we live in a town withen small muslim coounity ..
i am really worried about my child who still young ..i am afraid about his future in the puplic schools !!.aalhamdolliah we are practicing parents ..i am not working just for taking care of raising him as muslim ..but alwayes i am concern ..
my question is ..are we able to protect our childern identity even if they go to puplic schools ..what is the best we can do in the abscense of the islamic education ..that can help our kids to be ideal muslims with all the challanges around them ..
jazakom allah khairan
Answer
Sister Eman:
Many Muslim families over the last three decades have been raising their children in the best possible way, in the absence of Muslim schools. I appreciate your concern, it will not be easy, but with coordinated efforts of local Muslim communities, with help of many national educational organizations, things will be easier insha’ Allah.
Name
fatimah
-
Profession
Question
dear sir
can you briefly summarize what are the most important crises that islamic educational system is going through and what is your solution to them?thank you
Answer
It is easy to list the crises, and difficult to provide solutions. The awareness of these crises is extremely important and the phrasing of the right question is half the answer.
I can see four aspects of challenges as far as Muslim education in the West is concerned.
These challenges have to do with:
Institutions: schools colleges etc.
Educational programs: full time, evening classes, weekends etc.
Curriculum materials: books teachers' guides etc. and
Qualified Educators: teachers, principals etc.
We lack proper requirements in each one of these aspects.
We need to work in these fronts in a parallel way.
Name
Yusef
-
Profession
Question
Given that education is a hotly contested topic in the West today, and given that most Muslims are operating with systems and concepts of education inherited from or imposed by the West, the time seems right to rethink the entire enterprise of education. This is already happening in various places around the world. What contributions can Muslims make to a global dialogue on education for decolonization and rejuvenation?
Answer
For Muslims in the West it is a historical movement in which contact between Islam and the West is coming to a critical point.
We are no longer talking about Muslims (and) the West, rather we are talking about Muslims (in) the West.
The mission of Muslims in the West is twofold: educating their children in Islam and educating their neighbors and fellow citizens about Islam.
The hard part in the equation is that Muslims in the West are not getting much help from places were Muslims are the majority in their societies, because the type of education available there is heavily influenced by models, theories and practices of education in the West.
Taking this into consideration, Muslims suffer from the crisis in two ways: the ills of education in the West, which is experiencing a breakdown of values and lack of public confidence, and the failure on the part of Muslims to grasp the purposes and guidance of divine revelation and to shape their education accordingly.
Efforts of Muslim scholars and educators should be directed to the front of education, and resources should be pulled together in this respect.
Building educational institutions at this time has much more priority than building mosques and Islamic Centers. These educations institutions may serve as mosques and centers, but the matter is not the way around.
If we rethink our agendas in this way we will realize that the software in education ie; ideas, curricula, theories etc. are not readily available. This shows also the seriousness of the matter. May Allah help.
Name
Muslim revert
-
Profession
Question
I am amazed to see how many Muslims think that "Muslim education" can only be done in an institution (like a school or a mosque). Doesn't one's Islamic education begin at home? What is your opinion on Muslim home-schooling?
Answer
This also goes for all types of education, not only Muslim education. Many non-Muslim families have realized this fact and have adopted home-schooling.
Schools cannot compensate for the inadequate parenting. But home-schooling is not panacea or the philosophers stone which can take care of all ills.
All institutions: the family, the mosque, the schools and the media should work together and support each other is this regard. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that this would happen, and it may not be feasible in the near future. That is why every body is extremely concerned about the future generation.
Name
mother
-
Profession
Question
in your opinion ,is it beneficial to send a muslim child to one of the islamic schools these days,since the schools have a lot of problems and they do not seem to know how to handle them or they do not belive that they do have a problem?
Answer
I have been to many Muslim schools in the country. I realize and understand your point. Many Muslim communities feel that they can't wait until Muslim schools become well equipped in terms of facilities or qualified staff. There are, however, good schools where children are really enjoying being there. Some families provide the needed support for their children in these schools. Some families would provide needed attention to their children in public schools. Still some families are not able to provide either!!
So it is the decision of the family according to its available time, experience and tolerance and according to the type of schools available in their community.
Name
wassim
- Tunisia
Profession
Responsible for the credit service in a company(society) of leasing
Question
hello Sir, I work in a leasing company, within the service credit, I want to know if my work is authorized by the Islamic law, and thank you
Answer
This question should be directed to a relevant authority.
Name
Karen
- United States
Profession
student
Question
What do you think is the biggest dilemma with Islamic education in the West? What does the Muslim community need to do to fix it?
Answer
Dear Karen:
To rate problems of Islamic education in the West may be a subjective opinion. In my opinion, Muslims in West have been caught in a three dimensional dilemma, as far as Islamic education is concerned: how Islamic is education in Muslim countries? To what extent they are able to develop a vision of education from both Islamic history and Islamic revealed sources? And in what way they can deal with contemporary educational.
The biggest dilemma, in my subjective opinion, is the failure of Muslim educators to build a comprehensive vision to answer these questions.
That is way various experiences in education are not adding much, however good these experiences may be.
Name
Gretchen
- United States
Profession
consultant
Question
Asalaamu Alaykum. Do you think the "crisis" is the lack of education for non-Muslims on Islam or the Islamic education for Muslim children living in the West?
Answer
Dear Gretchen
I think the crisis is both! I have indicated this in my answer of a previous question.
Islam these days -and for years for that matter- is in the news, but the misconceptions and stereotypical notions about Islam and Muslims, due to historical reasons and other reasons related to the conditions of contemporary Muslim nations are not influencing non-Muslim but also Muslim children themselves.
Better Islamic education for Muslim children will provide Muslim personalities who would spread the right messages and also provide resources and materials which can promote better understandings on the parts of non-Muslim neighbors and fellow citizens.
