Traditional Islamic education, modern Western schooling and the urban Muslim identity : navigating the past and present

Abstract

This research tries to present Islamic and modern education in integrated methods with special reference to maintaining Islamic values in contemporary learning. In earlier times, the institution of Islamic education took place with great fervour at Al-Azhar, Darul Uloom, among other great educational centers. The colonizing process, along with the tides of globalization, however, destroyed the traditions. Examples of how religious and secular curricula have been balanced in countries studied include Malaysia's International Islamic University and Imam Hatip schools in Turkey. This sort of integrated education may help build robust identities that balance belief with vocational expectations. Yet the different sources of finance, societal perceptions, and curriculum development particularly in the diaspora and western environments remain some of the biggest challenges that must be brought into policy, education provision and community engagement together. The underlying message of this research is that integrating Islamic values into mainstream contemporary knowledge and practice will equip students with the skills needed to face a global world without losing their religious identity. The integrated education thus plays a significant role in the dialogue between cultures and in the continuity of Islamic values, proving its validity within an ever-changing world.