Research conducted by Muhammad Zakaria, Mhd. Habibu Rahman, Yammipa Haruni Pasaribu, Nurul Syura, and Nurhasanah from University of Pembangunan Panca Budi in 2026 highlights the importance of grounding deep learning in spiritual values to build meaningful and transformative Islamic education. The study was published in the Contemporary Journal of Applied Sciences and offers a significant theoretical contribution to contemporary Islamic pedagogy.
The authors respond to growing demands in twenty-first-century education that move beyond memorization toward reflective, critical, and value-oriented learning. In Islamic Religious Education, learning is expected not only to transfer religious knowledge but also to cultivate spiritual awareness and ethical responsibility.
Addressing a Conceptual Gap
Although deep learning has been widely discussed in educational discourse, its integration with spiritual values in Islamic education remains underdeveloped at the conceptual level. Most previous studies have focused on classroom strategies without clarifying how spirituality should function as the epistemological foundation of meaningful learning.
Muhammad Zakaria and his colleagues argue that deep learning must be understood as a process of meaning construction rather than mere information delivery. Spiritual values serve as the guiding orientation that aligns faith (iman), knowledge (‘ilm), and action (‘amal) within the learning process.
Methodology: Critical Conceptual Analysis
The study employed a qualitative conceptual research design based on systematic literature review. The researchers examined contemporary deep learning theories, meaningful learning frameworks, and Islamic educational philosophy. Their analytical process included:
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Identifying and mapping key theoretical concepts
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Comparing modern educational paradigms with Islamic epistemology
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Synthesizing findings into a unified conceptual framework
While the study does not present empirical classroom data, it offers a coherent and academically rigorous theoretical model.
Key Findings
The analysis reveals three major conclusions:
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Deep learning functions as a meaning-oriented pedagogical framework
Students actively interpret, reflect upon, and contextualize knowledge rather than passively receiving information. -
Meaningful learning serves as the cognitive–reflective core
Knowledge becomes durable and transferable when connected to prior experiences and internal reflection. -
Spiritual values operate as the epistemological foundation
Spirituality is not an auxiliary element but the guiding principle that gives direction, purpose, and ethical meaning to learning.
In Islamic thought, this approach resonates with the concept of tafaqquh fi al-din, which emphasizes deep, comprehensive, and transformative understanding of religion.
Implications for Education and Policy
The proposed framework addresses a major weakness in modern education: the separation between intellectual achievement and moral formation. By embedding spiritual values within deep learning:
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Curriculum design becomes more reflective and context-based
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Teaching strategies encourage dialogue, inquiry, and ethical reasoning
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Assessment moves beyond rote memorization toward meaningful understanding
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Islamic institutions gain a model aligned with twenty-first-century competencies
Muhammad Zakaria of University of Pembangunan Panca Budi emphasizes that Islamic education should produce individuals who are intellectually competent, ethically responsible, and spiritually conscious.
Author Profile
- Muhammad Zakaria - University of Pembangunan Panca Budi
- Mhd. Habibu Rahman-University of Pembangunan Panca Budi
- Yammipa Haruni Pasaribu-University of Pembangunan Panca Budi
- Nurul Syura- University of Pembangunan Panca Budi
- Nurhasanah - University of Pembangunan Panca Budi
Research Source
Zakaria, Muhammad., Rahman, Mhd. Habibu., Pasaribu, Yammipa Haruni., Syura, Nurul., & Nurhasanah. (2026). Deep Learning in Islamic Education: A Reconstruction of Meaningful Learning Grounded in Spiritual Values. Contemporary Journal of Applied Sciences, Vol. 4 No. 2, pp. 55–70.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/cjas.v4i2.130
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