Curriculum Development

in Islamic Perspective

Islamic Concept of
Curriculum
Muslim scholars have made serious endeavors to define the
concept of Islamic education and then to develop a genuine
Islamic education model based on the basic tenets of aqidat altawheed` (principle of faith).
This reformation of education has envisioned to produce the
new Muslim generation, which is capable of fulfilling its role as
khalifatullah (vicegerent of God)i.e. responsible for the
development and maintenance of civilization and its resources.
In another word, Islamic education is obliged to deal with the
overall development of the individual, i.e. spiritual, intellectual,
imaginative, physical, scientific, linguistic, both individually
and collectively. In sum, the ultimate of Islamic education is in
`the realization of complete submission to Allah on the level of
the individual, the community and humanity at large.

Islamic Concept of
Curriculum
A newly integrated Islamic curriculum and
subject matter for contemporary Islamic
schools need to be devised to promote
Islamic Identity solidarity for the Ummah.
It is for the need of the young generations
to be instilled with pure Islamic values and
beliefs from the beginning in a very
comprehensive, critical and creative
manner by using newly revised integrated
and dynamic approach to education.

Our main source of Islamic

Integration

Quran

Sunnah

Islamic religious curricular

history

Islamic religious curricular has gone through four distinct

periods in Islamic history.
The first period is the period of development which started with the
resurgence of the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W) in Makkah until the
end of Umayyad period. The main characteristics of religious
curriculum of this period are:
purely Arabic in nature
strengthening the basis of Islamic religion and spreading its teaching
based on religious sciences and Arabic grammar
concentrate more on study of Hadith and jurisprudence
concentrate more on Arabic grammar and literature
the initial study of foreign languages
During this period, the mosque was the centre of activities of the
Islamic society and education was the important part of those
activities.

Contin.....
The second period is the flourishing
period of education starting in the East
with the emergence of Abbasid dynasty
until the downfall by Tartar in 659H/1258
M whereas in the Western part of Islamic
Empire the important centre is Andalusia,
especially under the rules of Umayyad
Khaliphate. During this period the
curriculum was expanded to include non
religious sciences as well as the centre
also expanded to include Makkah,
AlMadinah in Hijaz; Basrah and Kufah in
Iraq; Damascus in Sham (Syria); Cairo in

Contin.....
The third period was the period of weaknesses
and decadence which started in the East and North
Africa with the resurgence of Ottoman Empire which
lasted until the independence of Muslim countries.
The most important characteristics of this period are:
the entire curriculum was based on the transmitted
knowledge
the decline of the Arabic language
the method was based on memorization
the deterioration of scientific research and thinking
process
the spread of the method of summarization and
repetition of what was
made by early scholars.

Contin......
The fourth period is known as the period of
revival, awakening and rebuilding education in
Muslim countries which started subsequent to the
independence these countries. This process is still
going on to the present time. The most important
characteristics of religious education during this
period are as follows:
adoption of Western educational system
increasing concern on natural as well as human
sciences
penetration of Western culture
an attempt toward eliminating dualism between
modern education and religious education

Aims and Objective of Islamic

Education At Different Level
of Schooling
Aims and objectives are constructed
before hand to know the behavioural
outcome of the Muslim learners. For the
purpose of teaching Islamic education in
the formal system of education, the
teacher has to formulate beforehand the
aims and objectives of Islamic education
at different level of schooling.

At Nursery and Primary

level
Salahuddin Yusuf (1991) in his article
titled, Islamization of knowledge: A work
Plan for Islamic Nursery Education
suggested that, the objectives of Islamic
nursery education should include the
following:
(i) To develop the intellectual, physical,
moral, aesthetic and spiritual potentialities
of the children for the purpose of Ibadah.

At Secondary Level
(i) To provide such education as will
develop mental, moral and physical
aspects of a childs personality in the
light of Islam.
(ii) To make learner realize that
physical strength and energy is
properly
used only when it resists evil and
upholds virtue in the society.

Aims of Islamic Education At The

University Level
Sharif, Hadi (1983) formulated the aims of
Islamic education at the University level as
follows:
(a) To speak of Islam is to speak of Truth or
Reality, of the hierarchy of Reality and of
virtues. Consequently, the fundamental goal
and the main function of Islamic education
and teaching system at the University level
consists in awakening the spiritual insight and
the intellectual ability in the human
receptacle.

Construction of Objectives of Islamic Education in Muslim

School Curriculum:

In totality we can classify different educational

objectives into following seven broad categories:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Knowledge level
Understanding level
Application level
Skill level
Values level
Interest level
Attitude level

Knowledge Level: The students will be able:

(a) To make the students aware about five
pillars of Islam: Faith in Allah,
Salat, Zakat, Fasting and Haj.
Understanding Level: The students will be
able:
(a) To make the difference between Zakat and
Taxes in the society.
Application Level - The students will be
able:
(a) To apply the acquired knowledge of Islam
through Holy Quran and Sunnah in the
different activities of the life of the Muslims.

Skill Level -The students will be able:

(a) To develop skills of communication and delivering the best speech
about various facts and principles of Islam in the society.
Values Level - The students will be able:
(a) To realize the values of Islam.
(b) To have good feelings and emotions about the preaching of Islam.
Interest Level - The students will be able:
(a) To have good interest in understanding of Islam.
Attitude Level - The students will be able:
(a) To have good attitude not only towards the teacher of Islamic
Education but also towards the other teachers at different level of
Schooling.
In the world of teaching learning process ,each and every Muslim
teacher should construct objectives based on blooms taxonomy in the
light of ISLAM.

REFRENCES:
Abdul Wafa al Chunemi-al Taftazani (1986): Islamic
Education: Its Principle and Aims, Muslim Education
Quarterly, Vol. 4, No. l,pp. 66-75.
Ahmad, Manzoor (1990), Islamic Education : Redefinition of
Aims and Methodology, Quazi Publishers and
Distributors,Vateg Building, Nizamuddin West, New Delhi
Al-Attas, Syed Mohammad Al Naquib (1979). Aims and
Objectives of Islamic Education, Hodder and Stoughton King
Abdul Aziz university