Curriculum

What is an Islamic Pedagogy?

By Nadeem Memon

April 12, 2012 • 10 thoughts

In the dialogue of Islamic Education, people think of two things: institutions or curricula. But what is the missing piece in this dialogue?

Dr. Nadeem Memon, the Program Director for the Islamic Teacher Education Program breaks down the missing piece, an Islamic Pedagogy, in this short video.

Nadeem Memon

About Nadeem Memon

Dr. Nadeem Memon is the Course Facilitator for the Islamic Teacher Education Program. He holds a Ph.D in History and the Philosophy of Education from OISE with a research focus on the vision of Islamic schooling in North America. He is also an Adjunct Professor at OISE and the Faculty of Education at Wilfrid Laurier University.
Click here to read more posts by Nadeem.


  • Anela

    Excellent video, Dr. Nadeem! I will circulate this to the Ontario Association of Islamic Schools mailing list. Hopefully, it will get people thinking in the direction of Islamic Pedagogy.

    • http://islamicteachereducation.com Nadeem Memon

      JazakAllah Khayr for your support.

  • http://www.tayyibahacademy.com Afshan Farooqi

    Br.Nadeem.jazakAllah for sharing this video presentation. Our islamic schools really need to get together and should work on this topic.

    • http://islamicteachereducation.com Nadeem Memon

      It would be wonderful to hear more about your school and how you feel an Islamic pedagogy can shift thinking within current practices. My contact information is on our website and it would be great to connect.

  • Abdul-Jaleel Mahrouf

    I’m commited and ready to learn and share

  • Nurah Abdus salaam

    I can’t wait to get started, inshaAllah.

  • Lavern

    Jazak Allah this is an interesting topic for discussion will explore with teachers in New Jersey.

  • s

    JazakumAllah khair for this video.
    I think that we can take most of the types of pedagogical practices that are being taught in western teacher education programs, in terms of day-to-day instruction methods (eg. cooperative learning) and use them – they are already “Islamic” – but what we can add is to SEE them as Islamic – so that we help administration and parents to see that these ways of doing things, different from the very industrial-era style education they experienced when they were students.
    The other element we can add, that is a clasically Islamic element of teaching but is found in many faith traditions of course, is the Murabbi-student relationship in which a teacher acts as not only the imparter of ideas, but the role model, the coach, the mentor, the upbringer, the guide, the supporter of the student’s personal, spiritual development. In order for this to happen, the school has to be supportive of this role, the teacher has to be aware of the potential he or she has to play this role and how to do it properly (safely, effectively, etc – it is a big trust from God and not to be taken lightly), and parents, if possible, should support this and not be jealous of the teacher’s role nor allow that role to be undermined by the student him or herself, when or if the process is challenging for that student (as all kinds of learning can be).
    This raises an important issue that you will hear from many teachers today: parents are in the business of defending their children; they are no longer partners who are willingly handing their children over to professional educators to do the best they can do. They allow their children to gripe (often in an unjustified manner) about the teachers, and they always take their children’s side in situations where there should not even be ‘sides.’ Muslim parents are very guilty of this, i am sorry to say. Gone are the days of the teacher or Murabbi being “loco parentis” – and this is sad for the Muslim community which shouldbe accustomed to and custodians of the idea of the Murabbi – a non-parental figure who is essential in the life of a child.
    May Allah show us the way to revive our traditions.

  • s

    to the Moderator: sorry, another mistake in my comment: the last sentence of the first paragraph should read:
    but what we can add is to SEE them as Islamic – so that we help administration and parents to see that these ways of doing things, different from the very industrial-era style education they experienced when they were students, are legitimate and in fact are themselves means of “teaching” Islam – since they train students to be patient, work with others, and develop good character all around.

  • Muhammad abdullah

    please give me another link to see this clip because you tube is banned in pakistan