Reorienting Education in Muslim Contexts towards Awe and Wonder

The Power of Dialogue, Science and Art

2024-2026

Overview

PreK-12 education in many Muslim contexts faces a dual challenge: outdated ‘madrasah’ models and increasingly managerialist, neoliberal mainstream systems. These approaches fail to inspire a sense of awe and wonder in young learners about the natural and social worlds or fully appreciate the potential of the human person. However, the Islamic tradition offers rich concepts such as tarbiyah (holistic nurturing), ta’dīb (discipline with moral purpose), and tazkiyah (purification and growth), which hold promise for reimagining education.

This project addresses the need to integrate these principles into contemporary educational practices. It unites theological scholarship, rigorous educational research, and innovative curriculum development to create transformative learning opportunities for children and educators worldwide.

Our Vision

We aim to:

• Cultivate a sense of awe and wonder in young learners by connecting religious, scientific, and artistic disciplines.

• Place character development and self-reflexivity at the heart of education.

• Build a global network of educators to collaboratively explore and implement these ideas.

This aligns directly with the vision of Sir John Templeton to inspire curiosity about the universe, motivate lives of meaning and purpose, and foster human flourishing. 

Our project centres on fundamental questions that every educator can explore personally and within their teaching, such as:

1. What is the human person?

2. What are the aims and purposes of education?

3. How can character education be enacted?

4. What is the relationship between religion and science, and how can this inform human development?

5. How do we nurture awe, wonder, and creativity in the natural world, the human person, and human artistry?