Students today face various intellectual and philosophical challenges. These include religious fanaticism, Islamophobia, materialism, secularism influences on education. Historically, Muslim students flourished during the Islamic Golden Age but then declined due to colonialism. Western concepts like nationalism replaced Islamic transnationalism. Now, students must address these challenges through understanding the Quran and promoting moderate Islamic teachings of patience, mutual respect among cultures, and not judging all by the actions of a few. This research aims to identify challenges faced by secondary students and ways to resolve them based on Quranic guidance and scholarship.

1. Study about the Intellectual and Philosophical Challenges faced by
Students in 21st
Century at Secondary Level.
ResearchProposal
Submitted by:
Sundas Irshad
B.ED 1.5 Years- 3rd Semester

2. Chapter. 01
1. Introduction
Students are facing challenges and problems in the present era. These challenges are of
different types like intellectual and philosophical challenges.
i. Meaning of Intellect
a. Literal Meaning
In Cambridge Dictionary the term “intellect” is defined as “the ability to understand and to
think in an intelligent way.”
Al-Mughni Al-Wasit defines the term ‘Intellect’ as: sense, mind, and reason.1
Term ‘intellect’ is defined in Al-Mawrid as: Al-Fikar, Al-A’qal, Zakaa.2
b. Technical Meaning
Technically “Intellect” can be defined as the ability of reasoning and independent understanding
of something especially with regard to academic matters.
ii:Meaning of Philosophy
a. Literal Meaning
In Cambridge Dictionary the term “Philosophy” is defined as “the use of reason in
understanding such things as the nature of the real world and existence, the use and limits
of knowledge and the principles of moral judgment.”
Al-Mughni Al-Wasit defined it as: Philosophy, Pedantry3
b. Technical Meaning
The term philosophy indicates that how and why people do certain things. Philosophy also refers
to the way of thinking, the most critical and comprehensive approach of thinking.
1Hassan Karmi, Al-Mughni Al-Wasit:Arabic English Dictionary, (Beirut, Maktaba Labnaan, 1999), 419.
2MunirBa’aibaki,Al-Mawrid:A Modern English-Arabic Dictionary (Beirut, Dar El-Ilm Lil-Malayen, 2003), 472.
3Karmi, Al-Mughni Al-Wasit: Arabic-EnglishDictionary,492. See also. Ba’aibaki:Al-Mawrid,681.

3. Intellectual and philosophical challenges are related to the mind set of any nation. These
challenges are basically those attacks which are being imposed on the thoughts or minds of
Muslim Ummah.
iii. Background / History
Students were superior in numerous fields (e.g. education, science and technology, politics
etc) but now, because of some factors, supremacy of students has been stopped. Eventually these
factors lead students towards problems. Students are now facing terrifying challenges and
reached at the high level of weakness in all phases of development.
Students experienced its golden age during the 10th - 13th centuries. This was the era in
which students were adored by the Eastern and Western worlds, where scientific and intellectual
achievements were at peak. During this Golden Age (900-1200 A.D) the philosophers, scientists
and engineers of the Islamic world contributed a great deal to science and technology. In the
same era, the students had set up many Islamic centres of culture, religion and science which
produce noteworthy scientists, astronomers, mathematicians, doctors and philosophers (such as
Ibn-e-Sina and Ibn-e-Rushd). However, this period was followed by a successive collapse, in the
18th and 19th centuries; Islamic regions fell under the influence of European powers. After the
World War I, the remnants of the Ottoman Empire were shifted to the control of west. History
has shown that in 1920 A.D the victory over the Muslim world was complete.
This victory of west caused number of challenges to the students of Islamic civilization
such as social, political, economical and religious. Students were colonized and were subjected
to terror. Their basic institutions, educational system were replaced with western curriculum
which was alienated from core beliefs of Muslims. Their language of learning, administrative
system was replaced by a new directorial system which was completely alienated from religion.
Transnational concept of Muslims was replaced by the western’s concept of nationalism. At that
time one of the main reasons of fall of Muslims was that there were some elite groups who were
willing to co-operate more with colonial rulers. They accepted the thoughts of western mentors.
Their personalities were shaped by the western system so religion had very small place in their

4. lives. The members of this group gradually became the leaders of colonized societies and people
started to look towards them as models.4
The alarming challenge for the student’s is not only religious but intellectual too. At
present the students are in the despair not because of weakness of commitment to faith but
because of intellectual dullness. Students are facing these challenges because of lack of
understanding of Quran among non Muslims and may be because of failure to explain them.
Students are facing various challenges; this research tackles few of them. The prominent
intellectual and philosophical challenges are;
1. Religious fanaticism
2. Islam phobia
3. Materialism
4. Secularism
5. Educational system
6. Economic frustration and unequal opportunities
7. IT (Information Technology)
Islam is the religion that provides comprehensive guidance for humanity to lead their life both at
individual and collective level. It is a time of need for Muslim students to pause, to reflect and
revive Islam.
Moderation which leads to stability is an essential and distinctive element of Islam.
Immoderation may ultimately develop into large troubles and even become a threat to the
welfare and safety of the student community. Islam is the religion of fanaticism but explaining
that this is the religion that teaches people to be patient.
One of the most controversial terms that have emerged in recent years is ‘Islam phobia’.
It can be literally defined as ‘Irrational fear of Islam’5. The concept of Islam phobia is trying to
negate the splendid values of Islam. In short Islam phobia is an attempt to accuse the whole
4Muzaffar Iqbal, Science in the Islamic Civilization, (2003): 1-4 http://www.cis-ca.org/confs/KL-Conf/kl-key~1.pdf
5Ihsanoglu,Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim Hatred: Causes and Remedies, Arches Quarterly4,7, (2010), 6

5. Islamic world just because of the wicked deeds of few misguided individuals. This concept can
be eliminated only when different cultures and nations communicate and respect each other.
Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) is working hard in order to maintain peace and mutual
cooperation among nations.
The possession of wealth sometimes turns away the man from the right path. For the sake
of well being and self interests, man gets involved in hypocrisy, dishonesty and many other evils.
Man becomes heedless of remembrance of God just because of this. This heedlessness leads the
man towards evils.
This pattern of life gradually leads a man towards secularism where he did not consider
any religious principle or value as an essential mean of guidance. Secularism basically means the
pattern of life which has no link with religion6. Ideology of secularism is opposite to the ideology
of Islam, as Islam means submission and peace whereas secularism rejects the submission to any
divine authority. Ideology of secularism seems to be ruling the world and becoming a challenge
to students.
The effect of secularism can be clearly observed in educational system too. Education is
an intellectual property which no one can steal but can be influenced. The real problem with an
educational system is the culture of reliance. There are mainly two systems of education, one is
western system and the other is Islamic system of education and goals of these both systems are
different. Western system is dominating and causing challenges to Muslims. Some Muslims
think that bringing modernity in education means being western but it does mean that giving
importance to some degree of secular knowledge in Muslim epistemologies. They do not realize
the reality that there is no separation between Islamic and secular knowledge as Islam
encompasses all knowledge. Apart from the challenge of dualism, Islamic educational system is
weak because of some home-grown flaws too. Acquiring education is necessary to understand
and comprehend the religious knowledge.
iv. Significance of Research
The secondary stage holds vital position in every country’s education system because its output
goes for higher education and results in engineers, doctors, master degree holders, CSS and PCS
6Khalid Nazir, Islam and Secularism, (Ammar Publications,2003); 06.

6. officers and research scholars of Ph.D. It is imperative to facilitate the students with quality
education at this stage because they are future leaders of the nation in every field of life. So the
research study would serve as guiding star to administrators, policy makers, planners, teachers
and students to view standard of education. The significance of this research is that previously
though researches have been conducted on challenges emerging for Students by they did not
particularly and systematically provided the way out. This research highlights the dominant
challenges faced by students in 21st Century and there solutions from Qura’n and researches.
This research will be helpful in providing solutions to the society in order to combat the
challenges of 21st Century, in accordance with Quran.
v. Research Question
How can the intellectual and philosophical challenges to students at secondary level in
21stcentaury be resolved under Quranic directions and the researches?
vi. Problem Statements
1. What are the leading challenges that students at secondary are facing in 21st Century?
2. What are the main reasons behind the intellectual and philosophical challenges faced by
students at secondary level?
3. What is necessary to be done, in order to resolve these challenges?
4. Is there enough guidance in Qur’an for resolving the challenges of contemporary era?
vii. Objectives of Research
1. To recognize the extent of challenges faced by Students.
2. To know the effects of challenges on Students.
3. To look for the way out for these challenges in the light of Quran.
viii. Hypothesis
1. Students are facing challenges and problems because of ignorance to Quranic teachings.
2. Islamic teachings are not sufficient to resolve the intellectual and philosophical
challenges faced by Students in 21st Century.

7. ResearchMethodology
Following methods will be adopted to conduct study.
Population
All the boys and girls secondary schools of Rawalpindi division will serve as the population of
the study.
Design
Qualitative
Method
Survey Method
Tool
Questionaire
Stats
% or frequency, Mean

8. Refrences:
 Becktovic,S.(2012 ).” modern Islamic philosophy: challenges and perspectives” .Islam
and Christian-Muslim Relations, vol.23(03),pp.235-246.
 Cooper,J & Ronald,L.(1998).Islam and Modernity:Muslim Intellectuals Response. New
York:I.B.Tauris
 Ibn Kathir,A,E.(2007).Tafseer ibn Kathir: Dar-ul-Quds. .
 Ihsanoglu,E.(2010).Arches Quarterly,Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim Hatred:Cuases and
Remedies.vol.no4(7).p-6,Cardoba Foundation.
 Islam versus Secularism Retrieved from http:// www.islamawareness .net/Secularism
/ivs.html
 Nazir,K.(2003).Islam and Secularism:Pakistan:Ammar Publications.pp.1-6 . .
 Sheikh,A.(2006).The Islam:Science and Technology.New Delhi:Arise Publishers &
Distributers
 Syed,I.Educating Muslim Children:Challenges and Oppertunities: Islamic Research
Foundation International.Retrieved from http: //www .irfi.org /articles/articles_ 1_50/
educating_muslim_children.
 Syed,I.Quran and Science:All Things in Pair: Islamic Research Foundation
International.Retrieved from http://www.irfi.org/ articles /articles _1_ 50/all_ things_
in_pair.htm

9.  Syed,I.Rise and Fall of Muslim Scientists: Islamic Research Foundation
International.Retrieved from http ://www.irfi.org /articles/articles_1_5 0/ rise_
and_fall_of_muslim_scientis.htm