Pakistan educational institutions fail to unite faith, modern knowledge

By Mushfiq Ahmad

KARACHI, Pakistan (MNTV) – Across Pakistan’s religious seminaries and universities, a familiar promise is repeatedly made: the integration of religious and modern education to produce balanced, intellectually confident Muslims capable of engaging the contemporary world. From madrasa reforms to newly launched “Islamic universities,” institutions increasingly claim to bridge the divide between deen (faith) and dunya (worldly life).

Yet a critical question persists: Are these efforts genuinely producing scholars and professionals who can intellectually engage modern philosophy, science, and global debates — or are they limited to cosmetic changes such as teaching English and computer skills?

This question has become more urgent as Muslim societies confront ideological challenges ranging from secularism and atheism to rapid technological change. 

Interviews with academics, Islamic scholars, and policymakers ahead of International Day for Education (January 24) suggest that while the idea of integration is widely endorsed, Pakistan still lacks a coherent, respected model that meaningfully unites religious tradition with modern knowledge.

The debate over integrated education is not new. Historically, Muslim scholarship did not recognize a rigid divide between religious and worldly knowledge. Classical scholars were jurists, theologians, philosophers, and scientists simultaneously. 

In South Asia, institutions such as Aligarh Muslim University and Nadwatul Ulama (Nadwa) in Lucknow consciously attempted to respond to Western modernity by rethinking Muslim education.

According to Islamic scholar Shamsuddin Shigri, Nadwa’s experiment remains one of the most serious attempts to prepare scholars capable of responding intellectually to modern philosophy, science, and cultural objections to Islam.

“Nadwa produced a vast body of literature on modernism and contemporary issues,” Shigri explains. “Its success was not about teaching English or technology, but about engaging ideas.”

However, he notes that in Pakistan, comparable efforts remain limited. “Most madrasas focus on language skills or media training without addressing deeper intellectual challenges,” he says. “Language is only a tool. Without strong conceptual frameworks, it does not prepare scholars to respond to modern objections.”

Partial reforms, limited depth

Several Pakistani institutions have taken steps toward reform. In Karachi, the Alimia Foundation — established by the family of Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani — once maintained a reputation for combining traditional religious studies with broader exposure. Over time, however, its direction has changed, reflecting a broader pattern of inconsistency in reform efforts.

Similarly, Jamiatur Rasheed in Karachi has expanded its scope by introducing degree programs, English-language instruction, computer courses, and online outreach. 

Former Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Aneeq Ahmed, who has closely observed such institutions, acknowledges these initiatives but cautions against overstating their impact.

“Yes, work has started, but it is still at an early stage,” Ahmed says. “There is no serious engagement with secular philosophy or applied disciplines such as ethics, political thought, or economics.”

For Ahmed, the central issue is epistemological. “No knowledge is neutral or secular,” he argues. “Religion must dominate, because tawhid (monotheism) is the foundation of all learning.”

He emphasizes the importance of applied seerah (the life of Prophet Muhammad) — using the Prophetic model to address contemporary social, political, and economic issues — as well as applied philosophy. “Unfortunately, very few people in Pakistan truly understand these fields,” he says.

Individuals ahead of institutions

A recurring theme in these discussions is that individuals have advanced further than institutions. Ahmed points to a small number of scholars — such as Mufti Irshad (Chairman of the Sharia Board of the State Bank of Pakistan), and Mufti Afnan — who possess the intellectual depth to engage modern disciplines while remaining grounded in religious tradition.

“Whenever such people lead, religion becomes the framework rather than a side subject,” Ahmed notes. “But institutions have not yet institutionalized this approach.”

Even prominent scholars like Mufti Taqi Usmani, who studied modern law alongside Islamic jurisprudence, did not establish a dedicated institution to replicate this synthesis. 

Ahmed also observes that major religious-political movements have failed to fill this gap. “Jamaat-e-Islami has not produced a major educational initiative of this kind,” he says. “As for Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri, he has established institutions and written extensively, but no truly impactful integrated model has emerged.”

A broader intellectual crisis

Economist and academic Khurram Ilahi of the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) offers a more sweeping critique. In his view, the failure to integrate knowledge extends far beyond madrasa and reflects a systemic crisis in Pakistan’s entire education system.

“Pakistan has done virtually no serious work in integrating religious, ancient, and modern scientific knowledge,” Ilahi says. “Education has been reduced to market utility, data, and measurement.”

He argues that subjects such as ethics, history of ideas, political thought, and economic philosophy have been removed even from advanced degree programs. “Modern empiricism focuses only on what can be measured — GDP, inflation, statistics — while ignoring meaning, logic, and metaphysics,” he says.

Ilahi challenges the assumption that modern science is inherently secular. “The greatest scientists — Newton, Einstein, Schrödinger — were deeply engaged with metaphysical and spiritual questions,” he notes, pointing to Schrödinger’s engagement with the Upanishads (Hindu scriptures).

From this perspective, teaching English or computers in religious institutions — or adding Islamic Studies to secular universities — does not constitute integration. “Ancient wisdom must guide modern science, not merely accompany technical skills,” Ilahi argues.

Claims versus reality

Ilahi is particularly skeptical of claims made by newer institutions such as Al-Ghazali University or Minhaj-ul-Quran. “These are cosmetic changes,” he says. “Without philosophical depth, they do not restore unity in knowledge.”

He contrasts Pakistan’s approach with India’s ability to preserve and market its intellectual heritage globally through figures such as Jiddu Krishnamurti and Sadhguru. “Pakistan failed to value its own thinkers,” he says, identifying Ahmad Javed as “perhaps the last living example of a mind that genuinely integrates ancient wisdom with modern thought”.

The missing model

International comparisons further underscore Pakistan’s shortcomings. Many still point to Al-Azhar University in Egypt as a model of integrated education, though even its admirers concede that it no longer holds the stature it once did. Historically, Al-Azhar earned global respect by teaching classical Islamic sciences alongside contemporary disciplines.

“Pakistan, despite its resources, has failed to build an institution of similar international credibility,” says Najam Soharwardi, an academic familiar with both Pakistani and Middle Eastern educational systems.

“The debate is not about whether integration is possible,” Soharwardi explains. “It is about what we mean by ‘modern.’ If modern means only English and computers, then we are missing the point.”

An unresolved future

What emerges from these discussions is broad agreement on one point: integration is necessary, but poorly understood. Pakistan’s educational reforms have largely focused on employability, while neglecting the deeper intellectual synthesis required to engage modern philosophy, science, and ideology.

The challenge, observers agree, is not merely institutional but civilizational. It requires scholars deeply grounded in religious tradition who are equally well trained in philosophy, history, and the sciences — and institutions willing to sustain such scholarship.

Until then, the promise of producing “well-rounded personalities” will remain largely rhetorical, and Pakistan’s search for an integrated Muslim education will continue — unfinished and unresolved.