CIMS Academic Workshop 2023 – Muslims and Education

On the 6th and 7th of March 2023, The Centre for Intra-Muslim Studies (CIMS) held its inaugural academic workshop, looking at the theme of Muslims in differing educational contexts. Since 2015, the CIMS platform has successfully brought together Muslims, of different persuasions – primarily the mainstream Sunnī and Shīʿī mainstream schools – to appreciate each other’s perspectives on various historical and theological issues. This workshop sought to advance discussions into the academic arena, on issues that affect Muslims collectively, and tackle the challenges in an impactful manner.

The Workshop, held at Al-Mahdi Institute, successfully managed to assemble an impressive breadth of scholars, who had carried out noteworthy research in the different areas of education that have an impact on Muslims.

The theme of this opening workshop was kept deliberately broad, in order to encompass a range of matters concerning Muslim communities, particularly in diasporic or minority contexts, within the various educational environments. Papers presented at the workshop included contexts of imparting and acquiring of what is traditionally considered ‘Islamic knowledge’, as well as the experiences of Muslims in settings of secular education. Responding to the changing needs of the Muslim societies they serve, institutions functioning as spaces for traditional Islamic learning have seen curricular developments over the last two decades, in both Muslim majority as well as minority countries.

This workshop explored and analysed some of these developments. Beyond the regular format of paper presentations, the second day of the work included three concurrently running breakout rooms, discussing The Democratisation of Islamic Knowledge and Learning; Gender-Related Challenges to Acquiring/Disseminating Islamic Education; The Secular Challenges to Religious Learning, and to Religion in Educational Environments.

The discussions were facilitated by leading scholars in those specific areas (respectively): Prof. Sophie Gilliat-Ray (Cardiff University), Dr. Shuruq Naguib (Lancaster University) and Prof. Mathew Guest (Durham University). Over the two days, presenters and participants enjoyed lively discussions and fruitful debates on the theoretical, philosophical and sociological aspects of Muslims and education.