A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TRADITIONAL ISLAMIC EDUCATION AND CONTEMPORARY SECULAR EDUCATION: AIMS, METHODOLOGIES, AND THEIR IMPACT ON HUMAN FORMATION

Abstract

Objective: This study critically compares traditional Islamic education and modern capitalist/secular education by examining their respective objectives, methodologies, and outcomes. It seeks to identify the epistemological foundations underlying each system and analyze how these foundations shape their approaches to human development.

Methodology: This research employs a comparative and analytical approach. Data sources include primary texts (Qur'an, Hadith, classical Islamic writings) and secondary scholarly works in Islamic educational thought, modern educational philosophy, and critical pedagogy. The study utilizes qualitative content analysis, with selected texts analyzed systematically according to clear criteria. The comparative framework is structured around three key dimensions: educational aims, pedagogical methods, and the resultant conception of human identity and social role.

Findings: The analysis reveals fundamental divergences between the two educational systems. Traditional Islamic education is characterized by a holistic approach rooted in moral and spiritual cultivation (tazkiyah), emphasizing human relationships, inner self-development, and the integration of knowledge with ethical conduct. In contrast, modern capitalist education operates as an instrumental system prioritizing economic productivity, institutional efficiency, and the formation of individuals as functional units—workers, consumers, and voters aligned with the demands of secular, market-oriented societies. The study identifies an epistemological rupture wherein modern education is grounded in instrumental rationality and the material conception of nature, while traditional Islamic knowledge is oriented toward spiritual contentment and the cultivation of virtue.

Contribution: This study contributes to the existing literature by offering a structured comparative analysis that moves beyond normative critiques to provide a systematic examination of the epistemological, pedagogical, and anthropological assumptions underpinning both educational traditions. It provides a foundation for further inquiry into alternative educational models that seek to integrate traditional values with contemporary institutional contexts.