The Crisis and Reconstruction of Islamic Educational Thought: A Philosophical Analysis of Knowledge, Identity, and Modernity

Jobeda Khanom (Faculty of Islamic Studies, The University of Chittagong)
Nourelhuda Elmanaya (Faculty of Arts and Sciences, American University of Beirut)
Qiyadah Robbaniyah (Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Tarbiyah Madani Yogyakarta)

Solo Universal Journal of Islamic Education and Multiculturalism
Vol. 4 No. 01 (2026): Solo Universal Journal of Islamic Education and Multiculturalism

Objective: This research aims to critically analyze the crisis and reconstruction of Islamic educational thought through a philosophical study of the concepts of knowledge, identity, and modernity. The main focus is to understand the philosophical basis that underlies Islamic education in the midst of contemporary knowledge changes. Theoretical framework: The theoretical framework rests on the relationship between revelation, ratio, ethical formation, and social transformation in the Islamic educational tradition. This framework is used to analyze the tension between Islamic epistemology and the paradigm of modern knowledge. Literature review: The literature review covers the classical Islamic educational tradition as well as contemporary intellectual debates on the relationship between revelation, reason, and modern knowledge systems. The literature is used to identify epistemological crises, identity issues, and challenges of modernity in Islamic education. Method: The research uses a philosophical inquiry approach by philosophically analyzing the classical Islamic educational tradition and contemporary thought. This approach is used to critically examine the foundation of knowledge, educational goals, and human development in the context of modernity. Results: The results of the analysis show that the crisis of Islamic education is related to the tension between inherited epistemological traditions and modern paradigms that tend to separate scientific rationality from spiritual and ethical dimensions. The reconstruction of Islamic education requires an integrative epistemological framework. Implications: The findings imply that Islamic educational reform needs to be directed not only at the modernization of institutions or curricula, but also at the philosophical reconstruction of human knowledge and development. Education needs to integrate knowledge, ethical formation, and Muslim identity in the face of contemporary reality. Novelty: The novelty of the article lies in the placement of the crisis of Islamic education as a philosophical and epistemological problem, not merely an institutional or pedagogical problem. The article offers the idea of reconstructing Islamic education through the integration of modern knowledge with the philosophical foundation of Islam.