Critical thinking and non-formal Islamic education: Perspectives from young Muslims in the Netherlands

Abstract

Critical thinking is a highly valued skill in the twenty-first century, and its incorporation into formal school curricula as a core skill is nearly ubiquitous globally. It is considered imperative for educational quality, employability, competitiveness, and for promoting democratisation and social integration. While schools are tasked to promote critical thinking, non-formal Islamic education (NFIE) provided by mosques or by private organisations or tutors is often criticized for its emphasis on rote learning and memorisation, and for fostering an uncritical acceptance of authority. Based on interviews with 27 young adult alumni from four different Muslim communities in the Netherlands, this study seeks to explore the pedagogy of NFIE, with a focus on critical thinking. The accounts of young adults revealed that an emphasis on stimulating critical thinking was largely absent, and there were limited opportunities for interactions, questions, debating or challenging the authority of religious educators or Islamic texts. The traditional pedagogical approach, discouraging attitudes of educators and peers, lack of language proficiency, the young age of learners, and a perceived lack of need for critical deliberations were identified as key challenges. Young adults called for reforming the pedagogy of NFIE to allow for more reflexive, inquisitive and dialogical learning. Some argued that lack of critical deliberation would lead to weakness in the belief structures and faith of new generation Muslims in Europe, resulting in a sense of confusion and disorientation, and limited embodiment of Islamic principles.

Religious Disorientation in the Digital Transformation: An Islamic Review

“…Altinyelken [17] highlights how learners experience religious and belief disorientation, which can be influenced by various factors such as the attitudes of educators and peers, language proficiency, age, and a lack of critical thinking. Additionally, Cohen and McClymond [18] identify moral injury as a form of disorientation that occurs when individuals or groups violate moral and religious values, leading to emotional experiences for religious believers [19].…”

Educational crisis of Rohingya refugee children in Bangladesh: Access, obstacles, and prospects to formal and non-formal education

“…Unless the perception of the students and guardians changes, development through formal and non-formal education will not be possible. Furthermore, studies suggest that non-formal religious education is incapable of equipping individual with new skills and techniques necessary for professional development and being responsible citizens [ 83 ]. Both teachers and students in Islamic study centers face numerous challenges in terms of funding, services, and organisational fragility [ 84 ].…”

Retrospections and perspectives: The Study of Religions in Hungary at the University of Szeged

“…Non-formal education usually refers broadly to almost any educational event outside of the formal school system. When referring to the relation between the study of religions and non-formal education, many resources refer to non-formal education as part of religious education; for example, Altinyelken (2021) refers to critical thinking skills developed within Islamic religious education in the Netherlands. They also entail a version of religious education that is happening outside of school.…”