SIX MAIN PRINCIPLES
FOR QUALITY LEARNING BASED
ON TA’LĪM AL-MUTA’ALLIM ṬORĪQ AL-TA’ALLUM
Adib Rifqi
Setiawan*
Λlobatniɔ
Research Society (ΛRS)
Jl.
Kudus - Colo, Pandak, Colo, Kabupaten Kudus, Jawa Tengah, 59353, Indonesia
*Correspondence: alobatnic@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
This article examines the requirements for
quality learning, that is based exclusively on the nadzom “alālā” that wrote by
Burhān al-Dīn al-Nu’mān ibn Ibrōhīm al-Zarnūjī in his treatise entitled “Ta’līm
al-Muta’allim Ṭorīq al-Ta’allum”. The quantitative research descriptive studies
category used in this article and the results are described based on content
analysis technique. It reveals that quality learning has six things dependency:
ingenious acumen, fervent desire, resilience, sufficent sustenance, guidance of
a teacher, and length of time. The best way to test of any educational factors,
of course, is develop instruments to measure quantitatively. The development of
instruments is yet to do.
Keyword: al-Zarnūjī; Ta'līm
al-Muta'allim Ṭorīq al-Ta'allum; Quality Learning;
Article
History:
Received 04 Feb 2021
Revised 13 Mar 2021
Accepted 05 Apr 2021
Available online 15 May 2021
1. INTRODUCTION
وَلَمَّا وُبِّخُوا عَلَى التَّخَلُّف وَ أَرْسَلَ النَّبِيّ صَلَّى
اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَ سَلَّمَ سَرِيَّة نَفَرُوا جَمِيعًا فَنَزَلَ {وَ مَا كَانَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لِيَنْفِرُوا} إلَى
الْغَزْو {كَافَّة فَلَوْلَا} فَهَلَّا {نَفَرَ مِنْ كُلّ فِرْقَة} قَبِيلَة {مِنْهُمْ طَائِفَة} جَمَاعَة وَ مَكَثَ الْبَاقُونَ
{لِيَتَفَقَّهُوا} أَيْ الْمَاكِثُونَ {فِي الدِّين وَ لِيُنْذِرُوا قَوْمهمْ إذَا رَجَعُوا
إلَيْهِمْ} مِنْ الْغَزْو بِتَعْلِيمِهِمْ مَا تَعَلَّمُوهُ مِنْ
الْأَحْكَام {لَعَلَّهُمْ يَحْذَرُونَ} عِقَاب
اللَّه بِامْتِثَالِ أَمْرِهِ وَ نهيه، قال بن عَبَّاس فَهَذِهِ مَخْصُوصَة
بِالسَّرَايَا وَ اَلَّتِي قَبْلهَا بِالنَّهْيِ عَنْ تَخَلُّف وَاحِد فِيمَا إذَا
خَرَجَ النَّبِيّ صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَ سَلَّمَ.
“When the Prophet was about to dispatch a raiding party — after
they [certain Muslims] had been reproached for staying behind — all of them
went forth, and so the following was revealed: It is not for the believers to
go forth, on a raid, altogether: why should not a party, a group, of every
section, of every tribe, of them go forth, while the others remain behind, so
that they, those who remain behind, may become learned in religion and that
they may warn their folk when they return to them, from the raid, by teaching
them some of the rulings which they have come to learn, so that they may
beware? of God’s punishment, by adhering to His commands and prohibitions. Ibn
‘Abbās said that this [verse] is specifically [intended] for raiding parties,
while the previous one is [specifically] to prohibit any individual staying
behind when the Prophet sets out [on a campaign].” (Al-Maḥallī and Al-Suyūṭī 2010)
That al-Qur’ān’s verse mentioned above is
one of main source about education, delivers using fi’il mudhōri’
(present and future tenses). Ning Syarofis Siayah told me that al-Qur’ān’s
verse using fi’il mudhōri’means dynamical activity. Thus, when education
delivered using fi’il mudhōri, it means that education is dynamical
activity in the present time to prepare ourselves in the future eras.
Education is the process of facilitating
learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits.
Education frequently takes place under the guidance of educators, but learners
may also educate themselves. It can take place in formal or informal settings
and any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or
acts may be considered educational (Ummah 2018c). Education has played a central role in Islam since early times,
owing in part to the centrality of scripture and its study in the Islamic
tradition. Before the modern era, education would begin at a young age with
study al-Qur’ān and Arabic. Some students would then proceed to training in Tafsīr
(Quranic exegesis) and Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), which was seen as
particularly important.
The notion of quality education is
fundamental to the classical perspective of learning in Islam. The past
research on education based on the Islamic traditional heritage has
predominantly dealt with various challenges in the education system. However,
the present global educational situations occasionally give cause for concern.
Scholars are reviewing the current educational conditions to influence
alternative policy making in educational institutions. In the Islamic context,
there are equally many interrelated issues that have been carefully reviewed (Al-Maḥallī and Al-Suyūṭī 2010; Halstead 2004;
Setiawan 2019). Consequently,
Muslim scholars have advocated that an education system that is oriented toward
the understanding of life both here and the hereafter should be prioritized in
Muslim societies. By providing the guidelines that enhance the promotion of the
individual’s physical and ethical character, Islamic education could be
conceived as a process of learning that shapes and transforms the individual’s
intellectual experiences and social behavior. Furthermore, contemporary
societies reward individuals not for what they know, but for what they can do
with what they know (OECD 2019; Ummah 2018b).
Quality education is determined by not only individual human
factors, but also external conditions including the educational environment.
For instance, the educational environment plays a significant role in shaping
the individual’s character whether as a child or as an adult (Ummah 2018a; Velasufah and Setiawan 2019). The conditions of the educational environment had an impact on the
attainment of the goals of education because they augment the effort of the
teachers in imparting values to the students. It is an established fact that
education is obligatory on all Muslims, male or female. Despite that, for
al-Zarnūjī (2014), quality learning has certain requirements that must be considered
before it can be achieved. Indeed, knowledge acquisition is a process that is
made up of progressive steps each of which has its own requirements (i.e., what
has to be fulfilled before the student can progress to that level). Therefore,
while students are expected to fulfill certain requirements before progressing
to every level, the institutions should themselves design the principles as
well as the effective ways to apply them for better results at each of these
levels.
al-Zarnūjī’s (2014) treatise entitled Ta’līm al-Muta’allim Ṭorīq al-Ta’allum
provides valuable insights into the essential principles of teaching and
learning, which could still be useful for both students and teachers and, for
that matter, Islamic educational institutions. Thus, the main reasons for
selecting Ta’līm al-Muta’allim Ṭorīq al-Ta’allum, are as follows. First,
its principles have been applied in designing many policies in educational
institutions in the Muslim world, particularly the pondok pesantren in
Indonesia. Second, its model of teaching and learning is suitable for achieving
the aim of Islamic education. Finally, the content of the book forms the basic
foundation of the current education system in Muslim countries.
I myself learning Ta’līm al-Muta’allim Ṭorīq al-Ta’allum
during my secondary education in MTs NU Miftahul Falah, teached by Ustadz Abdul
Wahid and Ustadz Noor Sa’id, then in Pondok Pesantren MUS-YQ, teached by Ustadz
Ahmad Muttaqin. During my tertiary education in UPI, Ning Syarofis Siayah
became my advisor in learning Ta’līm al-Muta’allim Ṭorīq al-Ta’allum
more deeply, i.e. correlates that book with my study in Physics Education
program. Then, I still learning Ta’līm al-Muta’allim Ṭorīq al-Ta’allum
during my daily in Pondok Pesantren Ath-Thullab under guidance of Ustadz Ahmad
Muttaqin, that teaches me since my secondary education.
Therefore, in the light of the contemporary educational
circumstances, this article isolates and examines the requirements that,
according to the book, students and, to a large extent, teachers must fulfill
to be able to engage in and promote quality learning from the Islamic
perspective.
2. METHOD
The goal of this work is
isolates and examines the requirements that, according to the book, students
and, to a large extent, teachers must fulfill to be able to engage in and
promote quality learning from the Islamic perspective. The data needed is in
the form of a literature study of al-Zarnūjī’s (2014) treatise entitled Ta’līm al-Muta’allim Ṭorīq al-Ta’allum. Based on the research objectives and data
requirements, the quantitative research descriptive studies category can be
used (Fraenkel, Wallen,
and Hyun 2012). Statistical analysis is not appropriate for this
study. As is usual in studies of this type, the results are described based on
content analysis technique (Fraenkel, Wallen,
and Hyun 2012).
3. A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF AL-ZARNŪJĪ
Al-Zarnūjī was born in Zarnūj, a small town in the present Eastern
Turkistan, a state adjoining River Tigris. Burhān al-Dīn (proof of Dīn) or
Burhān al-Islām (proof of Islām) al-Zarnūjī were his agnomen, or moniker.
Collections of biographies believed that his given name was al-Nu’mān ibn
Ibrōhīm (Della Vida 1948). So, al-Zarnūjī is associated with two names: one is honorific
(i.e., Burhān al-Dīn) while the other is his actual name (i.e., al-Nu’mān
ibn Ibrōhīm).
Burhān al-Dīn al-Nu’mān ibn Ibrōhīm al-Zarnūjī was one of the
pioneers in Islamic education nor author of pedagogical work who lived in the
13th century during the Abbasid regime. He belonged to the Ḥanāfī School of
Islamic jurisprudence. He outlined his educational thought in the treatise
entitled, Ta’līm al-Muta’allim Ṭorīq al-Ta’allum, in which he explores
the ethical guidelines both the teacher (the mu‘allim) and the student
(the muta‘allim) could follow to achieve better results in the teaching
and learning process. He is reported to have understudied and corresponded with
several scholars during the period of his learning. However, the following
appear to be the most popular (Al-Zarnūjī 2014; Della Vida 1948).
1.
Fakhr
al-Islām al-Ḥasan ibn Manṣūr al Farghōnī Khadikan (1196 ce);
2.
Zahir
al-Dīn al-Ḥasan ibn ‘Alī al-Marghinanī, (1204 ce);
3.
Fakhr al
Dīn al Kaṣanī (1191 ce);
4.
Burhān
al-Dīn ‘Alī ibn Abī Bakr al-Farghinanī al-Marghinanī (1195 ce); nor
5.
Rukn
al-Dīn Muḥammad b. Abī Bakr Khwarzade (491-576 AH).
It is reported that by 1203, al-Zarnūjī had compiled all the 13
chapters of this book, reveals that the book was written in the 13th century (Della Vida 1948). However, it appears that much of the work was done earlier. In any
case, it is a widely acclaimed piece and it is used as a source of reference
for research in the field of education by Eastern and Western academics alike (von Grunebaum and Abel 1947; Setiawan 2018; Della
Vida 1948). In
the Islamic educational institutions, particularly, the pondok pesantren,
the Islamic seminary in Indonesia, Ta’līm al-Muta’allim Ṭorīq al-Ta’allum
is often regarded as the book of basic learning guidelines for students. It is
a unique piece of work because its principles explain the ethical foundation of
teaching and learning.
The 13 chapters of this discussion include issues relating to the
nature and merit of knowledge, the intention at the time of the study, the
types of knowledge permissible to acquire, and respect for knowledge and those
who possesses it. Others include hard work and perseverance in the learning
process, when to start and organize the lesson, and tawakkul (trust in
God). He also discusses the time for the acquisition of knowledge as well as
time management in the teaching and learning process. Other topics include how
to cooperate with and show compassion to others in the learning process, issues
relating to self-discipline during the time of learning, how to improve one’s
retentive memory and overcome forgetfulness, and how to survive materially
during the period of learning.
It could be argued that this treatise served a good purpose for
students. This is because, it appears, many students at that time encountered
certain difficulties in education and the acquisition of quality knowledge;
hence, they failed to achieve their aims. According to al-Zarnūjī (2014), most of these students did not successfully meet their goals
because they were not mindful of the correct methods of learning. von Grunebaum
& Abel (1947) conclude that al-Zarnūjī’s (2014) discourse facilitated the devising of a better study approach or
method to guide these students about whom he had read and heard from his own
teachers. In other words, he believed that the students had not been taught
what was most beneficial for them and had, therefore, wasted the chunk of their
time on unbeneficial knowledge.
4. THE PURPOSE OF LEARNING IN ISLAM
In appreciating the purpose of learning in Islam, it is essential to
first understand the concept of education and its roots in Islam. Three words
denote education in Arabic. These are ta‘līm (which means: schooling,
teaching, or instruction), tarbiyyah (which means: breeding, upbringing,
or nurturing), and ma‘rifah (which basically means: knowledge or
know-how about something, learning, or awareness about a piece of
information.). Although the above words, apparently, refer to different aspects
of human awareness, all of them revolve around the concept of education.
Quality education facilitates the expansion of one’s knowledge and the
development of good manners (Halstead 2004; Ummah 2018b). Thus, there is a significant overlap between the three words.
At the core of the Islamic concept of education are the principles
that demand the production of graduates with good morals, understanding of the
Islamic codes of conduct, and commitment to the belief in God (tawhīd).
In Islam, education is oriented to the tenets of the religion, which uphold the
belief in God. The assumption is that, from the perspective of Islam, what is
moral is religious; and so morality serves as the foundation of all processes
including education, which is the process of creating and nurturing the human
personality to absorb what is good (Ummah 2019). However, secular ethicists argue that although it is impossible to
be religious without morality, it is possible to promote morality without
religion (Halstead 2004; Pyysiäinen and Hauser 2010). Their argument is that what is morally good does not necessarily
imply or score a religious value and vice versa. By this understanding of
morality or ethics, therefore, what is valuable in the sight of religious
people does not necessarily appear as ethical or moral on its own. Here,
morality and ethics are used interchangeably because what is morally right is
considered as ethical. Nonetheless, in Islam, morality or ethics is always
determined by religious values and what is religiously commanded invariably
becomes a moral obligation. Therefore, the presence of morality is essential in
Islamic education, which is to nurture morally inclined learned men and women
to contribute to society’s development.
Whatever form it takes, education is expected to prepare the
students to work toward the achievement of certain goals in life (Ummah 2018b). Based on this principle, therefore, every level of education
should have a purpose for the student and this has to be oriented to the
well-being of both the individual and the larger society. The specific purpose
set for any particular aspect of education is crucial for assessing the benefit
of that aspect for the society and measuring the quality of the teaching
process.
Quality teaching prepares the students to face future challenges and
serves as the basic requirement for achieving societal goals. Hence, the
purpose set for any field of education determines how dynamic the graduates
that would be produced would be. This implies that the teachers themselves have
to be dynamic at any material moment to facilitate the setting up of a good
standard for the transformation of human life in its entirety. In this regard,
it is the methods that are capable of aiding the achievement of the educational
purpose that will be used in the teaching and learning process at each level.
In other words, the implementation of the entire principles of education and
the formulation of teaching and learning methods are guided by the set purpose.
This is because all efforts would be focused on the purpose. In setting the
purpose for any field of study, three core issues must be borne in mind. These
are the target population or the caliber of people it is designed for (i.e.,
its objective for the human society), the accessible or projected societal
needs (i.e., present, growing, and future demands in the society). This is the
consideration of the essential human needs and demands in the society. The
other is the implication of this field for the Islamic way of life. The above
are required in setting a quality purpose in education from the Islamic
perspective.
Quality
education has a clear purpose that applies to both the learner and the educator
(the teacher), and each of these knows his own rights and responsibilities. It
is important to emphasize that education is a cooperative process in which
individuals study together to achieve a purpose and equip themselves with the
methods for solving problems. Therefore, the best system of education is
basically built on problem-based learning. The aim of education, and, indeed, the
standard by which educational success is measured, is the transformation of the
individual through the development of both the moral and the rational selves.
In Islam, therefore, the ideal education does not only focus on good
character-building (attitude) and spirituality but it is also expected to
create a worthwhile purpose or vision for the student. Thus, the curriculum has
to be practical. The assumption is that, in today’s world, human perfection
cannot be achieved with religious knowledge alone. Therefore, its integration
with the practical sciences reflects the overall essence of knowledge in Islam,
which accelerates transformation in terms of spirituality, character, and
material well-being and survival (Al-Maḥallī
and Al-Suyūṭī 2010; Al-Zarnūjī 2014; von Grunebaum and Abel 1947; Halstead
2004; OECD 2019; Setiawan 2018, 2019; Ummah 2019; Velasufah and Setiawan 2019;
Della Vida 1948).
The
purpose of the Islamic educational curriculum is to design topics that will
equip the students with a competent technical know-how while sustaining their
spirituality and religious identity. However, the objective of the spiritual or
religious aspects is to increase the student’s awareness about his baser-self
to transform him into the ideal person the Islamic society expects. This is the
main priority of education from the Islamic point of view. In Islam, human
welfare comprises spiritual and physical aspects. Thus, al-Zarnūjī (2014) argues that an individual who
endeavors to learn must first set the following general purposes for himself to
succeed. To:
1.
acquire
knowledge about God and issues about the creation of humankind;
2.
make
oneself pleasing to Allah;
3.
facilitate
one’s happiness here and in the hereafter;
4.
overcome
one’s own ignorance as well as that of others;
5.
live a
religious life and maintain the Islamic religious tenets in one’s life; nor
6.
improve one’s
cognition to better oneself in the society.
From the above, the student’s purposes could be classified into
three main categories. These are the purposes that relate to the issues of ‘ibādāt,
the ultimate purpose of education in Islam. The rest are the purposes that
relate to interpersonal or social (mu‘āmalāt) matters and the purposes
set for the individual’s material development. However, from al-Zarnūjī’s (2014) perspective, the combination of the above purposes (namely: the
religious, the social, and the individual’s development-motivated purposes),
determine how successful the entire teaching and learning process would be.
This implies that, in education, the setting of the right purpose is a basic
necessity. It is undeniable that social and individual developments are major
goals of education today. Therefore, the same variables are expected to
influence the purpose set by both the teacher and the student in all the
teaching and learning processes in order that the ethical aspects will remain
intact.
5. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN THE
LEARNING PROCESS
The Islamic ethics on learning emphasize the responsibility of the
students to their teacher in the course of the study. These ethics, therefore,
emphasize that the students must accord the teacher, and generally, all those
who possess knowledge, a maximum respect. Besides the above, what the students
learn also has ethical implications. According to al-Zarnūjī
(2014) in designing a curriculum, the purpose as well as the ethical
aspects (i.e., its religious implications) should be carefully considered to
ensure that they are in harmony with the principles of Islam. He argues that
not all fields of knowledge are ethical for consideration in education from the
Islamic perspective. Among the ethical fields are medical science and, of
course, Islamic jurisprudence. These are the fields of knowledge that are
useful for the society. However, in selecting the beneficial types of
knowledge, the availability of experienced or qualified teachers for those
fields is also an important prerequisite. In the third chapter of his treatise,
he illustrates the key points that enable students to determine which fields are
ethical and which are not. Students have to think carefully before they choose
disciplines in the course of learning. Besides the general purposes enumerated
earlier, he also suggests that students select fields of learning in accordance
with the specific purpose or goals they have set for themselves in life. This
implies that the parents’ choices for their wards do not find favor here
because the student’s personal interest is very crucial in the choice of an
educational career. Even so, he also argues that a field like astronomy is good
for the Muslim students on condition that one learns only what is helpful for
determining the times and direction (qiblah) of worship. Thus, here too,
he opines that the most recommended fields are those that have a bearing on
one’s spiritual development.
In terms of the quality learning dynamics, however, the above
features help to identify the fields that are relevant for achieving the
student’s purpose or goal while synchronizing that purpose with the Islamic
values. For example, if a student purports to become a medician, ethically, one
must find out whether medician is consistent with Islamic values. If they are
found to be compatible, then, as natural sciences are basic to engineering, in
addition to the Islamic values, the student must be encouraged to study natural
sciences as requirements for achieving the purpose of becoming a medician. This
helps to nurture potentials without hurting the Islamic values.
In connection with the ethical issues in teaching and learning,
al-Zarnūjī (2014) identifies three types of human beings:
1.
The first
category covers the virtuous person who always not only expresses a good
opinion, but also interacts with and consults virtuous and intelligent people.
A person with good intellectual potentials offers good advice or counseling to
his fellows and almost always transforms his followers into people of fine
morals, wisdom, and tolerance. Therefore, if this person were to be a teacher,
through his good supervision, guidance, and counseling, his students would
interact better and engage with his instructions (Roorda 2011).
2.
The second
category is lower than the first one. This person has no correct opinion about
anything. Nonetheless, he makes effort to consult others who might know to
update him. As it has been indicated, he has no proper opinion of his own.
However, a student who always has his own opinion about issues is more inclined
to learn to be analytic, looks at issues critically, and attempts to recognize
and solve problems in a creative way. The one with a weak opinion about things
is often close-minded because he learns only by listening to others. This type
of person often turns out to be conservative and uncreative in the way he
perceives things. He always emphasizes the necessity for precedence and opens
up to ideas but only to the extent that others have affirmed or recognized them
through their own reasoning.
3.
However,
the third category is the one who neither possesses any correct opinion about
anything nor consults or seeks information from others. This is a sign of
conceited (takabbur) in the learning process. Such a person often boasts
about any little knowledge he happens to possess. It is about this person that
the Arabs have a proverb: Man qāla lā adrī wa huwa yata‘allam afd.alu miman
yadrī wa huwa yata‘zzam (which means, “He who says ‘I do not know’ and
learns is better than him who knows but puffs himself up”). The implication of
the above is that there should be a conscious effort to always learn from
others even if one is in the know. Furthermore, it is better to search for
knowledge and information from those with experience in a given subject and
location. This gives us a lead into the view that much of what one acquires is
through listening; and this could be from within or outside the formal
instructional environment. Thus, he who does not know is to update himself from
his own colleagues or precursors who have the expertise and experience. In
addition, one is to remain open-minded and be willing to share with others.
This implies that an educational environment populated by virtuous and
intelligent students or scholars is likely to produce virtuous and open-minded
scholars and vice versa.
People who are inclined to share and receive from others increase
their knowledge more than those who stay on the islands of their own wisdom.
This is because teaching not only imparts knowledge, but it also improves a
person’s wisdom and increases his awareness. That is why the prophet is
reported to have said that the best (the most virtuous) among humankind are
those who learn and teach it to others. Although, regarding this, he was
particularly referring to the teaching and learning of the Qur’an, the pivot of
Islamic knowledge. Nonetheless, consistent with al-Zarnūjī (2014), the Islamic knowledge, for which the Qur’an serves as the focal
point of reference, transcends beyond mere spiritual knowledge to scientific
knowledge like medical science, and so forth, as well. It could be argued that
Muslim professionals like medical doctors and engineers who are also
well-educated religiously or morally set for themselves better goals in life,
which are often consistent with the Islamic belief in God.
Due to the significant role ethics plays in the Islamic teaching and
learning process, al-Zarnūjī (2014) proposes that teachers should focus more on the moral challenges in
the society. In contemporary times, when students are expected to aim toward
specific goals, the technical know-how to facilitate the achievement of those
goals becomes the main focus of attention in the teaching process (Elliott 2015). A student who has high aspirations requires dedication to achieve
his goals. Nonetheless, from the Islamic perspective, nothing could be properly
accomplished without religious values or divine intervention. This is why the
learning process moves conterminously with the religious ethics. al-Zarnūjī (2014) points out that in building students’ intellectual capabilities,
the system should take into account the ethical issues bordering on human
relationship such as respect, humility, and obedience. These issues are crucial
to successful learning even in modern times.
From the foregoing discussion, it has become clear that, in Islam,
morality plays a vital role in shaping student’s future aspirations. This makes
the learning a mechanical process of facilitating the student’s moral and
rational transformation through the application of specific principles. For
that reason, the programs ought to be relevant to the student’s goals as well
as those of the society. In this vein, the studied programs are expected to
move hand-in-hand with the needs of the larger society. This is to enable the
graduates to use their expertise to contribute toward the achievement of
societal goals in the long run. That is necessary because the society is the
ultimate target of the entire education system. However, it appears that the
issue of how to design quality programs that back students’ purposes in life
while helping society to achieve its goals remains a major challenge of
education at all levels today. Yet, addressing this challenge is crucial in
helping students to properly engage with the core elements of learning in a
comprehensive way.
6. TOWARD A COMPREHENSIVE LEARNING
PROCESS
Generally, learning (ta‘līm) can be conceived as the process
of acquiring knowledge. Therefore, its main features are critical thinking and
pragmatic problem-solving skills (Weinstein 2012). The urge to learn can be active in a person throughout his
lifetime. This is because it is a human instinct. Despite this, the
understanding of what happens in a person’s immediate surroundings is part and
parcel of the individual’s thinking skills, and this increases during the
period of learning in school. One’s physical experience in a particular
environment influences one’s intellectual behavior, sense of judgment, and
ability to solve problems. Thus, an individual who studies in an educational
environment where ethical standards are very low is likely to have a different
understanding of what is right or wrong in the larger society.
A comprehensive teaching that imparts to students virtues in
combination with critical thinking and problem-solving skills produces
individuals who serve the society better. In ensuring that students’ behavior
and character are shaped within the learning environment, it is important to
design the principle for regulating their interactions. These principles grant
the teachers the opportunity to assess the students’ problem-solving
capabilities through observation, for example, during extracurricular
activities (Siayah, Kurniawati, and Setiawan 2019).
Educational principles are often designed using alternative
strategies such as peer review and institutional networking, all of which play
significant roles in enhancing the quality of teaching and learning (Elliott 2015). When teachers show active interest in students’ moral well-being
both in and outside the classroom, they create the atmosphere for the students
to support each other to learn these moral values. Thus, from the Islamic
perspective, a comprehensive learning takes place within an education system in
which the essential guidelines for teaching and learning are guided by these
tenets. For this reason, al-Zarnūjī (2014) posits that the teaching and learning process has some core
features. The teacher transfers knowledge through lectures on a subject to the
student. The student is then expected to preserve it by not only listening but
also writing, carefully observing, behaving calmly, and trusting in God (tawakkul).
Indeed, these features are very important and manifest in the teaching and
learning process at all levels.
Learning also involves the acquisition of skills (be it for
reasoning or for solving problems), transformation of human behavior, and the
management of personal preferences (Jonassen and Grabowski 2012). It, therefore, aims toward the development of the person in
totality (Brophy 2013). However, the learning ability develops in stages. Therefore, the
quality of the conditions, both within and outside the classroom, is
fundamental to the holistic or comprehensive learning process because it
enhances the students’ gradual self-awareness and in-depth appreciation of the
processes of life.
The theory of learning is largely based on the fundamental
assumption that the student is at the center of the teaching and learning
process (Siayah et al. 2019; Slade and Prinsloo 2013). For this reason, any attempt to improve the problem-solving
expertise of students must include educational principles that incorporate
various skills or subjects. While the skills for resolving complex problems are
major components of education programs, these skills require customized
learning. It is from this perspective that al-Zarnūjī (2014) argues that, if the training and development programs target the
students’ mind and spiritual self, the students will be prepared to face all
challenges. Thus, among such training and development programs is what will aim
at both the physical transformation and the building of the soul.
The contextual meaning of “building the soul” is spiritual
self-discipline or continence, which is central to hard work within the social
context. However, self-discipline or continence also implies forbearance in
carrying out duties in the learning process. This demands careful planning,
observation, and evaluation, all of which require creativity and self-control(Zimmerman 2008). It is important to note that if students are guided in the learning
process by experienced teachers, they show creativity in their way of thinking
and doing things. As the teacher is expected to guide the students in a
learning process in which both the ethical and technical aspects shall move
hand-in-hand, the teacher becomes an all-inclusive or comprehensive educator.
This is because the above conglomerates will ultimately lead to comprehensive
education that will promote self-criticism or introspection, self-discipline,
self-motivation, and willingness toward self-responsibility. This will, in
turn, encourage the student’s self-reliance, self-assurance, independent
thinking, and spiritual fortitude that will eventually make him the perfect man
(insān al-kāmil) in the Muslim society.
In addition to the above coordinates that will help to bring about
comprehensive education from the Islamic educational perspective, many other
variables are needed to sustain it. The provision of sustainable support for
achieving results-oriented education is a necessity for modern life. This is
due to the significant role education plays in developing and nourishing
people’s potentials for continuous societal growth. That suggests that to
facilitate a comprehensive learning, all important stakeholders of an
educational institution must discharge their duties as required.
In examining comprehensive learning, al-Zarnūjī (2014) outlines six important requirements in the nadzom “alālā”:
أَلَا لَا
تَنَالُ الْعِلْمَ إِلَّا بِسِتَّةٍ × سَأَنْبِيْكَ عَنْ مَجْمُوْعِهَا بِبَيَانٍ
ذَكَاءٍ
وَحِرْصٍ وَاصْطِبَارٍ وَبُلْغَةٍ × وَإِرْشَادِ أُسْتَاذٍ وَطُوْلِ زَمَانٍ
The different version of this nadzom appears in Ibrōhīm
al-Bayjūrī’s (2009) ḥāsyiyat, Ḥāsyiyat al-Bayjūrī’ ‘alā Syarḥi al-‘Allāmat
ibn Qōsim al-Ghōzī:
أَخِيْ لَنْ
تَنَالُ الْعِلْمَ إِلَّا بِسِتَّةٍ × سَأَنْبِيْكَ عَنْ تَفْصِيْلِهَا بِبَيَانٍ
ذَكَاءٍ
وَحِرْصٍ وَاجْتِهَادٍ وَبُلْغَةٍ × وَإِرْشَادِ أُسْتَاذٍ وَطُوْلِ زَمَانٍ
However, in this article, the difference of these two was not
disscussed.
Based on the nadzom nadzom “alālā”, comprehensive
learning include ingenious acumen or capability for learning (Arabic: ذَكَاءٌ), fervent desire or motivation
for learning (Arabic: حِرْصٌ), resilience and commitment to the learning process (Arabic: اصْطِبَارٌ or اجْتِهَادٌ in other version), sufficent
sustenance or financial support when learning (Arabic: بُلْغَةٌ), guidance of a teacher or
teacher’s inspiration in learning (Arabic: إِرْشَادُ
أُسْتَاذٍ), and length of time or time management in
learning (Arabic: طُوْلُ زَمَانٍ). As the above are crucial for the comprehensive education, we
shall examine them below.
6.1. Ingenious Acumen (Capability for
Learning) (Arabic: ذَكَاءٌ)
al-Zarnūjī (2014) points out that the first requirement for learning is ingenious acumen
or intelligence. This requirement weighs more on the side of the student than
the teacher although, as a matter of fact, it is a requirement for the teacher
as well. Intelligence here is the ability to understand the relationships
between issues through the process of mental abstraction and sensitization of
data that create new methods for solving difficult problems (Chiappe and MacDonald 2005). This becomes an important motivation for learning in the first
place because it reduces pressure on the brain. An intelligent student solves
research problems easily without stress and this encourages him to learn more.
This suggests that intelligence, as the capacity to acquire and apply
knowledge, accelerates the performance of the intellect and the ability to
reason, which, in every practical sense, bears the logic of education at all its
levels today. Naturally, a high level of intelligence enables people to think,
understand, and properly reason about what they see or perceive. Beyond that,
intelligence also helps one to practically transform a piece of idea into
tangible product or use this idea to formulate new theories. The intellect at
this level is the developed form that tries to contextualize ideas to generate
new ones for improving one’s well-being (Bråten and Strømsø 2004). Given that every human being possesses a different level of
intelligence, the ability to understand information or interpret data also
varies significantly. This explains why students perform differently at the
same level of education. Thus, as it has been indicated in al-Zarnūjī’s Ta’līm
al-Muta’allim Ṭorīq al-Ta’allum, intelligence is significant in the
learning process because it helps the students to interact with ideas.
Intelligence determines a person’s ability to learn. This is because
it describes the human ability to skillfully use reason to understand ideas in
a variety of situations and to apply this knowledge in different circumstances
of life. The cognitive process has many aspects. These include, among others,
memorizing, logical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving techniques (Candler 2011; Fuchs and Flügge 2014; Gardner 2011;
Jung and Haier 2007; Shearer 2019; Shearer and Karanian 2017; Sternberg and
Grigorenko 2004; Ummah 2018b). Indeed, al-Zarnūjī (2014) emphasizes that a successful learning requires the effectiveness of
all the aspects of one’s cognition. Thus, in the context of applied behavioral
knowledge, particularly clinical psychology, the human intellect has been one
of the most widely researched topics. High level of intelligence implies fully
developed cognitive ability and these, together, determine the success of the
comprehensive learning process.
6.2. Fervent Desire (Motivation for
Learning) (Arabic: حِرْصٌ)
In education, the motivation to learn plays an important role in
encouraging the student. This requirement is of primary importance or, perhaps,
even more important than the first one (Glynn 2011; Shin 2018). This is because an intelligent person who finds himself in a
school but does not have the slightest motivation to learn any particular field
of study is like a round peg put in a square hole (Setiawan and Saputri 2019). The flair for learning, which al-Zarnūjī (2014) refers to as motivation, arises from the combination of conscious,
subconscious, and unconscious factors. These are the intensity of the student’s
desire or need, moral incentive or the value of the expected outcome, and
personal expectations. These factors also serve as the background for the
achievement of goals. For example, a student expends extra energy in studying
for a test because he or she wants a good grade. Here, the desire for a good
grade, which ultimately serves as the benchmark for getting a good job after
school, motivates him to learn more although he might not be so intelligent.
Thus, motivation is very important for learning. In the conscious attempt to
acquire a particular skill, therefore, motivation becomes a major
consideration. For the teachers, however, dedication and self-sacrifice are
major motivations although there are many others.
Motivation enables the individuals to pursue their goals with
enthusiasm and conscious effort. Consciousness increases one’s learning
potentials and ability to grasp ideas (Schutte 1998). It facilitates personal concentration, which in turn enables a
student to perform well in class. Therefore, motivation has a substantial
impact on the emotional well-being of students and this manifests in the
outcomes either positively or negatively (Runco 2005). It reflects in the performance of students in a wide range of
activities. In short, motivation affects all the personal decisions of a
learner. It plays a leading role in enhancing the desire that backs the
achievement of goals. As it has already been implied, it enables students to
accomplish a task with an engrossing interest. This is, irrespective of whether
it is easy or difficult, because motivation not only increases their desires
but it also maintains their enthusiasm and resilience (Boekaerts 2003).
al-Zarnūjī (2014) also posits that students are also motivated if the teacher pays
maximum attention to their opinions, judgments, and values and appreciates
their efforts and performance in the learning process. This is a good
motivation because human beings are naturally more disposed to do better when
praised than when criticized; therefore, at the elementary levels of learning,
this should be taken seriously.
6.3. Resilience (Commitment to Learning) (Arabic:
اصْطِبَارٌ
or اجْتِهَادٌ in other version)
Resilience is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. It
a stable state of mind that enables a person to tolerate either delays in the
fulfillment of personal goals or, particularly, the prolongation of suffering
without anxiety. In Islam, resilience (sabr) is viewed as an important
human quality. It concerns the ability to persevere in time of inconveniences
and the subconscious effort to trust in God for the right time. In this case,
one could argue that the Islamic concept of resilience has a close affinity to
the trust in God (tawakkul) which is within the ambit of the development
of the soul. The soul remains active even in the face of severe challenges.
Nonetheless, the human physical ability to resist these challenges is always a
problem in the mundane existence. Generally, resilience has two main dimensions
(Shihab 2007):
1.
The
physical (external) dimension: This denotes the ability to relax or persevere,
for example, in the discharge of one’s religious duties such as prayers, hajj,
and so forth. It is obvious that imresilience could affect the quality of one’s
prayers, whether in a congregation or not. Whoever is in a hurry does not pray
properly. This category also includes fortitude in times of suffering and both
natural and unnatural delays in the fulfillment of personal goals.
2.
The mental
(internal) dimension: This includes the ability to control one’s desires in
such a way that one’s behavior will be free from shameful characteristics or
emotional conditions such as excessive anger, quick temper, and so forth.
Consistent with al-Zarnūjī’s (2014) discourse, both categories above are important for the student. A
quick-tempered student is likely to encounter challenges not only in relating
with his colleagues but, as well, his own teacher when he is rebuked. However,
learning could be very frustrating at certain stages of one’s life and requires
resilience and perseverance to succeed. This is the basis of the Arabic proverb
which reads, al-najāḥ ‘āqibah al-ladzīna yajtahidūn [which literally
means, “success is the reward of those who work hard (persevere)”]. Hence, in
the process of education, it is necessary for students to be patient in all its
categories. For al-Zarnūjī (2014), being steadfast is at the root of all success. Nonetheless, he
also argues that rarely are there people who can be patient in all things. This
is in line with the axiom that everything is surely intended to a certain
level, even the highest, but it is rare for anyone to keep up in achieving what
is intended. The implication is that resilience is a major determinant of
success in all aspects of human life. Closely associated with the issue of
resilience and perseverance is what one could refer to as “the staying power.”
al-Zarnūjī (2014) puts forward some essential principles for enabling students to
stay put and continue to exert mental power during the periods of learning.
These include the following.
1.
It is
essential that students always learn under the guide of a teacher. Normally,
when people learn by listening, they relax, tolerate, and capture ideas faster
than when they read on their own. Therefore, for al-Zarnūjī (2014), students should learn mainly by listening to the teacher during
the instructional hours. It appears that, due to the rigorous nature of the
education delivery at the higher level, where students are encouraged to do
independent research, this principle might be more relevant to younger
learners. Yet, it should be noted that even at the higher levels, students
patiently listen to lectures delivered by their teachers. Even among terminal
research students, there are directed-reading and thinking and consultation for
thesis research (Valeri-Gold 1987). All these require students’ resilience in waiting and listening to
the teacher known by different titles at each of the levels (e.g., teacher,
tutor, lecturer, supervisor, or mentor). The contemporary university students
face the challenge of access to low-quality information due to the upsurge of
Internet resources. With the advent of the worldwide web, the present
university students have more access to information than any other generation
of learners. Regrettably, however, much of this information is prejudiced,
faulty, or even incorrect. Many individuals promulgate mischievous information
on the Internet due to either ignorance or ill motive. This requires students
to exert extra mental effort to synchronize their own thoughts with the
information they read to think beyond or outside the information box. In an era
of human insecurity caused mainly by misconstrued religious beliefs and values,
higher research students’ access to information is of primary concern in higher
Islamic educational institutions. Therefore, the teachers’ directing of reading
and research at all levels is very important.
2.
A student
is not supposed to leave a book until he has completely grasped the content at
any material moment. This brings in the issue of perseverance. The human mind
captures ideas in stages. Hence, when one is learning for a purpose, putting
the learning material or the book down when one has not fully captured its
salient ideas is discouraged by al-Zarnūjī (2014). The implication is that one should attempt to study only when one
has adequate time for the learning. Once one begins to learn, one must continue
until one has fully comprehended the lesson.
3.
A student
should not leave a subject for another without having clearly understood the
first one. This is, particularly, important in one’s private studies outside
the instructional hours. During this period, switching between subjects is not
the ideal.
4.
A student
should not vacate the learning environment when specific lessons on a certain
subject are in session unless one is forced by necessity (darūrot). When
one leaves a class while a lesson is in progress, it will take one some
moments, when one returns, to adjust to the pace of learning with one’s
colleagues. Therefore, it is in the student’s interest to wait for the teacher
to conclude the lesson before deciding to leave.
As a skill in learning, resilience is a virtue that enables students
to endure in the course of their studies. Thus, perseverance and resilience are
crucial to learning. On the teacher’s own side, resilience is significant for
tolerating the eccentric behavior of students and ensuring their academic
success.
6.4. Sufficent Sustenance (Financial Support
when Learning) (Arabic: بُلْغَةٌ)
Financial support is a major challenge in the quest for knowledge
whether at the formal or the non-formal levels. It is an important ingredient
for achieving one’s purpose in education (Setiawan, Puspaningrum, and Umam 2019). A sound financial standing helps the student in the payment of
fees and eases the suffering caused by the cost of living during the learning
period. This is because students are not to depend on others for their
sustenance. We identified a
few expenditures in educational institutions. These, among others, include
tuition fees and the cost of the physical facilities like the learning
materials. The extent to which funds are available for managing the above has
implications for the performance of the student. A student who has a reliable
source of funding is better motivated to perform well in school.
However, this financial support also does not concern the student
alone but the learning environment itself as well as the teachers. It is a fact
that the instructors themselves are better motivated to give out their best if
they are supported through the provision of teaching and learning materials
necessary for at least the teaching process. When the necessary resources for
both teaching and learning are provided, then we can expect quality education
that reflects the commitment of the parties to bring about quality educational
results.
In creating an atmosphere for quality education delivery, therefore,
funding is very important. Partnership can play a crucial role in sustaining
quality education. This reduces the expenditure students may have to incur
while supporting learners with limited or inadequate financial resources (Pouncey 2013). This happens if a chunk of the educational expenses are borne by
the state although that also comes with its own challenge.
The separation of educational institutions from state funding
affects the quality of education and, consequently, students’ enrollment and
opportunities. The success of educational institutions largely depends on the
availability of financial support (Robinson 2007). This implies that the issue of funding is an important factor in
the learning process be it on the side of the student or the teacher and
whether at the lower or higher levels. This makes the perspective of al-Zarnūjī
(2014) in this regard very relevant today.
6.5. Guidance of a Teacher (Teacher’s
Inspiration in Learning) (Arabic: إِرْشَادُ
أُسْتَاذٍ)
The role of teachers in inspiring students can’t be underestimated
in the learning process (Siayah et al. 2019). In the course of instruction, a student is expected to be inspired
by the teacher. This inspiration increases the student’s emotional attachment
to the learning process. The teacher’s way of instructing must support the cognitive
development of the student. As a moral agent in the learning environment, the
teacher is an exemplar whom the students would try to follow. Hence, this
inspiration is essential. al-Zarnūjī (2014) identifies three types of teachers. These are
1.
Shaykh
al-ta’līm: refers to a teacher who merely imparts
knowledge. He might or might not be interested in the students’ moral
well-being (akhlāq al-karīmah). The interest of this teacher is to
improve the cognitive or mental ability of the student.
2.
Shaykh
al-tarbiyyah: refers to a teacher who, in addition
to transforming the mind of the student, also concerns himself with the
student’s moral well-being.
3.
Shaykh
al-tarqiyyah: refers to a teacher whose method of
teaching transforms the student’s way of thinking (cognition), moral as well as
the spiritual well-being. This is the Ṣūfī-teacher who is superior to the first
two.
This means that, as a role model, the teacher must have a noble
personality that is worthy of emulation and respect. Students often observe the
behavior and attitude of their teachers not only during the teaching and
learning process in the classroom, but also, outside the learning environment.
That being the case, the teacher’s role in inspiring the students with noble
values must manifest both within the school and outside it.
A noble teacher possesses good character traits that influence his
students to admire him (Osguthorpe 2015). For al-Zarnūjī (2014), the quality of education also depends on the ability of teachers
to perform this key role in the process of teaching. Furthermore, a good
relationship between the student and the teacher is crucial for enabling this
inspiration and the striving for excellence through guidance. However,
achieving such a relationship requires that the student respects the teacher.
This will create the enabling opportunity for the teacher to give out his best
in sincere and dedicated manner through combined physical, mental, and
spiritual efforts. This will eventually bring the teacher to the third category
above.
Students are able to perform better under teachers who understand
their weaknesses and show them love through professional guidance in class.
However, a good relationship between the parents and the teachers is also very
important in maintaining respect between the teacher and his student. Whatever
the case, as the teacher is an inspirer or a model for the students, al-Zarnūjī
(2014) maintains that it is necessary for him to always stay away from
reprehensible ways of life.
6.6. Length of Time (Time Management in
Learning) (Arabic: طُوْلُ زَمَانٍ)
Time management here refers to the right time to learn and how each
period is utilized by both the teacher and the student during the learning
process. The first refers to the time during which learning is most preferred.
On the other hand, the second refers to the process of planning and organizing
the day into periods to make judicious use of time for specific activities and
increase productivity. al-Zarnūjī (2014) maintains that learning requires careful management of time.
To achieve good results, both the teacher and the student have to be
cautious about time. The proper management of time also has an impact on
students’ performance (Hartley and Nicholls 2008; Nasrullah and Khan 2015;
Wile and Shouppe 2011) It is
an undeniable fact that students perform better when certain subjects are
taught during specific periods of the day (Klein 2001). For example, the memorization (ḥif ẓ) of al-Qur’ān
is better fit for the early morning and writing is better fit for the afternoon
(Asy’ari 1930). This is because, apart from the spiritual benefits, according to
our experiences and a research by Muhammad Hasyim Asy’ari ( 1930).and Millar (1980), morning learning has a superior immediate recall than learning in
the afternoon or evening. Anyone who memorizes will surely forget something at
some point. For this reason, although al-Zarnūjī (2014) argues that listening to the teacher makes the learning easier, he
further stresses that through writing, students will be able to retain much of
what they listen to from their teacher.
This perspective of al-Zarnūjī (2014) explains the two main modes of learning, namely, learning by
listening and learning by writing. As it has already been stressed, the former
is the easiest mode of learning. However, it requires a strong retentive
memory. On the contrary, the latter is the more difficult because it also
involves listening, in addition to writing, reading, and memorizing. In other
words, after one has listened to the instruction and committed it to writing,
one has to re-read later and memorize it.
Nonetheless, al-Zarnūjī (2014) places much emphasis on writing (after listening) as the best mode
of learning because it is the most effective type for students with weak and
retentive memories alike. This is because everyone can refresh his memory from
what he wrote down earlier in the event of forgetfulness, which is a likely
consequence of memorization. Furthermore, mathematics is probably better
grasped when it is taught in the morning than in the afternoon depending on
other factors (Asy’ari 1930; Klein 2001; Pope 2016; Wile and Shouppe
2011). However,
people pick a language faster when they begin to learn it when they are young,
preferably before the age of puberty (Asy’ari 1930; Johnstone 2002). This confirms the view by Penfield
& Roberts (1959) and Lenneberg
(1967) who argued that as children mature, certain changes in the brain
gradually render it incapable of absorbing languages unconsciously as it occurs
in the formative years.
From the above, it is clear that not teaching or learning at the
right time invariably affects the quality of the outcome. Therefore, the
prioritization of activities is a necessity in time management and it helps to
synchronize the most important activities with the available time space (Schutte 1998). This suggests that specific time management strategies have to be
devised. Generally, a well-structured educational institution has a department
(e.g., timetable planning committee) for helping both teachers and students to
manage time wisely.
In spite of that, the effectiveness of time management also depends
on some other personal factors. The success in the management of one’s time
varies largely according to individual abilities and responsibilities (Priem and Butler 2001). There are many ways by which time could be managed effectively for
good learning results. One is to make an up-to-date record of all important
personal activities in order of priority so that the most important ones come
first. This is then followed by the allocation of specific periods for each of
these activities bearing in mind the effort one will have to put in each of
those activities as well as the goal set for every particular activity.
7. CONCLUSION
From the foregoing discussion, it could be realized that
al-Zarnūjī’s (2014) discourse on quality learning contains important principles that
could be useful for improving the performance of students and teachers today.
The principles of his treatise, Ta’līm al-Muta’allim Ṭorīq al-Ta’allum,
could address important practical shortfalls in the present implementation of
educational policies. The essential theme that applies to virtually all
education systems is the production of good and well-informed personalities
whose knowledge will not only be relevant but, as well, transform the society
and maintain moral values. From the Islamic perspective, these moral values
include what, from the point of view of the al-Qur’ān and the prophetic sunan,
is capable of ensuring peace and tranquility at all levels of the society.
For al-Zarnūjī (2014), therefore, Islam understands education or learning as an
all-inclusive phenomenon that covers all aspects of human development, be it
rational, spiritual, or emotional. Therefore, all these must be achieved by the
student at the end of his training. From al-Zarnūjī’s (2014) standpoint, anything less than the above defeats the purpose of
education. The aim of Islamic education is to produce graduates with values to
facilitate successful life here and in the hereafter. To achieve this aim
without compromising the scientific or rational knowledge that is needed for
the society’s material well-being, these values are expected to be merged with
the scientific fields of knowledge. Islam views this type of education as an
obligation (farḍ) and it could be incumbent on the individual alone (farḍu
‘ayn) or the society as a whole (farḍ kifāyah). For this and other
reasons, the quest for knowledge is seen as a form of worship (‘ibādāt).
This article examined the students’ learning requirements detailed
in al-Zarnūjī’s (2014) best-seller treatise entitled Ta’līm al-Muta’allim Ṭorīq
al-Ta’allum. The book expounds the principles for achieving quality
education and could be useful for improving the performance of both students
and teachers today. These principles address important practical shortfalls in
the present implementation of educational policies. The book details the
requirements for bringing about well-informed personalities whose knowledge
will be relevant for the transformation of the society and the maintenance of
moral values.
In attempting to appreciate these requirements, although the
research is basically library-based, it addresses several issues that affect
students and, to a large extent, teachers, in the teaching and learning
process. al-Zarnūjī (2014) identifies six principal requirements that could promote quality
learning among students and, to some extent, quality teaching among teachers, in
the nadzom “alālā”:
أَلَا لَا
تَنَالُ الْعِلْمَ إِلَّا بِسِتَّةٍ × سَأَنْبِيْكَ عَنْ مَجْمُوْعِهَا بِبَيَانٍ
ذَكَاءٍ
وَحِرْصٍ وَاصْطِبَارٍ وَبُلْغَةٍ × وَإِرْشَادِ أُسْتَاذٍ وَطُوْلِ زَمَانٍ
The different version of this nadzom appears in Ibrōhīm
al-Bayjūrī’s ( 2009) ḥāsyiyat, Ḥāsyiyat al-Bayjūrī’ ‘alā Syarḥi al-‘Allāmat
ibn Qōsim al-Ghōzī:
أَخِيْ لَنْ
تَنَالُ الْعِلْمَ إِلَّا بِسِتَّةٍ × سَأَنْبِيْكَ عَنْ تَفْصِيْلِهَا بِبَيَانٍ
ذَكَاءٍ وَحِرْصٍ
وَاجْتِهَادٍ وَبُلْغَةٍ × وَإِرْشَادِ أُسْتَاذٍ وَطُوْلِ زَمَانٍ
However, in this article, the difference of these two was not
disscussed.
Based on the nadzom nadzom “alālā”, comprehensive
learning include ingenious acumen or capability for learning (Arabic: ذَكَاءٌ), fervent desire or motivation
for learning (Arabic: حِرْصٌ), resilience and commitment to the learning process (Arabic: اصْطِبَارٌ or
اجْتِهَادٌ in other version), sufficent sustenance or financial support when
learning (Arabic: بُلْغَةٌ), guidance
of a teacher or teacher’s inspiration in learning (Arabic: إِرْشَادُ أُسْتَاذٍ),
and length of time or time management in learning (Arabic: طُوْلُ زَمَانٍ).
It is found that these requirements are still relevant to the
contemporary situations. It also came to light that much of what the student
grasps comes from his engagement with his teacher through listening and
observation both in and outside the classroom. Therefore, it is undeniable that
high cognitive or intellectual ability is an important requirement for learning
at all levels. Nonetheless, it is argued that the quality of learning, whether
in the classroom or outside it, does not always depend on the student’s
cognitive ability alone. Rather, it is also determined by a multiple of motivational
factors such us the desire for learning and funding (Kubanyiova 2006).
In addition, favorable conditions within the classroom environment
(e.g., a good relationship between the student and the teacher) are major
motivations for students (Pintrich 1993). These also have an impact on the learning outcomes (Brophy 2013; Kubanyiova 2006). Furthermore, teachers play a vital role in creating the above
favorable conditions and the motivating learning environment because they are
expected to adopt numerous positive measures to inspire through demonstrative
teaching. The way to test of any educational factors, of course, develop
instrument to measure quantitatively. In this work, the development of
instruments is yet to do.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Adib Rifqi Setiawan dedicated this article to my lovejoy Wahyu Eka Saputri of her
amazing motivating my work.
DECLARATION
OF CONFLICTING INTERESTS
Adib Rifqi Setiawan declared no potential conflicts of interest with
respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
FUNDING
Adib Rifqi Setiawan received no financial support for the research
and/or authorship of this article.
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