Filsafat Ilmu dan Islamisasi Pengetahuan: Epistemologi Al-Faruqi dalam Pengembangan PAI

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between the philosophy of science and the Islamization of knowledge in the development of Islamic Religious Education (Pendidikan Agama Islam/PAI), focusing on the epistemology of Ismail Raji Al-Faruqi. The study aims to analyze the role of the philosophy of science as an epistemological foundation for PAI and to explore the relevance of Al-Faruqi’s concept of Islamization of knowledge in responding to contemporary educational challenges. This research employs a qualitative approach with a library research design, utilizing primary sources from Al-Faruqi’s works and secondary sources from books on the philosophy of science, Islamic epistemology, and scholarly journals on Islamic education. The findings indicate that the philosophy of science plays a crucial role in constructing the ontological, epistemological, and axiological framework of PAI, enabling it to move beyond a purely normative and textual orientation. Al-Faruqi’s concept of Islamization of knowledge emerges as a critical response to the secular and dualistic epistemology of modern Western science by positioning tawhid as the integrative principle of all knowledge. The epistemology of tawhid emphasizes the integration of revelation and reason and rejects the dichotomy between religious and secular sciences. The implications of Al-Faruqi’s epistemology for PAI include the development of an integrative curriculum, the renewal of participatory and student-centered learning methodologies, the strengthening of teachers’ roles as integrative educators, and comprehensive evaluation that balances intellectual and spiritual dimensions. Thus, Al-Faruqi’s epistemology provides a strong philosophical foundation for the holistic, contextual, and transformative development of Islamic Religious Education in the modern era.