An exploration of the viability of partnership
between dar al-ulum and Higher Education
Institutions in North West England focusing upon
pedagogy and relevance.
Ron Geaves
Islamic Studies Network Funding
Introduction and Background
• The project explores possibilities of
collaboration between Muslim providers of
traditional education (dar al-ulums) and HE/FE
institutions in close geographical proximity in
North West England.
Participants
Two prominent dar al-ulums located in
Lancashire and Greater Manchester and
affiliated with the Deobandi network were
identified as possible partners, along with two
Christian colleges involved in the delivery of
undergraduate degrees validated by major
North West England universities.
Rationale
• The Christian foundations were selected as they already
recruited substantial numbers of Muslims students from
their local catchment areas; they were in proximity to
several major dar al-ulums and would be interested in
collaboration as a result of interest in faith education,
interfaith dialogue and issues of local/national integration.
• Deobandi dar al-ulums were selected as they are the
principal providers of Islamic traditional education in
Britain.
• The dar al-ulums and HE/FE colleges identified, benefit
from geographical proximity to each other and are
therefore ideal for the project.
The focus on pedagogy and relevance arise out
of common critiques of traditional dar al-ulum
curriculum (dars-i nizami).
• Pedagogy (over-emphasis on non-discursive
rote learning).
• Relevance (the content of the dars-i-nizami is
not relevant to the demands of the
contemporary world)
Pedagogy
• A number of classes were attended during the
morning sessions when the traditional
curriculum is taught. Each class lasts for thirty
minutes and I was able to attend sessions on
Advanced Jurisprudence, Intermediate Arabic,
Tafsir/Translation of Qur’an (senior), Qur’an
translation (junior), Hadith ( three age
groups), and Modern Arabic Grammar.
Pedagogy
1. The teaching ranged from the didactic to
interactive.
2. There were signs of some tutors being more
interactive and encouraging students to go
behind the specific to seek universal and
applicable ethics.
3. Students were expected to maintain a high
level of participation, whether memorising,
calculating, conversing or translating.
Pedagogy
Conclusions:
1. A level of individual student engagement and interactive
participation that compared very favourably with the higher level
cognitive skills expected in a British university.
2. There was certainly more memorisation going on but it would be
a misnomer to state that the pedagogic skills were based upon
rote learning.
3. The facilities of the school are good and demonstrate a style that
borrows from both east and west.
4. Respect for teachers is high and classroom discipline exceptional.
5. IT facilities are good.
6. The general impression was that of highly motivated, intelligent
and reflexive young men whose ability to undertake degree level
study was apparent (final two years).
Relevance
• The intense level of memorisation demanded
was a useful transferable skill (law, for
example).
• The students in the dar al-ulum are faced with
a variety of teaching methods, some of which
develop memorisation and others which
develop higher level critical skills.
Sample – final year curriculum
RE should
enable pupils to develop respect for
and sensitivity to others, in particular
those whose faiths and beliefs are
different from their own
promote discernment and enable
pupils to combat prejudice
(non-statutory guidance QCDA, 2007)
The aims of RE: religious education
and competing expectations
 Of the intended curriculum (ref: Everington (2000).
 Acquiring and developing knowledge and understanding of Christianity and the
other principal religions represented in Great Britain;
 Developing the ability to make reasoned and informed judgements about
religious and moral issues;
 Enhancing pupils’ spiritual, moral, cultural and social development by: developing
awareness of the fundamental questions of life raised by human experiences,
responding to such questions with reference to the teachings and practices of
religions to their own understanding and experience; reflecting on their own
beliefs, values and experiences in the light of their study;
 Developing a positive attitude towards other people, respecting their right to hold
different beliefs from their own and towards living in a society of diverse religions.
The purposes of RE?
 The purpose of religious education is to enable pupils
to gain knowledge and understanding of religion(s).
 The purpose of religious education is to promote
understanding of and respect for people whose cultures
and beliefs are different from one’s own and to
promote a positive attitude towards living in a plural
society.
 The purpose of religious education is to promote the
personal, moral and spiritual development of pupils.
 The purpose of RE is to promote the personal, moral and
spiritual development of pupils (main aim);
 The purpose of RE is onto enable pupils to gain knowledge
and understanding of religion(s) (instrumental aim);
 The purpose of RE is to promote understanding of and
respect for people whose cultures and beliefs are different
from one's own and to promote a positive attitude towards
living in a plural society (consequential aim).
Geoff Treece, 2011
Relevance
• It is clear that in the context of religious
education, the dar al-ulum curriculum achieves
the main and instrumental aims to a high degree.
• It could be argued that it does not meet the
consequential aim.
• This is a challenge for perceptions of Dar al-ulum
education as both policy makers and media tend
to place the emphasis on the CONSEQUENTIAL
aim of RE as being the MAIN aim, thus distorting
understandings of relevance.