| Author | Topic |
Raffia
UNITED KINGDOM
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 Topic initiated on Monday, June 14, 2004 - 10:50 PM 
Islamic Schools vs Western Education
Asalaamu Alaykum dearest Sisters (and any brothers who may have dared to venture in the Womens' Issues Forum!)
I was wondering what your thoughts and experiences were on educating a child.
Is it better to send your children to an Islamic school to keep them away from western influence or should you send your child to a western school for them to become wise with the ways of the world and have the best opportunity to get good grades.
Maybe the answer is a mixture of both...
So my question really is this,
Islamic Schools?
Western Schools?
Or both? |
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hkhan
UNITED KINGDOM
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 Posted - Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - 7:15 AM 
waalaykum assalaam dear sr
your question has been on my mind and i was looking for an expert to hv answer from
alhamdolillah got the opportunity last nite at a dinner at one of our syudying Islam circle's friend whose husband has been a teacher in uk at an islamic school and now at a common state school
(the reason he left islamic school was b/c the scool moved to another town)
He was very determined that wheneve parents could afford to, there first choice should definitely be an islamic school, there was no doubt about it; for islamic knowledge as well as character building;
however parents must check that teachers r upto standard academically as due to lack of funds there hv been occasions wen below standard teachers hv been employed. (with thnx to Mr.Naseem Azfar. PGC.MSC. UK. High School Teacher in Maths, Physics 'n Chemistry)
hope that helps
regards
Edited by: hkhan on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 7:18 AM |
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allahuakbar786
UNITED KINGDOM
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Posted - Monday, June 28, 2004 - 12:42 PM
Asalaamu alikum wa rahmthula
I just went to a talk where the issue of mainstream schools and Islamic schools was discussed...i thought the key points maybe something for you to think about inshallah!...
One of the points made was that sending our children to Islamic schools (IS) creates more segregation and if we dont interact with the non-muslim community then we will continue to be alien to them. Our children can act as dawah in their schools- i know a few yopung people in their teens who have wanted to convert becuase they saw how their friends Islam was- i think this is a great way mashallah- most of us are influenced by the company we keep...
Also i personally think that if the parents instill the Islamic principles, etiquette and adhab in their children they can successfully integrate into mainstream education without compromising their Islam- althbough this is an ideal but inshallah can be achieved! It is important for us to be educated especially in our deen...what would be good is to have Islamic schools that followed the national curriculum but ensured time for prayers and concentrated on Islamic history, roots, education instead of the west where we are taught nothing but about world war 1 & 2 and Islam is a taboo. what i mean is that the base should be Islam and other national curiculum subjects should also be taught but with some link to Islam (hope that makes sense!) Furthemore maybe the schools could be open to all so that non-muslims who were intersted could come too but that would need to be thought about i guess! anyway will leave you with those few points for now...jazak'Allah wasalaams |
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ayesha
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Friday, July 2, 2004 - 9:02 AM
I believe that good education should be part and parcel of the life of every Muslim. It's inherently wrong to categorize any education as 'Western'. The correct categorization, in my opinion, would be:
1. Religious
2. Formal
In a Muslim society, these two kinds of education should be combined and the issue of whether to send the children to an Islamic school should not arise since religious education would be a component of formal education.
In a non Muslim environment however, the entire responsibility of religious education falls on the parents and the community. In such a scenario, it does not sound wise to cut the children off from the society where they are living in. They can be sent to Islamic schools over the weekends for example, in addition to an exemplary behavior by their parents. Parents have an enormous influence over the psychological growth of a child and they are most likely the people the children end up following.
Here I would like to emphasize the importance of formal education. After a humiliating defeat at Badr, a lot of unbelievers were taken prisoners. Whoever taught ten Muslims to read was promised to be released. The unbelievers, of course, were not asked to teach Islam to the Muslims. Nor was it thought that they would have a negative influence over Muslims.
Regards. |
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hkhan
UNITED KINGDOM
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Posted - Sunday, July 4, 2004 - 1:58 PM
assalamoalaykum/peace
i felt the same to some extent wat sr ayesha has mentioned
although in america many muslim parents hv now organized even home schooling where children r performing extrememly well as per national standard 'n learning islamic attitudes 'n theories as well at the same time under direct supervision of their parents but there is a little question  mark there that wen they will come back to the routine society, will not they hv difficulties
however from my personal experience of my own children i wud say that as n wen circumstances arise where an islamic school is easily available , an exposure to such a place even for a couple of years is worth while; specially at a tender age and when they hv to return to a common school there shud not b any hitch in doin so
one sad experience i came across was wen i found some of my colleagues being astonished at the idea of sending children to islamic school saying" wat now? despite being an educated mother 'n living in the west, r u planning to send ur children to a "madrassah"?"
i tjhink we need to clarify our concepts re: islamic teachings |
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Aasiya
USA
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Posted - Monday, July 5, 2004 - 1:31 AM
As Salaamu Alaikum,
My husband and I are debating about this very thing. I want to send my son to kindergarten but my husband don't want him to be influenced by the non believers he will encounter. I do not think that i would do him justice if i home school him so i don't know what to do. |
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ummjuwayriyah
USA
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Posted - Monday, July 5, 2004 - 4:14 AM
As Salaamu alaikum,
“O you who believe! Save yourselves and your families from the Hellfire.” [Sooratut-Tahreem 66:6]
Mothers, fathers, teachers, and the society as a whole, will all be accountable in front of Allaah about the tarbiyyah (education and upbringing) of this generation. If its tarbiyah is good, then there will be happiness - both in this world and the Hereafter. If it is not, then there will be misery, and it will be a rope around your necks - since there occurs in the hadeeth: “Each of you is a shepherd, and each of you will be questioned about those who you are responsible for.”
But - O teachers - rejoice in the saying of the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam), who said: “By Allaah! That Allaah guides through you even a single person, is better for you than the most precious of camels.” And - O parents - rejoice in the authentic hadeeth: “When a person dies, his actions ore terminated except for three; a recurring charity, or knowledge that he leaves which is benefited from, or a pious offspring who supplicates for him.”
So you must first of all reform yourselves, since good results from the good that you do, and bad results from the bad that you do. So good conduct from teachers and parents in front of the children is the best form of education and upbringing for them.”
And an Islamic (teachings of our way of life) education is the foundation for this.
How can secular education teach our children to be upright Muslims? |
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abdullah099
USA
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Posted - Monday, August 9, 2004 - 3:57 PM
True. I grew up in the United States. I started going to Pre-School here all the way through the end of high school. I have to say that it's better to send your kids off to an Islamic school because:
1. The regular schools teach you lies about history. I've encountered several mistakes and forgeries in the textbooks I've received throughout middle and high school.
2. The curriculum in a regular school consists entirely of America, and European history. Even when it comes to matters such as math and science, not once are the great thinkers of Islam mentioned. They teach us algebra but they don't mention that Muslims invented it. But as soon as I started learning Calculus, Isaac Newtons name kept popping up. It's as if they make an effort to remove all muslims from their curriculum so that they can take credit for what the Muslims have done. And this is not a good way for your Children to grow up learning about the world. It makes them think that everything good has come from the west.
3. A major benifit of sending your kids to an Islamic school is that they don't have to see half naked girls and guys everywhere. If you send your kid to such an environment, don't be suprised if they come home pregnant, or got someone else pregnant, and theres always the risk of STD's. You don't think your kids will ever do such a thing? Think again. Your kids will be at school atleast 7-8 hours a day. It's like a second home to them. They learn a lot of things which you don't want them to learn. And they will be influenced by their non-muslim friends to doing things which are against Islam. They just wanna fit in. There are plenty of Muslims at the high school I gratuated from, who have boyfriends and girlfriends. Most of the time these boyfriends and girlfriends are non muslim. One time I caught a Muslim girl making out with a kafir behind the Gym. These kinds of things disgusted me, and I was feeling alone in my school. I kept thinking "Don't they know their doing something wrong?" But in the end I realized that not only do they know, they don't care. That's what you'll get if you send your kids to non-islamic schools.
If your worried about your kids not getting enough of an education from an Islamic school, be aware that Islamic schools are 10 times tougher actually. I have plenty of friends who dropped out of an Islamic school a few years back because it was too tough for them to handle. They actually try to make you memorize the information you learn. Unlike regular schools where you only have to remember the information just long enough to pass the test, then you can forget about it.
Anyways, those are my thoughts on the subject. And if I could go back and do my schooling all over again I would choose an Islamic School. |
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saadiamalik
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Monday, September 6, 2004 - 10:58 PM
Assalaamu Alaikum All.
I think this is a useful topic to discuss, but at the same, I would like to offer something and it would be nice if we could all sleep on it.
Do we necessarily need to understand "Western" as bad? Do we necessarily need to understand "non-Muslims" as fundamentally evil, promiscuous and unworthy of our friendship and fellowship?
As a Muslim, I do realise that it is important for us to impart Islamic knowhow - and by that, I strictly mean, a conscious indulgence with the Qur'an; but can that only be done en route a solemn alienation from Western studies?
One of the respected members has quoted how Western schools will not give credit to Muslim greats and scientists over the course of history. In saying so, he has inadvertently expressed satisfaction at the importance of modern knowledge, and I think, as Muslims, it becomes our duty to accept modern education as part of our nurturing. In fact, try for a second and call it just "modern education" and not "Western education". Do word preferences solve our problem?
Also, does "Islamic education" necessarily have to strictly connote just literature on Islam? How must we understand "Islamic" exactly?
It would be lovely to have all your valuable responses.
Allah Hafiz.
Saadia |
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jxmedina
USA
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Posted - Tuesday, September 21, 2004 - 5:32 PM
Wa Aleikum Assalaam Saadia and All,
Just as abdullah099 stated, I also am borned and raised in USA educational system since preschool. My parents worked hard and waned us to attend private school, so my brothers and i traveled 2 cities away to a private school, but it was Christian. However, it was the best decision my parents could have made for us. The standard was high. We peformed well, and my parents, especially my father made sure to supplement what we learned in school regarding Christianity with lessons on Islam. My parents still have no knowledge of Arabic beyond simple terms, but they made sure we studied all we could after school, and on weekends. We moved, and so we left our private Christian school wheni was in 3rd grade. I went to public school after that. As a resultof such a great academic education, all through school i was at the top of my class. Public schools in poorer areas cannot compete with private school as far as quality f education is conccerned. When i was in high school, I was maybe the only identifiable muslimah. I had aquaintances and one friend. Even though there is a lot of negative peer pressure and sexual encoutners , etc going on in school. I believe that as long as the parents instill solid Islamic values from the beginning and constantly reinforce those values with their own behavior, etc. The Muslims student in any situation will be fine. Even if they go to Islamic school, they will stilll see half-naked women and men on the way to and from school and o weekends, and any time the turn on the TV. As an adult now, when i have babies nshaAllah I will send them to private Islamic shool because there is one in the area and I want them to have a strong academic education and more exposure to Islam than I had growing up nshaAllah. Westernized does not inherently mean something evil or something to be avoided. In terms of modern education, i think it is essential for our children to be educated in all areas of academia so they can be more knowledgeable, competitive and marketable in today's society and economy. I also think that Islamic education is imperative especially for those Muslim children growing up here in the USA or places like UK and other minority Islamic nations. What good is being an A student going to Harvard if you have no taqwa? What good is earning $100,000 year if you do not even know how to perform salaat? I think about these things. I am not a parent yet, but when i willbe nshaAllah, It will be mine and my husband's responsibility to nnuture our children and cultivate their hearts for Islam, and thier minds for success and knowledge in every aspect of the physical and spiritual. It is important to me that my childen will not be just Muslims by title and birth, Allah forbid. I want them to be muumin and spend of their lives seeking knowledge and truth in Islam. Islam is not just literature; it is a way of life. Islamic education, to me, means just this. teaching our children the way of life for all, complete submission to Allah and to Him alone. AlhamduliAllah I am a Muslim. I do agre with Abdullah that if I could do it all over again, I would prefer to go to Islmaic school ofr the first years of my life (instead of Christian), but i still learned many valuable lessons and learned more about my own inner strength and will to defeat the influence of shaytan during the years i went to public school. I think the strong foundation in Islamic schools prepare the child for formal or modern education in public school if that is the choice of the parents. I think that sending my children to Islamic school preschool through high school would be a disservice, and sending my children to public school preschool to high school would also be a disservice. It is important to be upright Muslims,never comprimising our beliefs, but always being able to adapt to and participate in this society.
I hope i have not bored anyone to sleep. I hope also this makes sense because i am writing this during short breaks at work.
Fi Amani Allah
Jameelah |
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quarthadast
SPAIN
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Posted - Sunday, September 26, 2004 - 3:27 PM
Hello to everyone.
I'm a Spanish male, head of family and father to a son.
I'm also a non-believer. I mean that I'm a Christian.
I hope to give my opinion from my point of view.
I live in a country and a city that in recent years have become the finish line for many muslims looking for a job and better life conditions.
I must say that, with some logical exceptions, every muslim living here enjoys the same rights and status that national Spanish do.
In public schools is everyday more frequent to find muslim boys and girls sharing classrooms and activities with their Christian mates without problems or conflicts of any kind.
Normally, when some trouble arises, it's provoked by adults in any of both sides. Again, kids have no problem at schools no matter their faith of place of birth.
So I encourage all muslim parents to send their children to public western schools without any prevention. Give your children the chance to know us and to us to know them and through them to know all of you.
Remember: we non-believers are good people too. We don't want any harm to be done to any child in the world, just as you.
Best regards for all of you.
Peace and love. |
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jxmedina
USA
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Posted - Monday, September 27, 2004 - 10:29 PM
Hello Quarthadast,
I think it becomes problematic when and if we make our children teaching tolls to others rather than looking out for their best interest. Yes, having our Muslim children go to pulic school is fine; it is a question of what is better for them. The public school can teach their minds benefit them in other social ways, but Islamic school, especially for children who have parents from different backgrounds or limited knoweldge about the religion (like mine did), will teach their minds and fill their hearts, while uplifting their spirits and aiding them on their path to be upright Muslims in a world full of undesirable things. They won't try fitting in or feeling left out by their peers. They would be the norm and the standard istead of trying to fit some other standard unnatural to the way of life of a Muslim. In the end, it is for each couple to decide how they will educate their children. I appreciate your point of view and thanks for sharing. There is no god but God, so May Allah bless you, your wife, and child.
Vaya con Dios,
Jameelah |
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quarthadast
SPAIN
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Posted - Monday, September 27, 2004 - 11:16 PM
Hi, Jameelah.
First of all, I must express my gratitude for your kindness in replying my post.
But I probably didn't explain myself properly because you refer to things I never said.
I was not talking about "fitting" (meaning accomodating your faith and thougts to those around you), I was talking about tolerance. About knowing each other without each side renouncing to anything.
Remember what I said in my letter and you avoid to mention: we non-believers are good people like you.
How would you feel if I tell my son to not going around with muslims so his faith can be preserved?
Our "standard" of life can be very different from yours but we are guided by Ten Commandements that express how precious life is and that everyone´s God's son regardless his/her personal background.
Our children are not to be blamed for their parents faults. My son will know every muslim that wanted to be known and will listen to every muslim that wanted to be his friend. He's not a present danger to anyone's faith.
I'm sure that Islamic Schools are good for your children, but I'm also sure that Public Schools are not bad for them.
Make your choice in liberty but without fear nor prejudices. |
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jxmedina
USA
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Posted - Tuesday, September 28, 2004 - 6:34 PM
Peace and Blessing Upon you quarthadast,
You are wrong that you did not explain yourself. You did. You are right in that my post refered to things you never stated. I gave you my opinion, which was not necessarily directly in response to your post. I know you were talking about tolerance and the whole melting pot thing, but true authenicity in diversity and intercultural and interreligious exchange, in my opinion, needs to go way beyong just tolerating others. I think more than tolerance, your post spoke of acceptance and assimilation. I think adaptation may be more appropriate. I did not avoid your comment about being a good person as you said "we non believers". The question of sending my future children to Islamic school or public school has nothing to do with you or non-Muslims being good or bad people. To me, that is a totally different issue altogether. I am a product of U.S. American Christian private school AND public school system. I was also a Spanish teacher at a public high school for 3 years before changin careers, so I am very familiar with how our system works here since i have experienced public school life both as a student and as a teacher. Public schools are not bad for my children; however, the question is not what is bad. The question my husband and i must ask ourselves is what is BEST for our future children. I am glad you are bringing up your son withthe ideas of tolerance and acceptance. It would be abetter world if more parents did so.
You asked, "How would you feel if I tell my son to not going around with muslims so his faith can be preserved?" First of all, you are Christian in a majority Christian/Catholic society. Therefore your son's Christianity is not something that takes extra steps to ensure its preservation. You may feel differently if Christianity was a minority religion where you live and you and a few members of the community and family were all your son had to rely on to pass on religious knowledge.
When i wrote, "They won't try fitting in or feeling left out by their peers. They would be the norm and the standard istead of trying to fit some other standard unnatural to the way of life of a Muslim." I was meaning that school kids often try to fit in regardless of their religion, height, weight, rae, etc. It is what happens. There are negative and positive peer pressures in school. As a parent it will be my job to make certain informed decisions regarding my children. When Islam is taught correctly, Standard Arabic and Qur'an recitation are required course in the general curriculum, times are set aside to perform prayers, halal food guidelines are observed, dress codes for women/girls and men/boys are enforced, and classes are seperated by both rade level and gender, then ojala I will not have ANY reservations about sending my children to public school.
Making my choice in liberty without fear and with prejudice,
Jameelah |
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saadiamalik
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Saturday, October 2, 2004 - 9:25 PM
Dear All: Assalaamu Alaikum.
At the end of the day, many of those who study the Qur'an, will cheat others in business; many of those who offer their prayers, bowing in front of their God, will resume severed relations with those around them. Getting our children into "Islamic schools" is possibly something that only puts us at comfort. Something that makes us feel lighter with our responsibilities as caretakers.
You could say that 'chances' are for brighter turnouts, given "Islamic schools", but who is to say which side of the probability line, your or my kid will fall.
This, to me, amounts to saying that someone living in the "Dar ul Imaan" (land of the believers) will make a better Muslim than someone living in the "Dar ul Harb" or "Dar ul Kufr" (land of war/dis-believers) - ("Terms" being borrowed from Mawdudi and Syed Qutb. I would respectfully disagree).
So would those of us living in the West, be willing to shift to an "Islamic" country in lieu of better and purer lives? I don't think many would like to take the plunge.
...just a thought.
Peace!
Saadia
Edited by: saadiamalik on Saturday, October 02, 2004 9:27 PM |
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RENEE
USA
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Posted - Monday, October 4, 2004 - 5:30 PM
with the name of allah
alsalam alkum
i must say; i have leaved in/with all points of view mention here. i'm a decendent of those men who stoled this country, the usa from the native people. most of my life i believed that white people were superior to other races. i also, believed: the chritain view, that through jesus comes the only salvation to mankind. i believed he was g-d, the son of g-d, and the holy spirit, the trinty concept of g-d. but i also believed in the american view of, all men where created equal, but different, and due to the race, should live seperate. my mother's generation made sure that their daughter's grow up with free choice. you know, women liberation. and it was my mom who gave me insight to a different path. and i was given the freedom to explore it. i married out side my race and religion. funny thing is, i married an arab muslim. who came to this country at the age of 19 years old. he is palestian, but was raised in kuwait.he came to this country to get an education, however, that's not, what he eneded up with. he married me as a christain, and lived my way of life as an american. he told me he was a muslim but, that was all. never did he say, anything about islam. seven years, we were married and his parents moved to the states from kuwait. he came home one day, and told me that i had to become muslim, and he wanted me to dress like his sister's a mother. well, i said, no way! so, he told me he wanted a divorce. i said fine. about 3 day's later, he returned, and asked, if i changed my mind? ell of course i didn't. i had be making plans to move back home with my mom. he said i could leave,but, that i couldn't take our 2 children. well, he didn't leave the house with the chrildren either. anyways, he return, and said; that he really didn't want a divorce and wanted to work things out. i said fine under my conditions. we moved away from that area, which was 3 hours from his parent's house. we would visit them and things were fine. they moved to palestine 5 yrs. later. my children was raised for the most part, like i was. i allowed my children the choice of learning what their father beleived. and left it up to them, to chose which religion they wanted to follow. well, 5 yrs. ago. i reverted to islam. i was a person who stated: i would never be a muslim! how wrong, was i? it was a 9 years journey, before i found islam. i had no desire for that religion, because of the muslim's i knew. after reading the qur'an. i discovered, you can't jude islam, by muslim's. that is for the most part, and not of all. after, my reversion. i wanted to tell my children that i was no-longer a christain. and to my surprise, neither were they. now, today, my youngest son goes to an islamic school. this is his second year. he will be 15yrs. old tomorrow. at first, he didn't want to go to an islamic school. but now he don't want to go to a puplic school. he isn't strong in his islamic pratices yet, but he has begun to chose for himself islam. and that is and was my purpose to let him chose islam for himself. he spent 8yrs. of his life in puplic school, and most of his life with a christain and american view. now he is, a muslim and an american. so, any one who believes that it's the west that corrurpts, islam or a muslim. i can say 100 persent, that's not true! we all make our own choices, when all is said and done. my country (usa) doesn't prvent me from me following islam or being a muslim. it is my given right here, a right that my forefather's fought and died for. and mant inncent people were killed in that fight for the freedom of the usa. and the fight still carries on today. that is way, we are able to have this debate, cause you can't in alot of other countiers in the world. including, countries in the west and east. so, lets not put the west done, we it offer's you your livlyhood. cause the majority of muslim's in the west don't have to live in the west. there is a saying; don't bite the hand that feeds you.
may allah bless us, have mercy on us, please forgive me if i offended anyone. but, truth stands out against falsehood. |
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