The Urgency of Social History Knowledge of Islamic Education in the Academic World: A Literature Systematic Review

Abstract

The social history of Islamic education plays a critical role in shaping contemporary academic discourse and informing effective instructional design. This Literature Systematic Review (LSR) explores the urgency of understanding the social history of Islamic education in the academic world. A systematic search was conducted across multiple databases to identify relevant scholarly articles published between 2020 and 2025, focusing on both qualitative and quantitative studies. After screening 72 articles, six studies met the inclusion and quality criteria and were analyzed in depth. The findings reveal that social-historical knowledge of Islamic education provides essential insights into the development of educational institutions, teacher–student interactions, pedagogical methods, and the continuity of educational values across socio-cultural contexts. These historical perspectives are shown to inform contemporary educational strategies, policy formulation, and curriculum development, highlighting the academic and practical relevance of integrating historical understanding into Islamic education studies. This review concludes that embedding social-historical knowledge in academic discourse strengthens both theoretical foundations and practical implementation, ensuring that Islamic education remains responsive, contextually grounded, and socially relevant.