The decline of Qur’anic Arabic as the medium of education has contributed enormously to the decline of the Muslims. Without the capacity of direct understanding of the Qur’an and hadith the Muslim Ummah has lost much of its vitality.
At the same time any human being needs to be proficient in the indigenous language of their place of residence and work. Any attempt to implement Islamic Education principles must make the learning of both languages part of the daily curriculum. It is imperative that children have daily sessions in both languages as early as possible. Further the Arabic Language is part of school life to embed it as a ‘language of learning’.
Children, who have completed the ISF Arabic course, have taken the GCSE Arabic examination at the ages of 11 – 12. They have gained A and B grades.
The Arabic language is celebrated in the ‘Shakhsiyah Model’ as the language of the Qur’an. A love of the language, as well as the Qur’an, is generated in the children by all the staff but particularly the Arabic teachers. The Hifz (memorisation) programme has a part to play in this. Children memorise Juz Amma by Age 8 and Surahs Mulk, Waaqiah and Ya Sin by age 10. This engenders a love of the Qur’an and brings the Qur’an back into the centre of education.
The teaching of Tajweed (Rules of Recitation) however is slower with only one session a week. Nevertheless by Age 10 children do become proficient in the rules. The emphasis is definitely on memorization and meaning, as both are the essential tools of approaching the Qur’an as a guide to life. The teaching of Arabic language is the critical tool for understanding the Qur’an, and memorisation ensures that it is close to the heart.
Once this has been covered at a primary level it opens up options to children at a secondary age to study both Islam at a deeper level as well as other subjects. We believe this is an essential approach in ending the dichotomy of ‘Islamic’ and ‘Secular’ education.
|
