With the introduction of new educational systems in the Muslim world duringthe late-eighteenth through the early-twentieth century, many Muslims andnon-Muslims became critical of traditional pedagogical methods. In particular,the image of Qur’an schools in West Africa are often criticized for their“backward” forms of education and commonly perceived as places wherechildren simply parrot Qur’anic verses without much...Read More

Proponents of the integration of Islam into English literary studiesseek, by way of presenting Islamic worldviews in relation to thelife-worlds that English texts presumably promote, to inform (Muslim)students and practitioners of the subject about possible untowardinfluences in order to help them withstand cultural captivityand lifestyle effects. This is part of the wider concept of integratingIslam...Read More

Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century focusedon this question in its report to the premier United Nations agencyin education: the United Nations Educational, Scientific and CulturalOrganization (UNESCO). In its report, “Learning: The TreasureWithin,” the commission stated that life-long education is basedupon four pillars: learning to know, learning to do, learning to livetogether, and learning...Read More

During the 2007 provincial election campaign, Conservative party candidateJohn Tory proposed extending government funding to all faith-based schoolsin Ontario. This was met with strong public and media opposition due to fearsof radicalization and indoctrinating students in religious beliefs considered outdatedand a threat to Canadian norms (particularly with Islamic schools). It iswith this anecdote that editors...Read More