Islamic Pedagogy as a Framework for Developing Critical Thinking and Moral Character

Abstract

This study explores Islamic Pedagogy as a Framework for Developing Critical Thinking and Moral Character, focusing on how Islamic pedagogy can serve as an effective educational approach that integrates intellectual growth with moral and ethical formation among learners. Islamic pedagogy places the Qur’an, Sunnah, and Islamic ethical values as its core foundation, enabling the learning process to go beyond cognitive achievement and foster spiritual awareness, moral responsibility, and virtuous character. Through a literature review of books, journal articles, and previous research, this study reveals that Islamic pedagogy encourages critical thinking through reflective activities, dialogue-based learning, text analysis, and discussions on contemporary social issues from an Islamic perspective. Values such as honesty, trustworthiness, adab, and justice are internalized through contextual and experiential learning, ensuring that moral character is not only understood conceptually but also practiced in daily behavior. The findings highlight that Islamic pedagogy successfully bridges the gap between intellectual and spiritual education by offering an integrative model that cultivates higher-order thinking skills while shaping students’ ethical identity. This approach aligns with the demands of modern education, which requires individuals to be academically competent yet morally grounded in navigating global challenges. Therefore, Islamic pedagogy holds significant potential in forming a generation that is intellectually sharp, morally responsible, and capable of contributing positively to society through a holistic educational framework.