Reflection Week 4 - Integration and Islamization of Curriculum

Integration & Islamization of Curriculum

During the fourth week of this semester, the four of us have learnt a new topic which is very essential in the field of learning and teaching. The topic is Integration and Islamization. Dr Rozina has given us a few articles and a slide on Integration and Islamization of Curriculum by Prof. Dr. Sidek Baba. During the lesson, she also incorporated a lecture by Dr Mahmudul with a similar topic in order for us to fully grasp the objectives behind the matter.

The topic presented in class discussed about how to integrate the knowledge exist in this world with three basic elements of Islam which are human potential, values and tawhidic perspective. All subjects should be incorporated with these three elements to make up a complete benefit for human. According to Prof Sidek, determining what is right and what is wrong can avoid the misuse of knowledge. For instance person who is good in business but misuse his skill to trick other or a person who is given a trust to manage something yet take advantage of the situation. This kind of thing insya-Allah can be avoid or reduce when the teaching is highly emphasis on the value of Islam. Other than that, subjects should be integrated with tawhidic view so that the concept of oneness of Allah become the core of every values and knowledge gained.

Dr Rozina also pointed out that even if the subjects we learnt in class were developed or emanated from the Western, we should not follow the teaching blindly. We also should not ignore and claim that it is useless because every knowledge, even a tiny little one will be useful in future. Therefore, the actions that we can take to make the teaching follows the value of Islam is by Islamizing it.

It can be said that the lecture has opened up our mind on the basic reason of seeking knowledge. As a Muslim, everything that we do should be because of Allah and only to seek His pleasure. When we have that conception buried in our mind, every little things that we had experienced throughout our long hard years of learning will become smooth, insya-Allah. This is because we know that the reason we have being pushing ourselves throughout these years is not only for the sake of achieving a piece of paper stating that we are now a degree holder but mainly for the purpose to establish a better and refined Ummah in future. In order to reach it, we need to start with ourselves by relating redefine and reorder the knowledge that we had with Islamic value and to serve the cause of Islam.