Abstract
This research study is properly
designed to highlight `Acquisition and utilization of Islamic Education: Means
of Remediating Moral Decadence among Muslim Youth. It aims at showcasing the
impact of immoral act in the school as usual as the society such as Robbery,
Raping, Smoking etc. and the possible solutions among the youth in a society.
It is therefore to trace the contributions of people mostly the writers who
sees the immoralities to be curbed and able to maintain the Moral decadence
Among the Muslim youths. For ease of the studied topic, the research project
has been divided into sequential five chapters: Introduction, Literature review
and theoretical framework, the topic under review, Data presentation and
analysis, Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Truthfulness and moral
value are good qualities desirable in all human beings. These qualities make
one’s life worth living although there is erosion of moral values due to
materialistic greed. In Nigeria today, there is rapid moral decadence cutting
across adults, youths and kids in all sectors of the society. Delinquent
behaviours have de-generated the psyche of people in the society to the extent
that people have lost faith in the capacity of the government to uphold morals
and justice. People are no longer committed as self employees, civil servants,
laborer in private institutions, even as teacher, or students. All codes of
conduct as far as their areas are concerned are paper work; commitment and
dedication are of no significance as for public locations are concerned.
Majority are after their selfish ends.
Moreover, outside schools
and government institutions, there are increases in instances such as robbery,
trickery, begging touting and all sorts of misfit behaviour in our societies.
Analysis findings have shown that majority of men and women found in these acts
are mostly school dropouts, youngsters from broken homes and unemployed
graduates of various
institutions at diverse levels. Therefore,
this calls for appropriate implementation of religious and ethical education in
our schools. If curricular on religions,
social and ethical education are well planned and developed and at the same
time correctly implemented most of the above stated moral decadence would, if
not completely eradicated be reduced to the minimal (Toyib, 2009).
Moral decadence in Nigeria
has generated a lot of problems in all sectors of our society resulting in the
slow pace of development in the country. The moral decadence ranges from
examination malpractices, stealing bribery and corruption, sexual promiscuity,
social mal- adjustment, insubordination, disrespect to the constituted
authority and to the rules of law. All these immoral behaviours possibly
contributed to declining economic and educational standard, resulting in
importation of strange social behaviours into our society. This in turn has
actually gone deep into the life style of men and women in the society thereby
generating fear, unpatriotic, feelings, disunity, lack of faith in the
development and progress of the country, distrust towards leaders and unguided
behavior in the mind of the ones with conscience who would have loved to uphold
high moral standards. Those who gain from these immoral attitudes prefer them
to continue. For that reason, there is need for appropriate orientation to be
given to the young ones. This will eradicate the moral decadence in our
society, thereby creating room for development. This can only be completed by
our educational sectors by means of the school which at the grassroots, matters
most in the instance of development.
The curriculum in our
schools, both elementary and secondary and programmes in general that would be
tailored towards the achievement of both the moral and academic aspects of
education are yet to be achieved fully in our educational system. This is due
to society’s reliance on paper qualification. This has deflated ethical
fulfillment of education in the life of our youth.
It is vital to note that
man’s relationship with others should follow certain moral codes that would
enhance a peaceful and a well ordered life, a life that would promote harmony
and cooperation that would reduce social ills as well as uplift man’s mental
capabilities and put his mind in healthy condition. This aspect which Islam
refers to as Ihsan (good deed) covers
all aspects of human Endeavour: political, social, economic, national and
international life. Exhibition of these moral qualities form the basis or
essence of humanity itself. These qualities according to Mawdudi (2004) are:
Self-control, generousity, mercy,
sympathy, a sense of justice, breadth of vision, truthfulness,
trust-worthiness, integrity, respect for pledges and commitments,
fair-mindedness, moderation,
courtesy, purity and
discipline.
In contrast to the above,
Islam abhors those vices such as hatred, rancor, cheating and encroachment on
the right of others. Also, murder, theft, extortion, fornication, usury, lying,
backbiting, taking of intoxicants and consumption of harmful foods are
condemned. In other words, man owes to his fellow man, certain moral
responsibilities that would be geared towards the enhancement of the individual
and the societal goal as a recipe for a peaceful life, bearing in mind always
that such good deed is a divine commandment from the Lord, whom he loves, obeys
and cherishes. It goes without saying that man’s spiritual fraternity with God
and seeking moral well being of others are central elements to Islamic
religion’s teaching, philosophy and practice (Toyib, 2009:3).
Secular society, perhaps
in the name of freedom of choice, is unwilling to condemn or prevent the spread
of moral degradation; and even when it tries to it is unable to because of
human limitations of knowledge, reasoning and wisdom. Such society goes in
circles chasing the symptoms and dressing up the outcomes rather than
addressing the root cause. In our times, examples of this phenomenon abound;
like immodesty, adultery, cohabitation, teenage pregnancies, alcoholic
consumption, drug abuse, pornography, homosexuality, political thugery,
disobedience to parents and to constituted authority, etc. (http://alislam.org/e/998.official.wesite.of.ahmadiyyah-muslim-community-Prevention
of moral degradation in light of Islamic
teachings)
However, looking
critically at the present situation in Nigeria; the rate of moral/character
degeneration especially among adolescent and youth is quite alarming. This
according to Toyib (2009:3):
Is against the background that the
passion for religion among Nigerians both young and old has given rise to
increase in number of mosques and churches established; increased followership
and increase in the level of Da‘wah activities,
evangelism and religious education at both primary and secondary school
system. In fact, one may be tempted to assume that while all these religious
institutions and their activities are growing in arithmetic progression; the
rate of vices especially among Nigerian youth is growing in geometric
progression (although this view is not
empirical but obvious). To compliment the efforts of these religious groups,
successive governments in Nigeria and especially the regime of Olusegun
Obasanjo administration had established various extra-ministerial agencies like
Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent
Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency
(NDLEA) and the National Agency for Food and Drug
Administration and Control among
others to checkmate this menace. This trend speaks volumes of the degree of
vices that have permeated the entire life of the average Nigeria citizen.
As a student of Islamic
Studies, constant contemplation on these disturbing phenomena informed this
writers’ decision at taking a closer look at their primary constituency to see
how far the Islamic Studies as the foundation of religious education has gone
in its effort at developing and imparting in Muslim students both moral and
character development.
1.2 Statement
of the Problem
There is no doubt that moral
degeneration and character laxity especially among the Muslim students have
become the bane of the contemporary Nigerian society. These problems have eaten
deep into the fabric of all aspects of our national life, social, political,
cultural or economic. The anti-social behaviours which are the manifestation of
this moral and character decay have been worrisome to successive governments in
power as to elicit incessant calls on religious groups to intensify efforts in
their missionary activities to combat this menace.
However, placing these
efforts (particularly that of Islamic education which is the researcher’s focus
of study) against the rate of crime in the country is smack of contradictions.
These contradictions have now provoked some
fundamental inquiry to: Whether Islamic Education as focal of teaching and
learning is still playing these roles effectively? Whether the approach of the
Islamic education teachers to teaching and counseling could no longer meet the
contemporary reality of the moral and character degeneration in the society?
Whether, in view of the above, one could be tempted to assume that the Islamic
education teacher have failed in his primary duties of safe-guarding his
students, and by extension, the nation against the scourge of moral and
character bankruptcy? All these burning issues are the basic problems which
this research work intends to address.
Furthermore, Islamic
education is mainly aims at balance growth personality of an individual
morally, linguistically, socially, religiously and help a man toward the
attainment of goals. Islamic education aims primarily to sharpen the life of a
man to be able to differentiate between what is right and the wrong.These are
the issues this rsearch work will critically look upon.
1.3 Research Questions
Questions raised in this
academic discourse are as follows:
1.
Does the approach of the
Islamic education teachers in teaching and counseling still meet the
contemporary reality of the moral/character degeneration in the society?
2.
What are the factors that
influence the Muslim students’ moral/character development?
3.
Does school as formal education
serves the only way of inculcating moral/character on students?
4.
What are the contributions of
Islamic system of education in imparting morals in students?
1.4 Objectives of the Study
This research work is
embarked upon with the following objectives:
i.
To establish the potency of
Islamic education as a subject that is capable of instilling moral/character
training into the Muslim youths.
ii.
To examine whether the Islamic
Studies Curriculum as the centre of teaching and learning is still playing
these roles effectively.
iii.
To determine whether the
Curriculum contents are being properly implemented.
iv.
To examine whether the approach
of the Islamic system of education still meet the contemporary reality of the
moral and character degeneration in the society.
v.
To examine the impact in the
moral and character development of the Muslim youths?
vi.
To suggest ways of bridging the
gap between the Curriculum contents and the current happenings in the society.
vii.To suggest workable solutions on the
development of moral and character building in Muslim youths.
1.5 Significance of the study
An elementary dictum in
human social relations indicates that the individuals make the society. If a
society is good, peaceful and orderly, it is through the instrumentality of
these individuals that made up that society. To maintain a peaceful and orderly
society therefore, moral and character development through the instrumentality
of religious education of its citizens are of paramount importance. Placing this within the context of Nigeria as
a nation presupposes that the country should expect the exhibition of certain
positive traits from her citizens that would make them good members of Nigeria
society. God’s consciousness and moral character developments through proper
religious education are the prerequisites in this regard. As members of Nigeria
larger society and one of its major stakeholders, the Muslims, through the
Islamic studies as a subject have a lot to contribute to heighten stakeholders
awareness of the importance of character development programmes in local public
schools to the continued success and stability of Nigerian society; and to
encourage the establishment and improvement of character development programmes
in secondary schools. Therefore, an exposition on the impact of Islamic studies
on the moral and character development of Muslim students in this area is quite
significant.
1.6 Scope and
Delimitation
This
work covers the activities of selected secondary schools in Karu LGA of
Nasarawa State. The activities are those that are specifically meant for the
moral and character upliftment of the Muslim students. It therefore covers all
secondary school students in Karu LGA of Nasarawa State where Islamic studies
as a subject are offered.
.
Apart from the review of literature which is a library based research,
this work is basically a field research and as is characteristic of all
academic works of this nature. Financial constraints are serious impediments.
However, this does not in any form affect the quality of the work
1.7 Operational
Definition of Terms
Moral
decadence: It is connected with the principles or
standards of good behaviour of what is right and wrong, and with the difference
between good and evil.
Character:
the particular combination of qualities that makes
someone a particular kind of person. It also means a combination of qualities
such as good virtues that are admired and regarded as valuable.
Development:
It entails the gradual growth of something, so that
it becomes bigger or more advanced
Curriculum:
Curriculum is defined as all the desirable learning
experiences: cognitive, psychomotor and affective, planned for the learners
under the direction of the school to achieve educational goals and procedures,
strategies, and materials employed for effective reconstruction of such
experience.
Islamic
studies: Islamic studies can be defined as the
totality of learning experiences, which centre on the relationship between man
and his creator and between man and his fellow men.
Muslim
youths: Muslim youths can be defined as a group of
Muslims who are so young especially the time before one become an adult and
born in the religion of Islam