Critical Pedagogy in Islamic Education: Re-examining the Thought of Paulo Freire and Ibn Khaldun for Liberatory Learning

Dian Nopita Sari (Institut Agama Islam Nur Raudhatul Ulum)
Sefri Kandi Ja’far Yazid
Adelia Syafitri (Institut Agama Islam Nur Raudhatul Ulum)
Atmajaya (Institut Agama Islam Nur Raudhatul Ulum)
Akbar Maulidin (Institut Agama Islam Nur Raudhatul Ulum)
Irma (Institut Agama Islam Nur Raudhatul Ulum)
Muhammad Abid Fathin (Institut Agama Islam Nur Raudhatul Ulum)

Sustainable
Vol. 7 No. 2 (2024): Sustainable

Contemporary Islamic education frequently struggles with authoritarian, rote-learning practices that fundamentally contradict its emancipatory theological ideals. This study aims to resolve this pedagogical stagnation by synthesizing Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy with Ibn Khaldun’s humanistic educational philosophy. Employing a qualitative library research method with a comparative-philosophical approach, the study critically analyzes primary texts and recent scholarly literature published between 2019 and 2024. The findings reveal that while Freire offers robust socio-political conscientization, it inherently lacks spiritual depth. Conversely, Ibn Khaldun provides essential psychological safety and gradual learning but requires a critical edge for modern social justice. By integrating both paradigms, this research proposes a novel conceptual framework termed "Prophetic Critical Pedagogy." This integrated model successfully marries structural liberation with spiritual transcendence, transforming the classroom into a dynamic space for dialogic inquiry and moral action. Ultimately, this framework offers Islamic educational institutions a transformative pathway to cultivate critically conscious, morally grounded, and socially responsible learners, effectively bridging the epistemological gap between classical Islamic wisdom and modern critical theory.