Organization of Quran-Based Humanities: A Case Study on the Organization of Divine Laws of the Qur’an in the Branch of Educational Sciences

The Qur’an, as the foundational text of Islamic civilization, contains within its discourse not only spiritual and moral guidance but also a set of discoverable and universal principles that may serve as the basis for the organization of human sciences. Contemporary Islamic scholarship has often emphasized the need to bridge the epistemic gap between revelation and the modern academic disciplines, yet methodological clarity remains limited. This study aims to contribute to this ongoing discourse by developing a conceptual framework for Qur’an-based educational sciences, through the identification and organization of divine laws (sunan ilāhiyya) related to human voluntary action. It seeks to demonstrate that the Qur’an provides not merely scattered moral instructions but a coherent and systematic structure of laws that can guide educational philosophy, curriculum design, and pedagogical practice.



The research begins with the recognition that modern educational theories—while valuable in their empirical insights—often lack an integrated moral and metaphysical foundation. The Qur’an, by contrast, presents a unified worldview in which knowledge, action, and value are inseparable. Building upon the theoretical groundwork of Islamization of knowledge articulated by scholars such as Al-Faruqi (1982) and Al-Attas (1980), this paper proposes a model in which revelation serves as both the source and measure of human knowledge. Through this framework, the study reinterprets the relationship between first-order knowledge (cognitive, emotional, and behavioral dimensions of voluntary action) and second-order knowledge (foundations, objectives, and methods of education).



Methodologically, the study adopts a documentary and inferential research design. The entire Qur’anic text was treated as a primary corpus, and key terms—such as fitrah (innate disposition), iradah (will), ʿilm (knowledge), ʿamal (action), and tawbah (repentance)—were identified through thematic keyword searches across both the Arabic text and the Sahih International translation. Each verse retrieved was cross-referenced with major classical and contemporary exegetical works (tafsīr), including those of Ṭabāṭabā’ī (1970), Ibn Kathīr, and Al-Ṭabarī. Using a qualitative coding approach, the verses were analyzed to extract recurrent propositions regarding human behavior and divine law. Two independent coders conducted open and axial coding, and inconsistencies were resolved through scholarly consultation. The propositions were then synthesized into generalizable divine laws and organized according to their ontological level (first-order or second-order). Reliability was reinforced through triangulation, peer validation, and pilot application in a small curriculum design experiment.



The findings revealed a network of divine laws that correspond to the essential dimensions of human agency. For example, Qur’an 30:30 articulates the law of fitrah, asserting that human beings are created with an innate orientation toward truth and goodness. This implies that education should nurture rather than suppress innate dispositions. Qur’an 17:70 highlights human dignity as an ontological constant, suggesting that any educational model must affirm the learner’s intrinsic worth. Qur’an 25:70 presents repentance (tawbah) as a transformative law, emphasizing the capacity for moral renewal and self-correction—an aspect often neglected in secular pedagogies. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that the Qur’an offers an organic epistemology of education grounded in divine teleology.



The conceptual framework that emerges from this analysis integrates the Qur’anic conception of knowledge with contemporary educational theory. The inner circle (first-order knowledge) encompasses the domains of cognition, emotion, and behavior, corresponding to the operational dimensions of learning. The outer circle (second-order knowledge) defines the ontological and teleological structure: the foundational principles (e.g., fitrah, dignity, justice), the objectives (e.g., worship, guidance, perfection), and the methodological instruments (e.g., reflection, repentance, discipline). The interaction between these two layers illustrates how divine law governs both the essence and process of education.



In the discussion, the study engages with major philosophical paradigms of education, such as Dewey’s experiential learning, Bloom’s taxonomy, and Freire’s critical pedagogy, illustrating points of convergence and divergence. While these models offer valuable strategies for learning facilitation, they remain anthropocentric and fragmented when compared to the integrative vision of the Qur’an. The Qur’anic approach situates learning within the metaphysical reality of human purpose, aligning the development of intellect and character with submission to divine order. Consequently, the study contends that Qur’an-based educational sciences can serve as a unifying paradigm that harmonizes empirical inquiry with ethical and spiritual orientation.



The implications of this research are both theoretical and practical. Theoretically, it provides a foundation for constructing the epistemology of Qur’an-based humanities, clarifying how divine revelation can function as a source of systematic knowledge within an academic framework. Practically, the findings suggest that educational policy, curriculum, and pedagogy can be reoriented around the Qur’anic vision of human development, emphasizing dignity, responsibility, and transcendence. This approach also offers a means of resisting the secular fragmentation of knowledge by reintegrating reason and revelation in the service of holistic human flourishing.



The study acknowledges its limitations. As a conceptual and documentary inquiry, it does not yet provide empirical data on classroom implementation or measurable learning outcomes. Future research should extend this work through empirical validation—applying the proposed framework to curriculum design, pedagogical models, and cross-cultural case studies. Interdisciplinary collaboration among Qur’anic scholars, educators, and psychologists will be essential to operationalize the model and test its educational efficacy.



In conclusion, this paper demonstrates that the Qur’an contains within its linguistic and conceptual architecture a coherent and reproducible structure of divine laws that can ground an authentic Islamic educational science. By reestablishing the Qur’an as a generative source of epistemology and methodology, the study contributes to the Islamization of knowledge movement and opens new pathways for the integration of revelation and reason. The proposed framework of first-order and second-order knowledge offers not only a theoretical model but also a transformative vision for reimagining the humanities in light of divine guidance.