Latest news with #IslamicCivilisation
Qatar Tribune
a day ago
- General
- Qatar Tribune
QF introduces new Islamic Civilisation curriculum across its schools
Tribune News Network Doha Qatar Foundation will roll out the new Islamic Civilisation curriculum across all its schools in the 2025–2026 academic year, reflecting its commitment to strengthening students' identity and sense of belonging. Designed for grades six to nine across all Qatar Foundation's (QF) Pre-University Education (PUE) schools, the innovative programme explores key milestones of Islamic Civilisation across four pivotal eras, deepening students' understanding of their historical roots and cultural heritage through interactive, values-based learning. Commenting on the launch, Sara Al Hajri, director of Student Affairs and Community Engagement within QF's PUE, said: 'This course aims to address a gap in international school curricula. While students study the history of Qatar, we recognise the importance of providing our students with a deep understanding of their nation's history, but we also believe it is essential to introduce them to the wider history of Islamic civilisation and its profound impact on humanity. 'Through this curriculum, students will discover how Islamic civilisation has helped shape the world around them and contributed to the values and knowledge they cherish today. 'It is an educational journey that connects the past with the present, linking the broader civilisational landscape with the personal, and shaping a balanced historical awareness that fosters self-appreciation and nurtures a sense of belonging.' Al Hajri explained that what sets the Islamic Civilisation curriculum apart is that it does not simply recount historical events in chronological order; rather, it focuses on analysing the impact of this civilization across various aspects of life and the contributions it has made to humanity. He added, 'We were keen to implement the curriculum in a different way, presenting it not as traditional lessons, but as inquiry-based research units. Students receive the foundational knowledge, but then explore its developments, applications, and connections to contemporary reality. 'This is an investment in their awareness and a learning experience that surrounds the students in a dynamic environment. Our aim is for this curriculum to become deeply embedded in their consciousness, unlocking their potential for the future and fostering a generation of learners equipped with their heritage to lead.' Dr. Ali Al Sallabi, secretary-general of the International Union of Muslim Scholars and one of the reviewers of the Islamic Civilisation curriculum, emphasised that incorporating this course into the school programme is a highly significant step in light of the intellectual and cultural challenges facing today's younger generation. An author and Islamic scholar specialising in history, Islamic thought, and Qur'anic interpretation, Dr. Al Sallabi noted that past decades have seen the dominance of certain cultural currents over the Arab and Islamic world, shaping its intellectual and civilisational dimensions. He added that the effects of this dominance remain evident despite the decline of its military and political presence. 'Islamic civilisation is distinguished by its material, moral, spiritual, and intellectual dimensions, aspects the new generation needs now more than ever: Dr. Al Sallabi said. 'Teaching it helps guide young people out of confusion, providing them with the compass to direct them and the light to connect them to the Holy Qur'an and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). 'During the content review, we were keen to include prominent civilisational landmarks, inspiring stories, Qur'anic verses, and Prophetic hadiths, as well as to highlight influential figures in the history of the nation. The material has been structured to reflect the richness and depth of Islamic civilisation.' He added, 'This curriculum not only strengthens students' understanding of the achievements of Islamic civilisation and its role in the modern world, but also empowers teachers to play a central role in broadening students' perspectives. It creates opportunities for dialogue and discussion in a way that blends reason and emotion, deepening their pride in their faith and history, and inspiring them to learn more about their rich and enduring heritage.'
Qatar Tribune
a day ago
- General
- Qatar Tribune
Qatar Foundation launches Islamic Civilisation curriculum in its schools starting with new academic year
DOHA: Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) has announced the inclusion of the 'Islamic Civilisation' curriculum in its educational curriculum starting from the 2025-2026 academic year. This comes as part of its efforts to strengthen students' connection to their cultural roots and consolidate their understanding of their national and cultural identity. The Foundation explained in a statement that the new curriculum is an innovative educational course aimed at students in grades six through nine in schools affiliated with Qatar Foundation's Pre-University Education. It explores the most important milestones of Islamic civilisation across four pivotal eras, through interactive educational tracks that connect values, knowledge, and identity, working to instill a sense of belonging and enhance historical awareness. In this context, Sarah Al Hajri, Director of Student Affairs and Community Partnerships at Pre-University Education at Qatar Foundation, said: 'This course addresses the existing gap in international school curricula, where students study Qatari history without a comprehensive understanding of the history of Islamic civilization in its comprehensive sense.' She added that the curriculum enables students to learn about the contributions of Islamic civilisation to the human journey, linking the past to the present, and the general to the specific, thus shaping a balanced awareness that enhances self-esteem and guides a sense of belonging. She explained that the curriculum is distinguished by its focus on analysing the impact of Islamic civilisation on various aspects of life and the contributions it has made to humanity, departing from the traditional narrative of historical events. She pointed out that the curriculum's implementation relies on inquiry-based research units, whereby students receive basic information, explore its developments and applications, and connect it to contemporary reality. She emphasized that this represents an investment in students' awareness and a stimulating educational experience that unleashes their energies for the future. For his part, Dr Ali Al Sallabi, Secretary-General of the International Union of Muslim Scholars and one of the participants in the curriculum review, emphasized that the inclusion of Islamic Civilisationin school curricula represents a crucial step in light of the intellectual and cultural challenges facing the new generation. An Islamic writer and preacher specializing in Islamic history, thought, and Quranic interpretation, he explained that the past decades have witnessed the dominance of cultural movements in the Arab and Islamic world, influencing its intellectual and civilisational dimensions. He noted that the influence of these movements persists despite their declining military and political presence. He said that Islamic civilisation is characterized by material, moral, spiritual, and moral dimensions that the new generation needs more than ever before. Teaching this civilisation contributes to saving generations from confusion and providing them with a compass that guides them and a light that directs them to the Book of God and the Sunnah of His Prophet. He pointed out that the curriculum review focused on including prominent cultural landmarks, inspiring stories, Quranic verses and Prophetic hadiths, as well as highlighting influential figures in the nation's history, and arranging the content to reflect the manifestations of Islamic civilisation. Dr Al Sallabi concluded by saying: "The new curriculum enhances students' understanding of the achievements of Islamic civilisation and its role in the contemporary world. It also empowers teachers to play a key role in broadening students' horizons and encouraging dialogue and discussion in a manner that combines logic and emotion, deepening their pride in their religion and history and motivating them to learn more about their ancient civilisation."
Khaleej Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
How Arabs Shaped Modern Banking in the Middle Ages
The early Muslims engaged in transactions based on Sharia, and Islamic Economic principles are documented as being practised during the Golden Age of Islamic Civilisation which occurred during the Middle Ages from the mid-7th century to the mid-13th century.
Middle East Eye
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Georgetown University professor placed on leave over misrepresented X post
A programme director and tenured professor at Georgetown University has been placed on administrative leave after he was attacked by pro-Israel groups over a post on X where he called for an end to hostilities between Iran and the US. Georgetown University interim president Robert Groves told lawmakers on Tuesday during a House committee hearing on campus antisemitism, more than three weeks after the X incident, that Brown was no longer chair of his department and that they were "beginning a process of reviewing the case". On 22 June, just a day before Iran fired missiles at al-Udeid air base in Qatar in retaliation for President Donald Trump's unprecedented strikes on its three nuclear facilities, Jonathan AC Brown, the Alwaleed bin Talal chair of Islamic Civilisation in the School of Foreign Service, predicted that such a move could wrap up the conflict. "I'm not an expert, but I assume Iran could still get a bomb easily. I hope Iran does some symbolic strike on a base, then everyone stops," Brown wrote on X. A day later, on 23 June, Iran struck the base, and Trump thanked the Islamic Republic for giving him an early warning about the choreographed response. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Hours later, Trump announced he had brokered a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran, ending what he coined "the 12-day war". Within the next few days, Brown faced a series of attacks from pro-Israel groups and activists, and some on the American right who saw his post as a call for harm against US troops. Brown later clarified that he was not calling for an attack on the US base and wrote: "I deleted my previous tweet because a lot of people were interpreting it as a call for violence. That's not what I intended. "I have two immediate family members in the US military who've served abroad and wouldn't want any harm to befall American soldiers," he added. 'The idea that the university would pursue punitive action... is troubling and, frankly, unbecoming of Georgetown' - Cair On Tuesday, Grove told lawmakers during the House committee hearing that Brown was being disciplined and investigated. "Within minutes of our learning of that tweet, the dean contacted professor Brown. The tweet was removed," Groves said. "We issued a statement condemning the tweet. Professor Brown is no longer chair of his department. He's on leave, and we're beginning a process of reviewing the case." Republican Congresswoman Virginia Foxx responded: "He's made similarly appalling statements for years, but he has been kept around. So now you're investigating and disciplining him?" "Yes," Groves said. Brown has been a longtime vocal critic of Israel's war on Gaza, where more than 58,000 Palestinians have been killed, the majority of whom are women and children. 'Troubling and unbecoming' Within hours of the hearing, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair) issued a statement containing a copy of its letter to Groves urging that Brown be reinstated. The organisation said it has deep concerns about "misleading and bad-faith mischaracterizations of [Brown's] social media activity", as well as the university's decision to announce the disciplinary action at a public hearing "arranged by openly anti-Palestinian and Islamophobic members". What really happened at college campuses according to Jewish students Read More » Cair said that Brown "is known not only for his scholarly contributions to Islamic Studies, but also for his work advancing racial justice, interfaith understanding, and academic freedom". "The idea that the university would pursue punitive action against such a faculty member based on a politically motivated smear campaign related to his private speech, instead of any actual misconduct, is troubling and, frankly, unbecoming of Georgetown." The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), one of the foremost pro-Israel advocacy groups in the US, lauded the university for its decision. Middle East Eye reached out to Brown for comment, but did not receive a response by the time of publication. Since Trump entered office, his administration has cracked down on Ivy League schools where mass protests have called for an end to Israel's war on Gaza, as well as an end to US involvement in perpetuating the Israeli occupation of Palestine. The president has withheld critical public research funding from institutions such as Harvard University and Columbia University. Not the first incident Georgetown University has been under scrutiny for several months, ever since another one of its professors faced the full might of Trump's war on pro-Palestine voices, aided by lists provided by pro-Israel groups like Canary Mission, Betar and the Middle East Forum. On 17 March, masked federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security arrested Badar Khan Suri in Rosslyn, Virginia, just as he returned home from breaking his Ramadan fast. His arrest came amid a wave of attacks on the academic freedom of pro-Palestinian voices in the US. Georgetown scholar Badar Khan Suri to be released from detention in Texas Read More » Suri is an Indian citizen and a post-doctoral scholar at Georgetown. Like Brown, he also worked at the Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding. The agents told him that his student visa had been revoked and that he faced imminent deportation. Suri's wife, Mapheze Saleh, a Palestinian with American citizenship, watched as the masked agents took him and his passport and drove off. "Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas. The Secretary of State issued a determination on March 15, 2025 that Suri's activities and presence in the United States rendered him deportable," a statement sent to MEE at the time said. Suri's wife, Saleh, is the daughter of Ahmed Yousef, a former senior political adviser to Ismail Haniyeh, the then-leader of Hamas. Yousef left that post many years earlier. After being held in what he described as squalid conditions inside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centre 1,500 miles away from his family for two months, a federal judge ordered his release on bail in May.
Barnama
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Barnama
Muizzu Receives Honorary PhD In Islamic Leadership, MADANI Development From IIUM
GENERAL KUALA LUMPUR, April 29 (Bernama) -- Maldives President Dr Mohamed Muizzu was today conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in Islamic Leadership and MADANI Development by the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) in recognition of his contributions to leadership and nation-building. The honorary degree was presented by Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, the university's Constitutional Head, at a special convocation held at the Gombak campus. In his acceptance speech, Muizzu expressed gratitude for the honour and highlighted the importance of leadership rooted in justice, innovation and human capital development in elevating Islamic nations globally. 'This honorary doctorate is a symbol of the enduring bonds between our nations, and a reminder that leadership must always be rooted in justice, compassion and the collective empowerment of our people. 'The role of academic diplomacy between our nations is important. It is not only strengthening bilateral relations, but beyond that, we shared aspirations for inclusive development within the Muslim world,' he said. Muizzu also delivered a keynote address titled 'The Intellectual Renaissance: Unveiling the Scientific and Modern Developments of Islamic Civilisation,' underscoring the role of intellectual empowerment and scientific advancement in contemporary Islamic civilisation. Also present at the ceremony were Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, IIUM President Tan Sri Samsudin Osman, IIUM Rector Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Osman Bakar, and High Commissioner of the Republic of Maldives to Malaysia Dr Mariyam Shabeena Ahmed. Earlier, in her royal address, Tunku Azizah said as part of IIUM's vision to preserve Islamic heritage, the university aspired to send its students to study in the Maldives for greater depth, as well to enhance academic collaboration between the two countries. She noted that IIUM, established in 1983 with the Republic of Maldives as one of its founding co-sponsors, has produced many Maldivian graduates who have gone on to serve the nation with excellence.
