Islamic Philosophy of Education and Intellectual Growth: Integrating Revelation, Reason, and Ethics

Abstract

This study explores the dynamics of Islamic education through the integration of ethical, intellectual, and spiritual values as a holistic framework for developing learners’ identities in contemporary educational contexts. Using a qualitative descriptive approach supported by theoretical perspectives from Islamic pedagogical literature and modern educational discourse, this paper analyzes how the concept of prophetic pedagogy, the integration of knowledge, and the cultivation of intellectual growth contribute to shaping student character. The findings emphasize that Islamic education should not merely focus on religious ritualism but must evolve into a transformative process aimed at developing critical reasoning, moral awareness, and spiritual consciousness. Knowledge integration plays a pivotal role in harmonizing religious doctrines with contemporary sciences, enabling students to navigate modern challenges with ethical foundations. Intellectual development emerges as a product of this harmonization, as learners are encouraged to think analytically while maintaining spiritual integrity and moral responsibility. Practical implications highlight the importance of innovative learning methods, the repositioning of teachers as facilitators of character and knowledge, and the incorporation of values-based curriculum models. Despite challenges such as digital disruption, ideological contestation, and declining moral ethics, Islamic education holds strategic opportunities to become a contributor to global educational transformation. This study concludes that Islamic education must continuously adapt, recontextualize knowledge, and strengthen value-based learning to produce a generation that is intellectually competent, morally grounded, and spiritually enlightened.