Islamic Education

Introduction 
The islamic values education curriculum called for here focuses on personality and character development of children. If we hope to succeed in our goal to raise our children Islamically, Muslim educators and parents must develop a better understanding of how children grow and learn. They will become moral individuals by cultivating their minds and hearts, and by having opportunities to actually see and apply Islamic values in practice.

The Challenge

The pervasive influence of secular materialism and its value system seriously  challenges religious-minded individuals and communities. Without a proper understanding of the Islamic value system, there is little hope that the true goals, or maqasid of Islamic education can be achieved.

Fortunately, a sense of renewal is in the air today and enlightened Muslims are eager to find real he solutions to the problem s and challenges facing the Muslim. Including re-examination of both how and what we teach our children about Islam.

Islamic education must be able to produce Muslim youth that are able to identify, understand and then work cooperatively to solve the problems that face their community and the world in which they live and for which they are responsible.

This vision, in fact, is not really a “new vision, “ but rather a”renewed vision” of Islamic education. This is the challenge of modern-day Islamic education.

The Vision

The vision of Islamic education presented here makes a fundamental distinction between teaching about “Islamic” and teaching about “being Muslim”.

Several assumptions about the nature and scope of Islamic education under-gird the vision of Islamic education presented here.

In developing our approach, we should not hesitate to benefit from recent educational research. This research suggest that several factors are essential for effective teaching and learning to occur. These factors are summarized in the statement such as:

1.      Effective Islamic teaching and learning must be meaningful

2.      Effective Islamic teaching and learning must also be integrated

3.      Most important of all, effective Islamic teaching and learning must be value-based

4.      Effective Islamic teaching and learning must also be challenging

5.      Effective Islamic teaching and learning must be active

These are the key factors for effective Islamic teaching and learning. Islamic education is to prepare young men and women who are capable of carrying out this mission-emotionally, morally, and intellectually.