USIM paves the way

directed to rekindle the fading spirit of NPE at the same time meeting the aspiration of the blueprint.

This can be realised via three interrelated approaches. First by embedding the culture of iqra’ (meaning: read or recite) as in the first commandment to the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (pbuh) in the Quran. The commandment lifted iqra’ as a moral duty in seeking truth and justice that is entrusted to the “learned”. This also means that the scope is not confined to any single area of study, rather transdisciplinary in nature as heralded by scholars of yesteryears especially during the era of Muslim civilisations. Not only is the knowledge well integrated and convergent for the benefit of humanity as its “translational” outcome, it is also sustainable to meet the needs of the day and the future without taking a toll on the ecosystem. Incidentally, iqra’ is the very word encountered at the university’s main entrance to welcome the university community and visitors alike.

Implicit in this is the “integration” of revealed and human “generated” knowledge in nurturing the “balanced and harmonious” human person as per the NPE. This is more apparent from one of the six student aspirations, ethics and spirituality. In the HEB it is described as “graduate with a balance of akhlak (character) and ilmu (knowledge)” that better prepares them … in “grappling with the complexities and new challenges of the 21st century”.

In the final analysis, it demands a different perspective in (re)defining where the intellectual seat is. Here the role of the “heart” is vital taking into account various sources of wisdom such as Aristotle: “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all”. Or as Einstein cautioned: “We should take care not to make the intellect (mind) our god. It has, of course, powerful muscles, but no personality. It cannot lead, it can only serve.”

Indeed, a 2014 Unesco document urged that “the concept of education ... has to change radically. Education has to move away from being an exercise with an end goal of transferring skills to a socio-emotional praxis, that is the education of the heart. These are in line with faith-based teachings promoting similar wisdom which is now marginalised. Education as we know it needs to be “redesigned” to bring to life yet another profound quote: “The heart of education is education of the heart”. On this USIM is spot on to redesign education.

With some four decades of experience in education, the writer believes that “another world is possible”. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com