Authority, autonomy and selfhood in Islamic education – Theorising Shakhsiyah Islamiyah as a dialogical Muslim-self

Abstract

This paper investigates the philosophical tensions between secular-liberalism and Islam, and reviews Islamic conceptualisations of knowledge, personhood and education, in order to conceptualise shakhsiyah Islamiyah as an authentic and credible form of personal agency within an Islamic worldview. It begins by examining the liberal critique of Islamic education and explores notions of authority and autonomy in Islamic educational theory. It proposes that these tensions exist to varying degrees in all educational practice. Some theoretical work to develop an Islamic understanding of personal autonomy as selfhood is presented and translated into a concept of shakhsiyah Islamiyah. Finally, the possibility of understanding shakhsiyah Islamiyah as a dialogical Muslim-self is explored.

Parents-Child Interpersonal Communication Patterns in Self-Regulated Learning (Independent Learning) of East Kalimantan State Madrasah Aliyah Students

“…What is meant is the development of training for parents. This research highlights the importance of training parents in effective communication with their children (Ahmed, 2021;Al-Thani & Moore, 2012). This training may include empathetic listening skills.…”

Education and dialogical self: state of art (Educación y yo dialógico: estado de la cuestión)

“…Studies such as that by Gurlesin et al (2020) try to offer preventive measures that help de-radicalize by means of creating dialogical spaces (for instance, using an old Islamic game: shaṭranj al-ʿārifīn’ ) that allow for a multiplicity of positionings and voices, promoting resilience in the face of radical discourse. Works like Ahmed’s (2021), in which the existence of an Islamic identity of a dialogical nature ( shakhsiyah Islamiyah ) is explored, also constitute encouraging contributions to deal with the frequent conflicts between secular liberalism and Islam.…”

“…Estudios como el de Gurlesin et al (2020) tratan de ofrecer medidas preventivas que ayuden a la desradicalización a través de la creación de espacios dialógicos (por ejemplo, usando un antiguo juego islámico: shaṭranj al-ʿārifīn’ ) que permitan la multiplicidad de posicionamientos y voces, promoviendo la resiliencia ante los discursos radicales. También trabajos como el de Ahmed (2021), en el que se explora y defiende la existencia de una identidad islámica de carácter dialógico ( shakhsiyah Islamiyah ), suponen aportaciones esperanzadoras frente al frecuente conflicto entre el liberalismo secular y el islam.…”

Something more beautiful: educational and epistemic integrations beyond inequities in Muslim-minority contexts

“…Primary goals of this type of Islamic education are motivated by faith-informed senses of responsibility in seeking knowledge and self-development – “not merely to satisfy an intellectual curiosity or just for material worldly benefit but to grow up as rational, righteous beings” (Ashraf, 1979, as quoted in Halstead, 2004, p. 519) – and include enacted spiritual, moral, intellectual and social development of individuals, communities and societies. This type of education in the Islamic tradition is, for many people, a highly valued form of education (Ahmed, 2021; Berglund, 2019b; Memon, 2019), yet it has been stunted by educational aspects of colonization and an ongoing lack of appreciation for its importance. This has resulted in educational research and practice falling short of serving Muslim learners and, as a neglected field, has resulted in policies and practices that “often fail to achieve intended aims” (Shah, 2019, p. 351).…”

“…A faith-centered paradigm frames this type of Islamic education centering a divine reality, tawhid , as unity of “the divine, revelation, creation, truth, and humanity” (Safi, 1999, p. 8), encompassing diversity across spiritual and secular articulations of life and education. Many Muslims consider innate recognition of this divine oneness as a deeply embedded aspect of human nature (Ahmed, 2021). These paradigmatic perspectives differ from dominant, Western, secular ones and so this paper is an offering toward epistemic diversity.…”