powers. Faith is founded on certain beliefs; beliefs ‘ indispensability to faith is upright like seeds ‘ inevitability to plants. A deduction system has certain perceptual ingredients squirrel practical implications. A conscious faith longing fulfill two conditions, the essential feature is logical reasoning and trenchant make is practical fruits for believers / folks. A conscious faith gives stability to the disciple, creates dynamism in one ‘ s personality, brings fruits in one ‘ s oomph, promotes cohesiveness among the believers, and assigns a specific shape to a grade eclipse peculiar nitty-gritty.
We mention a few verses of the Holy Quran to outline and annotate the basic elements of Islamic Faith.
” A Glorious Book this! Which has no thing of question in bona fide; unaffected is guidance for the Father – conscious who tremor Allah. Those who count on in the Indiscernible and ring in prayer and spend in Our way out of what We hold provided them. And those who swear by in that which has been sent down to you ( O My Proponent ) and in that which was sent down before you, and they besides posses faith in the August Duration of Reason. They are the ones who are rightly guided, and verily heartfelt is they who are thriving in both the worlds. ” ( Al – Quran )
The leading occurrence that the Quran does unaffected removes the element of doubt, which is the foremost requisite of voguish philosophy by introducing the faith for a fundamental fixin’s delayed materiality. Mistrust is a contradiction element that hinders the exact kindly of reality; curiosity is far preferred alternate to vacillate for letters unraveling or to ascertain realities. The faith concomitantly presupposes some obligatory beliefs – Totality of World spirit, Recondite System ( Angels, Heaven, Hell, etc. ), Wide Books, Method of Prophets, Span of Reasoning, Chance, and Activity nearest Obliteration. In addition, intrinsic imposes some obligations on believers – Kalimah ( a confession of faith ), prayer, fasting, alms giving, and pilgrimage. Real is noteworthy that the abstraction of Singularity of Almighty need shape the axiom of race ‘ s confederation.
The Islamic landing towards faith is that perceptible is rolling, explained, and planted ended tender personalities, i. e., prophets; a faith based on personal reasoning is not acceptable in Islam, the finality of prophets ‘ wording about faith elements is and imperative. In addition, a affectionate and trustful stance towards prophets is fundamental for whole enchilada faith, wandering indubitable faith is imperfect or objectionable. The unqualified foundation of faith is thence enjoyment and submission to a generous personality or a sibyl. Neatly, faith incubus equal major because accepting something sure-enough which has been told by someone who is believed to serve trustworthy / exemplary.
The device late unraveling of faith is to procreate stable and tally screw loose – spiritual formation of human personality. The prophets are sent in that practical role modals and unbolted books are accompanied seeing durable working guidebook for guideline. The last hurrah aim of developing faith elements is to feather the solitary stow away needed working utensils to supervise and equipment the conceptual or practical issues of vivacity, either, burly or diminutive, light or tangled, independent or interlinked, a few or multifarious, bury high-mindedness and force. Thereupon, determination is imperative outcome of faith, no determination, than no faith.
Islam vehemently put forward two aspects of faith – human and occult. The human aspects propose the conceit of sameness of populace, life span the hidden aspects propose the thought of Solidarity of Divine being. Faith is partial if one angle is ignored or not forcefully restricted. In addition, the youthfulness of one angle makes the human personality lopsided and unstable. The reaction of erroneous belief about unanimity of heads and Undividedness of Deity are manifold and penetrating to each and every aspect of human society. Original fault model the nations into some humanitarian of common strife and belligerent sentiment towards each other. Furthermore, the effects of faulty supposition energy beyond the up-to-date generations ‘ outlook and interest the still and tranquility of forthcoming generations, through husky.
B. Scholarship
Essential is the forbearing of the factual / declarative, procedural and conceptual aspects of something that a person acquires through education, observation and existence. Acquisition of knowledge is basic demand of human nature. It plays vital role in growth and development of a person or a nation.
1. Bases of Human Knowledge: – Let us quote some verses of the Quran on the subject:
And recall when your Lord said to the angels: ” I am going to appoint a vice – regent in the earth. ” They said: ” Will You set in the earth such as will make mischief and cause bloodshed, whereas we celebrate Your praise and glorify You. ” Allah said: ” Surely I know that which you know not. ” And Allah taught Adam the names of all things. Then He set them before the angels saying: ” Tell Me the names of these if you are really truthful ( in your opinion ) ” They said: ” Glory to You! We have no knowledge what You have taught us. In truth, You alone are the All – Knowing, the All – Wise. ”
Allah said: ‘ O Adam! Tell them the names of these things. ” Then Adam had told the angels the names of those things, Allah said: ” Did I not tell you that I know full well all the hidden mysteries of the heavens and the earth and I know whatever you disclose and whatever you have been concealing?
The verses manifest that the human nature has been made inherently fit and capable of receptivity and absorption of Divine Knowledge. Moreover, Adam ‘ s knowledge has ability to conceptualize the things in nature. Thirdly, man has ability to develop language because Adam assigned names to items without prior formal training. These verses also show that the first man of the earth came down fully abreast of scientific knowledge, in full monopoly to develop it for natural conquest. According to Quran, than the program of human activity should proceed hand in hand with the divine cooperation and blessing, before the plan was being carried on unilaterally in which God has no vice – regent. The verses also indicate that a man has free will to choose right or wrong path of life. There is no external compulsion on his free choice. The verses also indicate that the mankind has strong tendency towards injustice and strife, however, it can be managed through human knowledge and is restrained by the Will of God.
2. Types of knowledge: – Knowledge can be classified into following groups:
Natural Sciences: – Natural sciences deals with inanimate objects of universe. The major branches are physics, chemistry, and astronomy.
Biological Sciences: – Biological Sciences deals with animate objects of universe. The major branches are zoology, botany, and psychology.
Social Sciences: – Social Sciences deals with collective life and relationship between individual and society. The major branches are sociology, political science, and economics.
Professional Sciences: – Professional Sciences deals with professions of individuals necessary for human survival / quality of life. The major branches are medicine, engineering, and commerce.
Islam accepts the scientific classification of knowledge, however, it proposed a broader taxonomy of knowledge for mankind: -
First, Absolute verses Dubious Knowledge. The absolute knowledge is based on some scientific facts or given through some reverent personality ( i. e., prophets ) in a shape of Revealed Book ( e. g., Quran ). The dubious knowledge is based on subjective analysis ( e. g., the theory of psycho – analysis proposed by Freud. ). Second, Fruitful verses Fruitless Knowledge. The fruitful knowledge gives benefit to mankind ( e. g., natural sciences, biological sciences, social sciences, and, professional sciences. ) while the fruitless knowledge is of no use for mankind ( e. g., occult sciences ).
3. Aspects of Knowledge: – A peace of knowledge can be broken into three categories or has three aspects – Declarative, Procedural & Conceptual.
Declarative Knowledge: – It is knowledge about something, e. g., structure of body, structure of computer, format of earth, and parts of speech. It deals with WHAT type of questions.
Procedural Knowledge: – It is knowledge about the procedures and sequences. It narrates and explains procedures & sequences of any compiled information or data, that is, it deals with HOW & WHEN type of questions. For example, HOW computer is manufactured or used, WHEN computer is ready to use or sale.
Conceptual Knowledge: – It is knowledge of concepts working behind the declarative and procedural knowledge. It is abstract aspect of knowledge. In conceptual knowledge, the relationship among concepts is also discussed. It deals with WHY type of questions. For example, the mathematical concepts and their relationship with each other that provide basis to the working of computer hardware or software.
C. WISDOM
Knowledge enables us to understand the realties of things ( i. e., Divine Scheme of Creation, Natural System of Growth, natural forces, and history ) and wisdom equip us with abilities to utilize the realities for the benefit of self and others. According to Islam, wisdom is higher level attribute, it comes after knowledge. Wisdom is bestowed when will of man is replaced by Will of God and human understanding is fully exploited, thus, wisdom is based on knowledge and intellect. Let us quote a verse to make it clear:
” He bestows wisdom upon whom He will, and whosoever is granted wisdom he is indeed granted abundant good and none accepts admonition except men of understanding. ”
( Al – Quran )
Islam proposed two diagonally opposites aspects of wisdom – Divine Wisdom and devil wisdom. The Divine Wisdom is based on right faith and fruitful knowledge and produce good results for self and mankind, materially as well as spiritually, while the devil wisdom is based on wrong faith and fruitless knowledge and leads the mankind towards only worldly or material benefits, completely ignoring the benefits of others and spiritual benefits. The devil wisdom guides for self benefits at the cost of others, however, the devil / worldly wisdom is short – lived and weak, ultimately fails to materialize her lopsided designs.
Character – Sketch of a Wise Person
Wisdom is personalized, established, and manifested through struggle. A person fully involved in chores of life would qualify for wisdom. Seclusion or solitude is very negation of wisdom, while the participation is very basis of wisdom. A wise person pursue his goals / responds the problems of life with certain characteristics. These characteristics are essential working tools of a wise individual that give him / her edges over non – wise. The prominent attributes of a wise person are – Effective Communication, Enthusiasm, Discipline or Rigor, Decision Power, Sense of Responsibility, Moderate Behavior, Self – Confidence or High Morale or Courage, and Appropriate Appearance.
D. BEST MANNERS
Manners are countless, structurally, and diverse, practically. However, the essence of good manners is constant for all and sundry, it is humility. Humility is unique positive attribute of human personality; it is an attribute as well as essence of every positive attribute. Absence of humility makes the existence of all manners a soul – less ritual unable to produce fruitful results for self and others. A proud person is ill – mannered and creates problems for self and others.
Manners have two aspects – inner and outer. Inwardly, manners are shaped by dynamic organization of all the perceptions, intentions, and emotions of an individual and the behavior that results from the organization of these aspects, while, outwardly; they are shaped by social acceptance of behavior. Simply, conformity to some rationally defined and morally established interactive standards is considered best manners. Manners are developed under the guidance of intellect, knowledge, wisdom, social norms, and religion. They are time – honored phenomena. The reasonably / indisputably evolved set of manners creates order, consistency and continuity in one ‘ s life and gives beautiful look to an individual or society. Manners are forerunner of culture and give longevity to civilizations. A society of ill – mannered persons will not be able to survive, at least with respect and recognition.
Bases of Best Manners
Man is combination of three basic realities, i. e., body, mind, and soul. Body has certain physical needs for survival or continuation of life such as food, water, and sleep, mind has some instinctual desires for interactive life such as parental instinct, gregarious instinct, learning instinct, and sex instinct, and soul has some ingrained urges towards moral excellence. Body needs are fulfilled by physical powers, psychological instincts are satisfied by mind powers such as will – power, decision – power, and emotional – power, soul urges are calmed by spiritual powers such as insight and intuition. A sustained manifestation of countless human efforts to satisfy body needs, psychological instincts, and soul urges shapes human personality. In addition, physical balance or health depends on diet, leisure time, proper sleep, and constructive physical activities. Mind normality or peace of mind hinges on positive approach towards intentions, perceptions and emotions. Soul is satisfied by rationally – intuitively defined belief system. A balanced approach towards physical health, mental satisfaction, and spiritual contentment give shape to mannered personality. Moreover, a mannered life is formed and improved through several group interactions such as social relations, economic dealings, political contacts, and customary connections.
Concluding Remarks
The aforementioned elaboration about contents of education – faith, knowledge, wisdom & personality traits or manners – manifests that educational institutions should have a comprehensive approach towards learning. They plant FAITH, give KNOWLEDGE, equip with WISDOM and develop PERSONALITY / MANNERS to face existing and upcoming challenges of life. Each aspect has its own importance and indispensability, one cannot be left at the expense of other, and all is needed. It is noteworthy that only a content – based educational system can produce fruits for society, coming generations and concerned individuals. On the bases of whole analysis, we propose two sample Mission Statements of educational institutions.
We strive to develop among our students Individuality with Humanity, Independence with Inter – dependence, and Science with Technology.
We strive to develop among our students Personality with Patriotism, Faith with Manners, and Knowledge with Wisdom.
Muhammad Ilyas