BOOK LAUNCH COURSE: TOWARDS MAKING ISLAMIC SCHOOLS OF DISTINCTION

[PLEASE NOTE - The course is BOTH in person ONSITE in London and for those who can not attend in person can purchase the LIVE ONLINE STREAMING ticket to watch it from their device and those coming in person, should you not decide to attend person on the day or half the day, you will still recieve a link to the live online streaming, irrespective but are encouraged to attend in person if you have registered for that ticket, as this helps with allows room allocation, respectively for fellow participants].

EARLY BIRD DEADLINE ENDs MONDAY 17TH NOVEMBER 2025 after which spaces become limited and prices increase - REGISTER ONLINE and you will receive final instructions.

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Once you have done this, we will send you the bank details to make transfer to.

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Islamic Courses presents:

BOOK LAUNCH COURSE: TOWARD ISLAMIC SCHOOLS OF DISTINCTION: LEARNING AND TEACHING ROOTED IN THE ISLAMIC WORLDVIEW

Presenters include:

Associate Professor Nadeem Memon[Centre for Islamic Thought and Education (CITE),University of South Australia (UniSA)]

Dr. Samir Mahmoud [Academic Director of Usul Academy and Lecturer, Cambridge Muslim College]

Dr. Farah Ahmed [Assistant Research Professor, Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge and Director of Education, Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation]

Abrahim Al Zubeidi [Centre for Islamic Thought and Education (CITE), University of South Australia (UniSA) and the Head of Faith, Playford College, Adelaide, Australia]

Dr. Ozan Angin [Malek Fahd Islamic School, Australia]

Dr. Claire Alkouatli [Center for Islamic Thought and Education(CITE), University of South Australia, Research Fellow, Cambridge Muslim College]

Hosts/chairs include:

Date: Saturday 13th December 2025

Time: 9am - 5pm

Location: SOAS, University of London, 10 Thornhaugh St, London WC1H 0XG

Islamic schools commonly face the perennial question: “what makes an Islamic school ‘Islamic’” (Ahmed and Habash, 2025; Halstead 2004, Panjwani 2007). The sentiment held by some educators is that Islamic schools are no more than public schools with Islam appended. Essentially the line of thinking goes something like this: Islamic schools adopt the national mandated (secular) curriculum wholesale and everything that goes with it: accreditation standards, ‘best practices’ in teaching, and standardised assessment measures. Islamic schools then create an ‘Islamic environment’ where Islamic values are embedded in policy and practice along with Islamic Studies and Arabic as subjects. But for many Muslim educators it doesn't feel right. The educational experience feels bifurcated (Ashraf 1980) and dichotomised (Niyozov and Memon 2011) where the secular (Maths, Science, English) remains largely separate from prayer, Quranic studies, and faith-inspired civic engagement. It results in what many have called ‘cognitive dissonance’ (Winter 2016) for Islamic school graduates. That’s the narrative in a nutshell. There is no doubt that most, if not all, Islamic schools are aware, familiar, and actively working toward responding to the critique levelled against them and are eager for something distinctly ‘Islamic’. But what does ‘distinct’ entail for Islamic schools and what would it take to get there?

Based on the forthcoming co-edited book entitled: Islamic Schools of Distinction: Learning and Teaching Rooted in the Islamic Worldview (Palgrave, anticipated 2026), and taking empirical research with Islamic schools, participants can expect to gain both theoretical grounding and practical case examples of what renewal of Islamic schools aspiring for distinction may entail.

Sessions, papers and panels include:

1. What makes an Islamic School distinct and why it is necessary?
2. Theoretical Foundations: Education Rooted in the Islamic Worldview
3. Towards an Educational Framework rooted in an Islamic Worldview
4. Islamic Worldview: Possibilities for Islamic Schooling: Shakhsiyah Schools as a Case Study
5. Drawing on the Islamic Worldview to Advance Distinction in Islamic Schooling
6. A Renewed Look at Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment Through a Prophetic Paradigm: A Case Study of Playford College
7. Transformation and Redesign: Teaching English through an Islamic Worldview
8. Internalizing Beauty Re-imagining behavior education as spiralling towards beautified excellence in all things

Copies of the book will be available for purchase [Published by Palgrave]

About the presenters: * Full bio's to follow

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AUDIENCE: Education leaders, board/trustees of Muslim schools, critical academics aspiring for renewal of Islamic/Muslim schooling, Imams, duaat, students of Islamic Sciences, Islamic Studies post graduates, academics, and senior community Muslim thinkers.

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All welcome, limited spaces, pre-registration required!

DEADLINE FOR BOOKINGS APPLY after which prices increase

For more information call/tel: 07956735301 or email: info@islamiccourses.org

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* Please note, time and resources have been set aside to ensure the programme runs in a smooth and professional manner for the maximum benefit of participants and thus unless the programme has been postponed or cancelled, there are NO REFUNDS as part of the terms and condition policy.

*Lunch and refreshments can be purchased at cafe's or restaurant's near to the venue and NOT included in ticket price.

*The course is BOTH in person ONSITE in London and for those who can not attend in person can purchase the LIVE ONLINE STREAMING ticket to watch it from their device and those coming in person, should decide not to attend person on the day or half the day, you will still recieve a link to the live online streaming, irrespective but are encouraged to attend in person if you have registered for that ticket, as this helps with allows room allocation, respectively for fellow participants

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