Статьи · Vol. 1 No. 4 (2026)

The Emergence, Development Stages of Islamic Education, and the Activities of Higher Religious Educational Institutions in Malaysia

Authors

  • Abdulloh Yusufkhujaev Researcher

Keywords

Malaysia Islamic education pondok madrasa Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas Islamization of knowledge adab International Islamic (CC University Malaysia (IIUM) Al-Madinah International University (MEDIU). BY) license INTRODUCTION Islamic education has played a significant role in shaping Malaysia’s religious cultural and intellectual development. Originating from traditional pondok institutions during the Malacca Sultanate it gradually evolved into organized madrasas and modern Islamic universities. This transformation was influenced by Islamic scholars colonial educational policies and post-independence reforms. Prominent thinkers particularly Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas contributed to the philosophical foundations of Islamic education through the concepts of ta'dib and the Islamization of knowledge. This study examines the historical development institutional transformation and philosophical foundations of Islamic education in Malaysia with particular attention to the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and Al-Madinah International University (MEDIU). 250 www.mijournals.com E-ISSN:3070-8370 Vol. 1 (Issue 4/2026)

Abstract

This article analyzes the spread of Islam in Malaysia and the historical trajectory of its Islamic education system, tracing its evolution from the traditional «pondok» schools of the Malacca Sultanate era (1414–1511) to modern international universities. The study examines the socio-political and historical context of Malaysia, colonial-era challenges, post-independence educational reforms under the Ministry of Education, and the intellectual contributions of Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas and Isma’il Raji al-Faruqi concerning the «Islamization of knowledge» and the philosophy of «adab.» Furthermore, the institutional governance, campus infrastructure, and academic frameworks of the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and Al- Madinah International University (MEDIU) are comprehensively explored.

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