The Importance of Community in Islamic Education: A Holistic Approach
The community and the school should work hand in hand in nurturing students to become dynamic members of society in the future. While school uses a holistic approach to educate learners, the community on the other hand should adopt activities to support the student’s holistic development.
By the way, what is a holistic approach to education? It involves educating a student in terms of intellectual, emotional, social, physical, moral, spiritual, and even cultural and global awareness, in short, it is the development of a learner as a whole being. This strategy is also applied in Muslim schools where spiritual growth, character development, and social responsibility become the benefits of Islamic education.
It was Prophet Muhammad who emphasized the value of community as he tried to build a strong sense of brotherhood among Muslims, guiding them in faith and also promoting an ideal community ruled by justice, compassion, and cooperation. What then is the role of the Islamic community in holistic education?
Fostering Ethical and Moral Values
It is in the community where moral and ethical values are cultivated. In the mosques and madrasas, Muslims worship and learn and these places become free spaces for people to observe, learn, and support each other in their religious and moral development. Through constant interactions in this community setting, the students develop honesty, compassion, patience, and humility.
Encouraging Collaborative Learning
The concept of Ijma (consensus) values group wisdom, that is learning from their peers as much as from their teachers. Individual growth is connected to the health and strength of the community which is why collaborative learning is developed while supporting each other’s intellectual, spiritual, and emotional growth.
Creating a Supportive Learning Environment
In holistic education, the learner feels supported academically, emotionally, and spiritually. The elders, teachers, and peers guide the students beyond what books and classrooms can offer. This support system of learning from each other, seeking advice from elders, and maintaining strong ties with their faith ensures that students can thrive in all aspects of their development.
Connecting Faith and Practice
Faith is nothing without action, so the community gives the students space where their faith becomes evident in their activities. Their Islamic education emphasizes that knowledge should lead to action benefitting the individual and the community as a whole. It is inculcated in their minds that their purpose in life is not only to excel personally but to contribute to the betterment of the community and the whole world.
Nurturing a Sense of Belongingness
The Muslim’s identity is shaped by their faith and their role within the Ummah (global Muslim community). This strong sense of identity is developed in holistic Islamic education and inspires them to strengthen their faith and moral compass, guiding them in their personal lives and their responsibilities to others.
The role of the community is indispensable in the student’s attainment of a holistic learning experience. Developing the student in all aspects of his persona will enable him to live a meaningful life and simultaneously contribute positively to society as a well-rounded individual whether living in Muslim or non-Muslim communities.