Integrating Modern Science into Islamic Education: Epistemological Challenges and Educational Strategies
Keywords:
Islamic Education, Science Integration, Islamic EpistemologyAbstract
The integration of modern science into Islamic education has become an increasingly important issue in response to rapid scientific advancement and the growing demand for holistic education that balances empirical knowledge with spiritual and ethical values. This study aims to analyze the epistemological challenges underlying this integration and to identify educational strategies that can support a coherent relationship between modern science and Islamic educational frameworks. Employing a qualitative, literature-based methodology, this study draws on peer-reviewed journal articles, academic books, and authoritative reports in the fields of Islamic epistemology, philosophy of science, and education. The selected literature was analyzed using thematic and epistemological content analysis to identify recurring patterns, conceptual tensions, and proposed integration strategies. The results reveal that epistemological divergence between modern scientific paradigms and Islamic knowledge systems has contributed to educational dualism, fragmented curricula, and limited pedagogical coherence. The analysis further shows that conceptual models such as the Islamization of knowledge and complementary integration approaches provide important theoretical responses, yet face challenges in practical implementation. Effective integration is most evident where pedagogical strategies, teacher competence, and institutional policies are aligned with Islamic epistemological principles. These findings suggest that integration requires a multi-level approach encompassing epistemology, curriculum, pedagogy, and governance. In conclusion, this study underscores the need for epistemologically grounded educational frameworks that enable Islamic education to engage modern science critically and constructively. The proposed synthesis offers implications for educators, curriculum developers, and policymakers seeking to develop scientifically robust and spiritually grounded Islamic education systems.
References
AbuSulayman, A. A. (1993). Crisis in the Muslim mind. Herndon, VA: International Institute of Islamic Thought.
Al-Attas, S. M. N. (1993). Islam and secularism. Kuala Lumpur: International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization.
Al-Attas, S. M. N. (1995). Prolegomena to the metaphysics of Islam: An exposition of the fundamental elements of the worldview of Islam. Kuala Lumpur: International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization.
Al-Faruqi, I. R. (1982). Islamization of knowledge: General principles and work plan. Herndon, VA: International Institute of Islamic Thought.
Bagir, Z. A. (2016). Science and religion in a post-colonial world: Interfaith perspectives. Zygon, 51(2), 356–370. https://doi.org/10.1111/zygo.12235
Barbour, I. G. (2000). When science meets religion: Enemies, strangers, or partners? San Francisco, CA: HarperSanFrancisco.
Brooke, J. H. (1991). Science and religion: Some historical perspectives. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Edis, T. (2007). An illusion of harmony: Science and religion in Islam. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books.
Golshani, M. (2003). Issues in Islam and science. Tehran: Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies.
Guessoum, N. (2011). Islam’s quantum question: Reconciling Muslim tradition and modern science. London: I.B. Tauris.
Guessoum, N. (2014). Science, religion, and the quest for knowledge and truth: An Islamic perspective. Zygon, 49(2), 413–429. https://doi.org/10.1111/zygo.12102
Halstead, J. M. (2004). An Islamic concept of education. Comparative Education, 40(4), 517–529. https://doi.org/10.1080/0305006042000284510
Halstead, J. M., & Reiss, M. J. (2003). Values in science education: From principles to practice. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Hassan, M. H. A. (2011). The challenge of sustainability: Islamic perspectives. Kuala Lumpur: IKIM.
Hefner, R. W. (2009). Making modern Muslims: The politics of Islamic education in Southeast Asia. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawai‘i Press.
Hefner, R. W. (2011). Islamic education, reform, and the quest for global citizenship. In R. W. Hefner (Ed.), Schooling Islam: The culture and politics of modern Muslim education (pp. 1–34). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Kamali, M. H. (2010). Methodological issues in Islamic jurisprudence (3rd ed.). Cambridge: Islamic Texts Society.
Lubis, M. A. (2015). The integrated Islamic education system in Malaysia: Challenges and prospects. Journal of Islamic Education, 27(2), 1–15.
Lubis, M. A., & Kholid, A. (2020). Curriculum integration and Islamic worldview in contemporary Muslim education. Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, 40(3), 392–409. https://doi.org/10.1080/13602004.2020.1817497
Nasr, S. H. (1997). Man and nature: The spiritual crisis of modern man. Chicago, IL: Kazi Publications.
Nasr, S. H. (2007). Islam, science, and the challenge of history. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
Rahman, F. (2017). Islamic epistemology and its implications for education. Islamic Studies, 56(1), 45–68.
Saeed, A. (2014). Reading the Qur’an in the twenty-first century: A contextualist approach. London: Routledge.
Sahin, A. (2013). New directions in Islamic education: Pedagogy and identity formation. Religious Education, 108(4), 425–442. https://doi.org/10.1080/00344087.2013.809047
Sahin, A. (2018). Critical issues in Islamic education studies: Rethinking Islamic and Western liberal secular values of education. Religious Education, 113(5), 512–526. https://doi.org/10.1080/00344087.2018.1506332
Sahin, A., & Francis, L. J. (2018). Assessing the relationship between Islamic worldview and critical thinking. British Journal of Religious Education, 40(1), 58–72. https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2016.1233766
Sardar, Z. (2009). Reading the Qur’an: The contemporary relevance of the sacred text of Islam. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 104, 333–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.039
Zarkasyi, H. F. (2010). Worldview Islam and the philosophy of science. Islamia, 6(1), 15–28.
Zarkasyi, H. F., & Kurniawan, S. (2020). Teacher competence and epistemological integration in Islamic education. Journal of Islamic Educational Studies, 5(2), 101–118
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Global Journal of Islamic Education and Intellectual Growth
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
