Transformative Learning Spaces in Madrasah from the Perspective of Islamic Educational Values

Siti Khadijah Binti Hashim (Universiti Teknologi Malaysia)
Alice Sabrina binti Ismail (Universiti Teknologi Malaysia)

Journal of Islamic Architecture
Vol 9, No 1 (2026): Journal of Islamic Architecture (Issue in Progress)

Madrasah in Malaysia has established a significant role in becoming one of the Islamic educational institutions. The development of madrasahs as sources of Islamic knowledge, known to be imparted to the Muslim community, plays a crucial role in disseminating Islamic educational values, namely syumul, kamil, adil, and alami, not only during the learning process but also during the early design planning of madrasah architecture. This adopts a conscious approach to make madrasah a medium for conveying values and to design an appropriate built environment through architectural elements that prioritize the Islamic way of life, based on the basic teachings of Al-Quran and Sunnah. However, in Malaysia, no comprehensive studies have explicated how the learning spaces in madrasah design can convey Islamic educational values through physical design aspects. Therefore, this paper aims to identify the potential of Islamic educational values to influence the architectural design elements of learning spaces and madrasah buildings using socio-semiotic theory. Furthermore, this study applied the hermeneutic method through the interpretivism paradigm to understand this phenomenon through a case study. The two indicators of architectural elements of madrasah buildings, form-making and spatial components, are analyzed to document the values that enhance the adaptability of the learning process, reinterpretation of the built environment, and realization of the reality of the institutions. This study will benefit many parties in providing recommendations for madrasah design, referring to Islamic educational values as an architectural design approach during the early design planning. This approach can serve as guidelines for designers, showing that madrasahs can function as signs and symbols of the transitional dimensions of Islamic educational values towards the sustainability of the built environment through the unity of community, equality of learning opportunities, and the rejuvenation of spiritual and psychological aspects of life.