A Comparative Study of the Development of the Primary Stage of Islamic Religious Education in the State of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 1950 to 1990 Thesis submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy to the Division of Education at the University of Sheffield 1992 VOLOMe .1 by Adel Abduiwahab Eissa Al Sharaf DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated To all the people who were sacrificed for the liberation of Kuwait To all teachers and parents in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia To my family, relatives and friends To my wife Maryam and my four children, Lolwah, Nour, Bader and Taibah with love II PART II Chapter Four Comparative analysis of I.R.E. curriculum textbooks in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia Introduction 106 The Saudi I.R.E. textbook for the first year 109 The Kuwaiti I.R.E. textbook for the first year 114 The Saudi I.R.E. textbook for the second year 117 The Kuwaiti I.R.E. textbook for the second year 120 The Saudi I.R.E. textbook for the third year 125 The Kuwaiti I.R.E. textbook for the third year 130 The advantages and disadvantages of the I.R.E. textbook for the two countries 136 The I.R.E. textbook's actual functions and implementations in the light of its stated aims 144 What do we need the I.R.E. textbook for? 147 The implementation of the LR.E. textbook 151 Chapter Five The philosophy of the aims of I.R.E. in relation to Islam in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia Introduction 160 Islam and education 161 Philosophy of education and Islamic religion 165 I.R.E. aims and objectives 171 Conclusion of the aims of I.R.E. 176 Aims of I.R.E. and the major social factors in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia 184 Chapter Six The role of I.R.E. teachers in the development process in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia Introduction 199 What is the role of I.R.E. teachers in the Gulf region? 201 Why we teach 1.R.E. 212 I.R.E. teaching methods 217 V ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Grateful thanks to Allah for the ability He has given me to carry out this study within a limited time. My special thanks to Dr Peter Gilroy for his guidance and precise supervision, which I will never forget. I wish to thank the Kuwaiti Ministry of Education and the Saudi Ministry of Education, Boyst and Girls' Departments, for facilitating my mission. The researcher also acknowledges the time and experience he received from staff in the University of Sheffield, particularly the Division of Education; to all these colleagues and staff I wish them great success in the future. A specific debt is owed to Elizabeth Holloway for typing this thesis. Finally, I express my great appreciation to Kuwait University College of Education for their support and encouragement. ifi CONTENTS Explanations of Islamic words 1 Abstract 2 Introduction 4 PART I Chapter One The central question of the study 11 Research questions 13 The purpose of the study 14 The methodology 18 The importance of the study 21 Chapter Two Review of literature 28 Introduction 29 Section A 33 Section B 46 Chapter Three Historical Background 56 Introduction 57 History of Islamic Religious Education 60 1) Informal I.R.E. 61 2) Formal I.R.E. 63 I.R.E. in Kuwait before 1950 65 I.R.E. in Kuwait after 1950 70 I.R.E. in Saudi Arabia before 1950 72 I.R.E. in Saudi Arabia after 1950 75 The similarities and the differences in I.R.E. between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia 77 General analysis 84 Introduction to the aims of I.R.E. in primary education in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia 86 The aims of I.R.E. in primary education in Kuwait 89 The aims of I.R.E. in primary education in Saudi Arabia 94 A comparative view of the aims of I.R.E. in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia 98 Conclusion 102 lv Chapter Seven Parents and I.R.E. Introduction 227 The nature of the relation between parents and I.R.E. 229 Parents from the Islamic perspective 231 Parents' duties towards their children 235 Effective participation between I.R.E. and parents in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia 240 PART III Chapter Eight Data Analysis and Discussion Introduction 253 The study's progress in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia 254 Statistical treatment for results 256 A. Validity and objectivity of the questionnaire 256 B. Reliability of the questionnaire 257 Analysis of parents' responses 258 Conclusion 279 Discussion of the Kuwaiti and Saudi interviewees regarding the four fields 281 Field One: I.R.E. and society 281 Field Two: Children and the importance of I.R.E. 284 Field Three: Parents' co-operation with the I.R.E. teacher 287 Field Four: I.R.E. curriculum for the primary stage of education 290 Analysis of teachers' responses 294 Conclusions 311 Kuwaiti and Saudi I.R.E. teachers' remarks 315 Inspectors' response to the teachers' fields 320 Field One: Aims of I.R.E. 320 Field Two: The role of I.R.E. in society 324 Field Three: Parents and I.R.E. 326 Field Four: Teachers of I.R.E. 329 Field Five: I.R.E. textbook 332 Field Six: Developed I.R.E. 337 Conclusion 340 vi Chapter Nine Conclusion and Recommendations 343 Recommendations 346 I.R.E. curriculum textbook 347 I.R.E. teachers 348 LR.E. and parents 350 Bibliography 352 FIGURES 1. Aims of 1.R.E. and the major contextual factors in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia 186 2. The general foundation for developing I.R.E. 194 3. I.R.E. teacher surrounded by the education system 206 4. Effective participation between l.R.E. and parents 243 APPENDICES 1. Saudi I.R.E. textbook for the first year 2. Kuwaiti I.R.E. textbook for the first year 3. Saudi I.R.E. textbook for the second year 4. Kuwaiti I.R.E. textbook for the second year 5. Saudi I.R.E. textbook for the third year 6. Kuwaiti I.R.E. textbook for the third year 7. Statistical treatment for results 8. Transcription of interviews 9. Questionnaires vii Explanations of Islamic Words Akhirah Resurrection Allah God Ansar The helpers, title of the believers of Madina who received and assisted the Prophet after his migration from Makkah Adhan The announcement and call for Islamic prayer five times aday Hadith What the Prophet did or said, or his tacit approval of something said or done in his presence Hidjra The emigration of the Prophet from Makkah to Madina, the starting point of the Islamic era Imam Leader of the congregational prayer Kuttab Elementary Quranic schools Makkah (Mecca) The birth place of Islam and the place of Muslim pilgrimage (Hajj) Madina/Medinah The city of the Prophet Muhammad after the hidjra, and the second holy city of Islam Muhajirin The emigrants who came with the Prophet from Makkah, or before or after him, and later made up a considerable proportion of the population of Madina Mullah / Mutawa A Muslim community leader, also an Imam at the mosque p.b.o.h. Peace Be On Him Seerah The life model of the Prophet Muhammad Sharia The way of Allah - the totality of religious and moral laws of Islam Sunnah The Prophet Muhammad's sunnah comprises His deeds, utterances, and His spoken approval Al Tawhid Means literally 'making one' or asserting oneness; it applied theologically to the oneness of Allah in all its meanings Ulama Muslim scholars and thinkers (plural of 'aiim'), one who possesses the quality of i/rn , knowledge and piety 1 ABSTRACT The central question of this thesis asks: what are the differences, if any, between Islamic Religious Education development in the state of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia? A thorough review of literature concerning Islamic Religious Education (I.R.E.) is carried out, covering the historical background of I.R.E. during the 1950s and '60s in both Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The development in I.R.E. that has taken place up to date is highlighted, and the aims of I.R.E. in primary education in the two countries are examined. The formats of the I.R.E. curriculum textbooks in the first, second and third years of primary education in each country are compared. The development of these textbooks with regard to the aims and functions of I.R.E. are described, and their advantages and disadvantages analysed. The philosophy of the aims of I.R.E. is discussed in depth, with respect to Islam in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, focussing on the relation between the Islamic religion and education. The question of why I.R.E. is taught is considered, as well as the role of the I.R.E. teacher in the development process in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The involvement and duties of parents and teachers, and their effectiveness in the communication of I.R.E. to children is discussed. The level of parents participation in I.R.E. is examined. Questionnaires were distributed to teachers of I.R.E. and parents in both countries, and the results analysed. This showed significant differences between Kuwaiti and Saudi I.R.E. teachers in terms of both background and responses. The study was concluded with several suggestions and recommendations for the integration of J.R.E. in the two countries. 2 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION If we are serious about giving religion its true place in the educational curricula we have to do two things almost simultaneously.