One of the greatest challenges facing modern societies is learning to live together in peace despite deep differences. While schools are often seen as engines of knowledge and skill, they are also laboratories of coexistence. For Islamic education, this responsibility is both historic and urgent. From the Prophet Muhammad’s emphasis on justice and compassion, to the long tradition of adab (ethical conduct), Islamic schooling has always aimed to shape character as much as intellect. Today, the integration of these values into plural societies could be the antidote to growing intolerance and division.
This is not just theory. In February 2019, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, signed the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, alongside Pope Francis in Abu Dhabi. The declaration called on educational institutions worldwide to embrace curricula that promote dialogue, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence. As Al-Tayeb remarked, “Education is not merely about transferring knowledge, but about forming human beings capable of coexistence and mutual respect.”
UNESCO has also consistently underscored this point. In her 2024 International Day of Education message, Director-General Audrey Azoulay stated: “Because if hatred starts with words, peace starts with education. What we learn changes how we view the world and influences how we treat others.” For Islamic education, this aligns perfectly with the Qur’anic injunction that diversity among people is a divine sign meant to foster mutual knowledge, not hostility (Qur’an 49:13).
The practical application of this philosophy can be seen in the United Arab Emirates. The Ministry of Education introduced revised curricula emphasizing tolerance, informed by scholarship from thinkers like Abdullah bin Bayyah, who argues that tolerance in Islam is not passive but an active ethic of compassion and justice. As he explained during a 2018 Abu Dhabi forum: “A tolerant society is not built by ignoring differences, but by managing them with justice and compassion.”
On the ground, teachers are translating these ideas into classroom practice. In Kaduna, Nigeria, Mariam Sule, a secondary school Islamic studies teacher, shared with me: “I tell my students that tolerance is not about abandoning your beliefs—it is about respecting the humanity of others. When we teach Islam properly, it naturally leads to peace.” Her testimony reflects what global education experts emphasize: peacebuilding starts at the teacher-student level, not just in high-level policy documents.
Indonesia provides a further model with its Moderasi Beragama (Religious Moderation) program. Backed by significant government funding, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has integrated moderation and tolerance across Islamic schools, teacher training, and curriculum. Analysts have described it as one of the most ambitious national efforts to use education as a peacebuilding tool.
Critics often worry that integrating religious values into mainstream education risks exclusion or indoctrination. But as examples from Al-Azhar, UNESCO, and Indonesia show, when implemented thoughtfully, Islamic education can strengthen civic peace rather than undermine it. The key is clarity: teaching that tolerance, justice, and coexistence are as much Islamic obligations as they are civic ones.
Plural societies cannot thrive on technical knowledge alone; they require ethical citizens who see the humanity in others. Islamic education, when true to its moral foundations, has much to offer in this regard. In a world increasingly marked by division, its potential to promote tolerance and peace is not only timely, it is indispensable.
