Speaker
Description
Sulaiman, Y.
Nasarawa State University, Keffi
abumuhammad@nsuk.edu.ng
Track: Sustainability and the Future
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have become a global framework for promoting inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development, with higher education recognized as a strategic driver for achieving these objectives. In Africa, however, many institutions of higher learning, including Islamic higher education institutions, continue to face challenges related to curriculum relevance, graduate employability, ethical leadership, and sustainable human development. This paper examines the role of Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah (the higher objectives of Islamic law) as a conceptual and ethical framework for aligning Islamic higher education with the SDGs through curriculum innovation and human capital development. Anchored on the five essential objectives of the Sharīʿah—protection of religion (ḥifẓ al-dīn), life (ḥifẓ al-nafs), intellect (ḥifẓ al-ʿaql), progeny (ḥifẓ al-nasl), and wealth (ḥifẓ al-māl)—the study argues that Islamic educational philosophy provides a holistic approach that complements the aspirations of the SDGs, particularly those relating to quality education (SDG 4), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), reduced inequalities (SDG 10), peace, justice and strong institutions (SDG 16), and partnerships for sustainable development (SDG 17). Employing a qualitative research design based on documentary analysis of the Qur'an, Sunnah, classical and contemporary literature on Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah, and policy documents on the SDGs, the paper analyses the extent to which Islamic higher education curricula can be restructured to integrate sustainability, digital literacy, entrepreneurship, research and innovation, environmental stewardship, and ethical leadership without compromising Islamic values. The paper further highlights the opportunities and challenges facing Islamic higher education institutions in Africa and proposes a Maqāṣid-oriented curriculum model that promotes intellectual excellence, moral responsibility, social inclusion, and sustainable human development. It concludes that aligning Islamic higher education with the SDGs through the framework of Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah not only strengthens the relevance of Islamic education in addressing contemporary developmental challenges but also contributes significantly to the realization of Africa's sustainable development agenda.
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