Al-Yamama bint Saud Al-Shabibi

Student, College of Arts and Social Sciences

“It is attributed in Islamic tradition that: ‘If people truly knew the value of seeking knowledge, they would pursue it even at the cost of their own lives, and by plunging into the depths of the seas.’”

There are many books, theories, and research papers which introduce the term ‘active learning’ to the reader. However, this form of learning cannot be attained unless individuals and groups of people activate their capacities to translate its approaches into practice. They must identify the thread that links activity with learning, continually refining their higher-order thinking skills throughout. The foregoing citation highlights an analogous aspect of active learning metaphorically described as ‘sacrifice’ and ‘venture’, which ultimately are enacted through the active pursuit of knowledge. We always rely on scientific theories and data collection to fathom the positive and influential effects of active learning on learners. At the same time, Islam offers these educational insights into what it truly means for learners to engage actively in the learning process. Thus, contemporary educational perspectives are in complete harmony with Islamic progressive ones. This understanding of knowledge as an active and committed pursuit resonates with the life of Fatima al-Zahra’ (A. S.) through her embodiment of learning as enacted experience that transcends individual spirituality and extends to communal consciousness.

Role Playing and Simulation

Great teachers do not reveal to us the admirable depth of their minds: they guide us in cultivating the ability to make sense of words, and things. The impact of a teacher begins with stimulating learners’ engagement with any form of knowledge. When learners enter contemporary classrooms, the focus is not on open-ended discussion or inquiry, but on learning ‘what we need to know’ to succeed in whichever examination is next on the horizon. Most likely, there will be a ‘learning outcome’ for the lesson, drawn straight from the exam syllabus. There will be textbooks with comments from the examiners, banks of possible exam questions and bullet-pointed notes with ‘model answers’. Far from being open spaces for free enquiry, the classroom of today resembles a military training ground, where students are drilled to produce perfect answers to potential examination questions instead of developing autonomous understanding. If you are not a teacher yourself or have not recently talked to children about their experience of school, you would be shocked by the extent to which the ‘teach to the test’ culture had suffused education.

In contrast, Sayyida Fatima (A.S.) was nurtured in the presence of a profoundly formative household, guided by the exemplary care of her mother Sayyida Khadijah (A.S.) and the moral and spiritual education of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).  This early educational environment involves teaching prayers, zakat, fasting, and ethics; expounding upon the practical use of the pillars of Islam and faith. Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) acts as a facilitator rather than merely a lecturer, and this leads to one of the effective aspects of active learning. In many narrations, she began by reciting ‘ahadith’ narrated from her father and later assumed the role of an interpreter and transmitter ‘rawi’, engaging in a form of role-playing and simulation of knowledge transmission. Knowledge in the Prophet’s home was not delivered as an abstract explanation detached from life, nor was it confined to formal classes, examinations, or grades. Rather, learning unfolded through ongoing practice, observation, and lived experience. Sayyida Fatima learned by witnessing speech, behaviour, and ethical responses in real situations, engaging with knowledge as an active and embodied process. From this perspective, her upbringing can be understood as a form of active learning, where understanding emerged through participation, reflection, and meaningful interaction with reality rather than through memorisation aimed solely at assessment of how faithful she is to Allah.

Experiential Learning Theory (ELT)

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn,” famously stated Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), emphasising the importance of participation and experience in the learning process. This perspective closely aligns with experiential education, an educational philosophy that encourages educators to involve learners actively in meaningful experiences and reflective practices, enabling them to expand knowledge, strengthen skills, shape values, and enhance their ability to contribute effectively to society. While the quote is broadly applicable to this discussion, it is crucial to highlight the distinction between active and experiential learning I aim to foreground. An article published by the Centre for Teaching and Learning at University of Alberta showcases some key distinctions of both approaches. While all experiential learning is active, not all active learning is experiential. To illustrate, experiential methods widen the experience of the learner in terms of functional skills, practice-based contexts, possible ambiguity, central reflection, and prolonged period. This is also supported by Kolb’s cycle (1984) proposed by David Kolb, in which he advocates for four stages in the learning cycle (concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualisation, and active experimentation).

Other narrations reported that the Prophet Mohammad taught Sayyida Fatima a specific form of remembrance (dhikr/adhkar) known as Tasbih Fatima or Tasbih al-Zahra’ (33 Subhanallah (Glory be to God), 34 Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God), 34 Allahu Akbar (God is the Greatest), which she then practiced and transmitted. The framework of Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) can be applied to the teaching of Tasbih Fatima, suggesting that her learning process was not simply theoretical instructions. Rather, it involved continuous repetition, performed remembrance, and hands-on engagement. Fatima then internalised and transmitted the practice herself, transforming devotional knowledge into actual experience. Kolb’s cycle begins with concrete experience, a stage in which learning emerges through direct participation rather than theoretical input. This stage can be observed in the practice of Tasbih Fatima, where the learner actively engages in the repeated recitation taught by the Prophet Mohammad to Fatima al-Zahra’. The learner does not simply study the meaning of remembrance theoretically, but experiences it physically and verbally through actual practice after daily prayers and amid hardships. The second stage, reflective observation, involves contemplating the effects and meanings of the spiritual experience, merging supplications (Du’a) with it. Through consistent engagement with the tasbih, the learner begins to reflect on its emotional influence, such as the development of inner calm, mindfulness, and discipline. The third stage, abstract conceptualisation, occurs when the learner forms broader ideas and values from the experience itself. At this point, the tasbih becomes more than repetitive words; it develops into an understanding of gratitude, patience, remembrance, and spiritual consciousness. Finally, the cycle reaches active experimentation, where the learner applies the acquired understanding within everyday life, allowing Mu'minin (believers) and Muslims to inherit and sustain it across generations for centuries. If this practice was cultivated through mere memorisation, its meaning would not be deeply felt, nor would its effects on individuals’ lives continue to be narrated.

Indeed, we cannot pin down the daughter of the Prophet, Fatima al-Zahra’ to mere educational theories or modern pedagogical frameworks, as her character and legacy transcend academic categorisation. Nevertheless, engaging with such theories serves an important educational purpose, allowing contemporary readers to examine how incisive forms of learning, reflection, and ethical cultivation can emerge from religious contexts. In this sense, these theoretical approaches do not seek to reduce her significance, but rather to illuminate the pedagogical dimensions embedded within her lived experiences and spiritual practices.