Qamar-ul Huda discusses the International Islamic Peace Education Workshop organized by the U.S. Institute of Peace in partnership with the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy (PCID) and Magbassa Kita Foundation Inc (MKFI).

From June 27- July 1, 2010, a group of thirty-five Muslim educators from eight countries came to Mindanao, the second largest island in the Philippines, for an international Particpants at International Workshop on Islamic Eduationworkshop on Islamic Peace Education. The workshop was organized by the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy (PCID) , Magbassa Kita Foundation  Inc (MKFI), and the United States Institute of Peace (USIP). Qamar-ul Huda of the Religion and Peacemaking Center of Innovation is currently supervising two peace education programs overseas and organized this workshop with PCID.

The group of teachers, activists, members of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), education specialists, and scholars discussed various models and approaches to Islamic peace education which are being employed by Muslim teachers in the classroom. As there is widespread perception of Islam as a religion of violence and intolerance, this workshop brought together Muslim educators to focus strategically on effectively using peace education curriculum to promote peacebuilding activities from an Islamic perspective. Qamar-ul Huda, senior program officer in the Religion and Peacemaking Program and one of the organizers, highlighted that while peace education is an established field and discipline in the West, Islamic peace education is fairly a new and innovative subject for Muslim educational institutions.

Senior Program Officer Qamar ul-Huda Dr. Asna Husin of the Ar-Raniry State Institute of Islamic Studies in Aceh, and founder of the NGO Peace Education Program (Program Pendidkan Damia, or PPD) discussed how she cooperated with the local Ulama Council (of religious scholars) in conceptualizing and writing their peace manual and curriculum for the madrasa.  Inspired by the Aceh Program Pendidkan Damia, PCID and MKFI collaborated together to write a similar textbook entitled "Islamic Peace Education Model," which is being taught in English in Muslim religious schools in the Philippines.

Ms. Rahayu Mohammad from Singapore elaborated on how her peace education textbook cultivates tolerance, an Islamic identity of civic engagement, an ethos of pluralism, and stresses the importance of being caretakers of the world.  Using classroom technology, instructional videos, role-playing, simulations, and student-oriented exercises, Rahayu emphasized the importance of instilling critical thinking skills in students while appreciating their Islamic heritage.

Panel at International Islamic Education Workshop Qamar-ul Huda discussed the challenges in writing and implementing an Urdu peace education textbook for Pakistani madrasas. Huda has found that emphasizing cooperative learning methods, reflection sessions, and student-teacher engagement - all through a conflict resolution lens - has increased the desire to use the peace textbook.

The workshop addressed challenges facing peace educators, the issues of technical and intellectual capacity, limitations in resources, and ways to develop a comprehensive curriculum that analyzes principles, methods, approaches, and best practices of Islamic peacemaking and conflict resolution.   The group discussed future meetings and formalizing a network.

Learn more about USIP's Religion and Peacemaking program

Related Publications

As Fragile Kashmir Cease-Fire Turns Three, Here’s How to Keep it Alive

As Fragile Kashmir Cease-Fire Turns Three, Here’s How to Keep it Alive

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

By: Christopher Clary

At midnight on the night of February 24-25, 2021, India and Pakistan reinstated a cease-fire that covered their security forces operating “along the Line of Control (LOC) and all other sectors” in Kashmir, the disputed territory that has been at the center of the India-Pakistan conflict since 1947. While the third anniversary of that agreement is a notable landmark in the history of India-Pakistan cease-fires, the 2021 cease-fire is fragile and needs bolstering to be maintained.

Type: Analysis

Global Policy

Understanding Pakistan’s Election Results

Understanding Pakistan’s Election Results

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

By: Asfandyar Mir, Ph.D.;  Tamanna Salikuddin

Days after Pakistan’s February 8 general election, the Election Commission of Pakistan released the official results confirming a major political upset. Contrary to what most political pundits and observers had predicted, independents aligned with former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) won the most seats at the national level, followed by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). No party won an absolute majority needed to form a government on its own. The resultant uncertainty means the United States may have to contend with a government that is more focused on navigating internal politics and less so on addressing strategic challenges.

Type: Analysis

Global Elections & ConflictGlobal Policy

Tamanna Salikuddin on Pakistan’s Elections

Tamanna Salikuddin on Pakistan’s Elections

Monday, February 12, 2024

By: Tamanna Salikuddin

Surprisingly, candidates aligned with former Prime Minister Imran Khan won the most seats in Pakistan’s elections. But while voters “have shown their faith in democracy,” the lack of a strong mandate for any specific leader or institution “doesn’t necessarily bode well for [Pakistan’s] stability,” says USIP’s Tamanna Salikuddin.

Type: Podcast

The 2021 India-Pakistan Ceasefire: Origins, Prospects, and Lessons Learned

The 2021 India-Pakistan Ceasefire: Origins, Prospects, and Lessons Learned

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

By: Christopher Clary

The February 2021 ceasefire between India and Pakistan along the Line of Control in Kashmir has—despite occasional violations—turned into one of the longest-lasting in the countries’ 75-year shared history. Yet, as Christopher Clary writes, the ceasefire remains vulnerable to shocks from terrorist attacks, changes in leadership, and shifting regional relations. With the ceasefire approaching its third anniversary, Clary’s report examines the factors that have allowed it to succeed, signs that it may be fraying, and steps that can be taken to sustain it.

Type: Special Report

Peace Processes

View All Publications