Ildus S . Rafikov

This article proposes to re-focus education towards morality and universal values, which have always been the traditional aim of education. This paper is designed using a qualitative research method applying content analysis to textual and video materials from a historical and contemporary perspectives. The paper demonstrates morality problems of the current mainstream education systems and how alternative systems are better equipped to inculcate values. It is observed that trans-disciplinary, problem-based and religious education helps build stronger ethical foundation in students regardless of their geographical location or income levels. The article proposes for schools and universities to include community engagement programmes in their curricula, support religious communities through special programmes, and promote values education at all levels not through academic subjects but through studies, research and development of real-life application of ethics at local and internatio...

This paper provides a brief review of Islamic education in Russia from the tenth century until modern times based on the analysis of primary and secondary sources. The first part of the paper examines the role of Islam in Russian history and suggests that Islam played an important role in building what today is called the Russian civilisation. It also reviews the historical, educational system in the region and indicates that the Volga-Urals region was the centre of Islamic education and civilisation in the Muslim world for at least five centuries until Tsarist Russia colonised the area in the sixteenth century. The second part of the paper briefly elaborates on the educational reforms and provides an overview of Islamic periodicals published at the beginning of twentieth century in Russia. The final part of the paper focuses on the status of Islamic education in modern Russia and suggests that the decade of absolute religious freedom enabled the mushrooming of Islamic madrasahs and...

The paper examines the issue of monetary policy from an Islamic perspective and offers a transitional solution given the existing circumstances in the contemporary Muslim economies, dominated by financial institutions, fiat currencies, and fractional reserve banking. Qualitative research with a “complex systems” perspective is used to determine the state of monetary policy in several Muslim majority countries, to study the issues and challenges, as well as to point out the most problematic areas that need urgent addressing. The paper will argue that central banks are the main institutions that have the power and responsibility to maintain the country’s economic stability and the value of a local currency, as well as to affect the inflation and unemployment rates. It will be argued that in the current circumstances central banks can act within the given system to (1) encourage financing of small and medium enterprises; (2) initiate the growth of small local financial institutions, su...

This paper reviews the potential risks of the fourth industrial revolution and how sustainable development goals align with those risks and any benefits. This paper adopts a qualitative research method using content analysis of video and textual materials. This research finds that the increased complexity of IR4.0 carries greater risks but offers greater benefits to humanity. Sustainability is going to be positively affected by the greater use of smart interconnected technologies. However, the fabric of human society will undergo a tremendous change that will often lead to unwanted consequences. Many risks can be anticipated and addressed by designing systems, including financial and economic, that are inherently robust and adaptable. States must acknowledge the risks associated with new technologies and complex systems, such as artificial intelligence, and devise strategies to help deal with and anticipate those risks. This paper identifies the risks and benefits of the Fourth Indu...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the methodology of integrated knowledge in Islamic economics and finance and seek to offer collective ijtihad as one way to find solutions to the existing problems in the field. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on the idea of multidisciplinarity or interdisciplinarity, which uses not only traditional sources of Islam and economics, such as uṣūl al-fiqh, fiqh mu’amalat, econometrics, statistics, microeconomics and macroeconomics but also looks into behavioural and natural sciences for inspiration and solutions. This paper is constructed using the methodology of “the two readings”, as promoted by the International Institute of Islamic Thought, and which combines the revealed and the existential sciences. Findings This paper proposes the collaborative multidisciplinary methodology as the main approach to studying the modern problems and challenges, as well as for finding solutions in the fields of Islamic economics and finan...

This article discusses the traits of the concept of ummah wasaa¹­a, its historical roots, and its modern application to the Muslim community of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. It identifies the main factors preventing the actualisation of the “justly balanced” ummah standards in Tatarstan. The study was conducted using the textual analysis methodology with reference to the pertinent literature in English and Russian. The main finding of this article is that the establishment of ummah wasaa¹­a among the Muslims in Tatarstan is challenging at the present time due to the Tatars’ identity crisis, disunity among the various factions of Muslims at various levels, the pressures coming from the law enforcement agencies, and the absence of a strong umbrella organisation.

Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to discuss the methodology of integrated knowledge in Islamic economics and finance and seek to offer collective ijtihad as one way to find solutions to the existing problems in the field. Design/methodology/approach-The study is based on the idea of multidisciplinarity or interdisciplinarity, which uses not only traditional sources of Islam and economics, such as u Á sūl al-fiqh, fiqh mu'amalat, econometrics, statistics, microeconomics and macroeconomics but also looks into behavioural and natural sciences for inspiration and solutions. This paper is constructed using the methodology of "the two readings", as promoted by the International Institute of Islamic Thought, and which combines the revealed and the existential sciences. Findings-This paper proposes the collaborative multidisciplinary methodology as the main approach to studying the modern problems and challenges, as well as for finding solutions in the fields of Islamic economics and finance. Practical implications-Studying and researching issues, particularly in the field of Islamic economics and finance, from an interdisciplinary perspective, effectively broadens practical applications and possibilities in Islamic finance. Originality/value-This paper contributes to social sciences, especially the field of Islamic finance, and calls upon researchers to engage in multidisciplinary studies.

This article discusses the traits of the concept of ummah wasaṭa, its historical roots, and its modern application to the Muslim community of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. It identifies the main factors preventing the actualisation of the "justly balanced" ummah standards in Tatarstan. The study was conducted using the textual analysis methodology with reference to the pertinent literature in English and Russian. The main finding of this article is that the establishment of ummah wasaṭa among the Muslims in Tatarstan is challenging at the present time due to the Tatars' identity crisis, disunity among the various factions of Muslims at various levels, the pressures coming from the law enforcement agencies, and the absence of a strong umbrella organisation.