Qur’an, Education, and Challenges Arising from Technological Transformations

Qur’an, Education, and Challenges Arising from Technological Transformations

Document Type : Original Article

Abstract

The contemporary world is undergoing unprecedented technological transformations that have profoundly reshaped human identity. The emergence of cyberspace and digital media has rendered many traditional educational paradigms increasingly ineffective. At the heart of these challenges—especially for religious education—lie two fundamental issues: the ontological challenge of forming a “fluid and fragmented identity,” and the epistemological challenge of the “erosion of educators’ authority and legitimacy.” These two concerns form the basis from which many other educational difficulties arise. Philosophies of education have responded to this situation through diverse and often contradictory approaches, which can broadly be classified into four categories: (1) acceptance of fluidity and decentering; (2) emphasis on individual choice and critical rationality; (3) return to tradition and reinforcement of authority; and (4) pursuit of sustainable and dynamic identity formation supported by networked authority. This article seeks to engage these challenges without either rejecting technology outright or submitting passively to its redefinition of the educational process. Employing a deductive approach, it develops a philosophical framework for human development and positioning based on key Qur’anic concepts. The notions of Shakila (structure), ‘Ubudiyyah (servitude), Tawḥīd (divine unity), and Qisṭ (justice) serve as elements for articulating the educational goal, while Taqwa (piety), Dhikr (remembrance), and Hidāyah (guidance) clarify the process. Within this framework, education is defined as “a process of interaction between educator and learner aimed at understanding and refining the learner’s existential condition.” Finally, the study derives a set of operational principles and methods for active engagement. Among the most significant are: active reminding, situational piety, and narrative identity formation to address the challenge of fluid identity; and wisdom-based authority formation, Tawḥīdoriented critical rationality, and consultative legitimacy to counter epistemological challenges. Together, these principles outline a framework for transforming the contemporary technological lifeworld into a space for the practice of servitude and the realization of divine vicegerency. The essential prerequisite for adherence to these principles is the moral cultivation of the child, aimed at strengthening and directing the will.

Keywords

Quran

Technology

Education

Situation

Piety

Wisdom

Subjects