Epistemological shifts in knowledge and education in Islam: A new perspective on the emergence of radicalization amongst Muslims

Amra Sabic-El-Rayess

International Journal of Educational Development, 2020, vol. 73, issue C

Abstract: I theorize that the idea of knowledge and education has shifted in Islam from an inclusive and rational search for all knowledge to a narrowed focus on religious knowledge, void of rationality. By synthesizing literature on education and knowledge in Islam, this study identifies three shifts in the cultural history of Islamic education. I argue that those shifts in what was deemed valuable knowledge have played a significant role in the emergence of radicalization today. The study shows that once the social world of Islam destabilized, the sense of belonging and sense making became inward and less reflexive as compared to that of early Muslims. Belief became privileged over the rationality mechanisms that had previously formed Islamic endeavors. I demonstrate that a decline in intellectual and scientific production followed, allowing extremists to skew Islam’s narrative by putting forward an idealized version of the Islamic caliphate divorced from rationality.

Keywords: Muslims; Radicalization; Islam; Islamic education; Terrorism; Militant Islam; Extremism; Violent extremism; Recruitment; Jihad; Islamic caliphate; Knowledge; Social transformation; Education; Rationality; Belief; Religion; White nationalism; United States (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:injoed:v:73:y:2020:i:c:s0738059319306261

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2019.102148

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