The Concept of Knowledge in Islam and Its Implications for Islamic Curriculum Design

Abstract

The concept of knowledge occupies a central position in Islamic thought and has profound implications for education. This study aims to examine the Islamic concept of knowledge and to analyze its implications for Islamic curriculum design within contemporary educational contexts. Using a qualitative, conceptual, and library-based research design, the study draws on classical Islamic scholarship and contemporary academic literature in Islamic epistemology, philosophy of education, and curriculum studies. Data were collected through a systematic review of authoritative classical texts and peer-reviewed contemporary sources, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis and thematic interpretation. The findings reveal that Islamic epistemology is grounded in the principle of unity of knowledge (tawḥīd), recognizes revelation, reason, and experience as complementary sources of knowing, and emphasizes the ethical and transformative purpose of knowledge (adab). These epistemological characteristics imply that curriculum design in Islamic education should be holistic, ethically oriented, and integrative, rather than fragmented or value-neutral. The results further show that integrated curriculum design emerges as a direct consequence of Islamic conceptions of knowledge, shaping educational aims, content organization, and pedagogical approaches. The study concludes that many limitations of contemporary Islamic curricula can be traced to epistemological inconsistencies rather than technical design issues alone. By explicitly linking Islamic epistemology with curriculum theory, this research offers a conceptual framework for developing curricula that are intellectually coherent, ethically grounded, and faithful to Islamic intellectual tradition while remaining responsive to modern educational challenges.