Semarak International Journal of Islamic Studies and Culture

Practices and Beliefs and The Level of Understanding about Superstitions Related to Shamans Among Malay Women

Rahmat Abdullah — Sun, 02 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Various tips and customs have long existed and are practiced in the life of the Malay community in Malaysia. Because of that, the identity of the Malays in the past held fast to traditional medicine from shamans, charmers, and village midwives. They are individuals who will be consulted by the village community if there are any problems related to interference from the supernatural. Islam explains that all forms of unseen things are under the authority of Allah S.W.T. This paper aims to identify practices and superstitious beliefs related to shamans as well as assess the level of understanding of pregnant and given birth Malay women about practices and superstitious beliefs related to shamans. The main method used in this study is questionnaire (quantitative with yes and no question). Non-participant observation was also conducted as triangulation. The respondents consisted of 45 Malay women who had been pregnant and given birth and lived in a village in Central Melaka. Data analysis using the percentage method through Microsoft Excel software by submitting a questionnaire on practices and superstitions related to shamans whether they have ever performed or never performed to Malay women who have been pregnant and given birth. Findings show that there are 7 practices and superstitions of Malay women pregnant and giving birth related to shamans. The practice and belief of drinking washing water that has been conjured by a shaman with the aim of facilitating the delivery process shows the highest percentage of 100 percent while the practice and belief of pregnant women about baby shower shows the lowest percentage of 6.7 percent. In addition, pregnant and given birth mothers' understanding of superstitious practices against shamans is at a moderate level. The highest mean value of 4.75 refers to the respondent understanding that superstitious acts against shamans are included in major sins and shirk to God while the lowest mean value of 1.43 refers to the statement I understand all superstitious practices related to shamans and have never done it. In conclusion, the practices and superstitious beliefs related to shamans should be avoided because they lead to the corruption of faith, great sin, associating with God and being thrown into hell in the afterlife if they do not repent while in this world.

Formal and Informal Digital Platform for Islamic Financial Education

Muhammad Zikry Hishamudin, Nur Shuhada Kamarudin, Noradilah Abdul Hadi — Sun, 02 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Digital platform in education is an innovative approach to learning Islamic financial knowledge. Additionally, digital technology intervention in education enhances the accessibility, quality, and effectiveness of learning. Nowadays, most people have gadgets to access digital information for various purposes. As for that, using digital platforms in education could be argued to change how people learn. However, very few findings discuss available digital platforms for Islamic financial education. This study used secondary data to explore the available digital platforms and classified digital platforms that can be accessed for Islamic financial knowledge in Malaysia. Next, this study applied a quantitative method and randomly distributed the questionnaire to 290 Malaysians to identify the preferred digital platform for Islamic financial knowledge. This study then classified digital platforms for Islamic financial knowledge into two categories, formal and informal, and found that Malaysians preferred to use informal as a platform for Islamic financial education.

Teaching Etiquette Using Kid in Islamic Education

Siti Aisiah Muhammad Yusof, Mardzelah Makhsin — Sun, 02 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

KiD (Keychain iDoa) is an innovative teaching aid designed to facilitate Quranic and Fardhu Ain (KAFA) students in memorizing daily prayers according to the etiquette and understanding of Islamic way of life (PCHI) syllabus. One of the advantages of using KiD is that students will find it easier to memorize daily prayers. Among the prayers included in KiD are prayers before and after meals, prayers before and after sleep, prayers for parents, prayers before studying, prayers upon entering and leaving the mosque, prayers before boarding a vehicle, and prayers before leaving the house. This study focuses on one method to help KAFA school students memorize daily prayers and their correct recitations in an engaging format. The use of cute and attractive cartoon keychains, equipped with barcodes, and the use of a prayer application have been implemented to create KiD. Parents need to scan the barcode using a mobile phone to enable the recitation of prayers to be heard. Subsequently, students can follow along with the prayers until they become proficient. A qualitative study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the product. Testing involved fifth-grade students from the Integrated Masjid Gunung Sali KAFA school who used KiD and compared to fourth-grade students from the same school who underwent regular learning. The results showed that fifth-grade students were able to master these 10 prayers in less than a week. In conclusion, this KiD innovation can provide an initiative for KAFA students to master the etiquette and PCHI subjects.

Fostering Islamic Education among Primary School Learners using i-FIKR IBADAH

Mohamad Zulhaimi Ishak, Mardzelah Makhsin — Sun, 02 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The i-FIKR IBADAH innovation is inspired by a fun learning approach. The aim is to diminish the problem regarding the issue of lack of learners’ interest in learning Islamic Education in school institutions. This innovation is designed by focusing on stimuli development in learners' cognitive, affective, and psychomotor aspects by learning through play, specifically by using sets of puzzle cards that involve problem-solving activities. The i-FIKR IBADAH is an initiative to involve the learners with the simulated and interesting classrooms in a way to enhances learners’ interest in learning Islamic Education. A qualitative methodology was conducted by interviewing twelve learners and one teacher as an education practitioner to gauge their responses to the innovation. The collected data was analyzed using a thematic approach in the Atlas TI package. The finding demonstrated that the i-FIKR IBADAH innovation is effective in increasing learners’ understanding and interest in Islamic Education primary education institutions. Generally, by learning through play the i-FIKR IBADAH innovation is an inspiration for a better education by fostering learners’ understanding and discernment of Islamic values in teaching and learning strategies that involve cognitive, affective, and psychomotor.

Al-Kahfi Puzzle Applies The Vark Learning Style In The Memorization Aspect Among Institut Kemahiran Mara Students

Sharifah Nurul Huda Habib Dzulkarnain, Mardzelah Makhsin — Sun, 02 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Al-Kahfi Puzzle is an innovative teaching aid that applies Visual (V), Auditory (A), Reading-Writing (R) and Kinesthetic (K) learning styles where it can stimulate and celebrate a variety of diverse learning approaches among students. This innovation focuses on aspect of memorizing the al-Quran, especially in memorizing the first ten verses from surah al-Kahfi. The practice of memorizing this surah is highly recommended in Islam as a way to increase one's faith and piety as well as to seek protection from end-of-life slander. However, students often face difficulties in remembering and experience difficulties in the memorization process. This is related to the correct memorization technique that suits their learning style. Therefore, al-Kahfi Puzzle aims to assist students in enhancing their memorization abilities using an engaging puzzle game that incorporates elements of the VARK approach. The objectives of this study are to identify the dominant student learning style in helping the memorization process using al-Kahfi Puzzle and to examine the effectiveness of using al-Kahfi puzzle in learning sessions for students of Islamic Studies Course at Institut Kemahiran Mara Sungai Petani. This study is qualitative in nature by using questionnaire and focused group discussion (FGD) methods. Based on the findings, al-Kahfi Puzzle meets students' VARK learning style preferences and proves beneficial in enhancing their memorization skills.

Chessirah Game Innovation in Helping Students Remember Islamic History Facts

Meor Ammar Meor Nadzri, Mardzelah Makhsin — Sun, 02 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The ChesSirah innovation that was developed aims to help students easily remember the facts about Islamic history in Islamic Education subjects. Middle school students find it difficult to understand or remember the contents of the subject Sirah because they were too many information that need to be memorized at one time. Therefore, this game was created to help students understand and remember the subject of Sirah well, in addition to introducing the game of chess to students who are new to this game. The game of chess is increasingly growing among young people and it can help shape creative and critical thinking skills among students. This study was carried out qualitatively, namely by interviewing 5 middle school students to examine the success of this game. The results of the interview were analyzed thematically. The results of the study found that students gave a positive and good perception of the ChesSirah game development innovation. This game can help instill a competitive attitude and seriousness in studying and achieving success among students. The combination of chess games (co-curriculum) and Sirah subjects (curriculum) can simultaneously benefit students well.

Meaningful Learning Through The Innovation of Kit I-Sir in Islamic Education

Siti Mariam Abdul Razak, Mardzelah Makhsin — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Meaningful Learning involves an interactive learning culture and climate, meaning students are actively and meaningfully involved. The KIT i-SIR was produced to meet the combination of pedagogical practices and innovative practices in the classroom to improve, drive and add value to learning. KIT i-SIR is an Innovation Teaching Aid (BBM) developed for the field of Sirah which is one of the fields in Islamic Education. The Sirah field is a field that challenges the student's mind to remember the important contents of a topic. Thus, this i-SIR KIT was produced to make it easier for students to recall the stories delivered by the teacher easily, correctly and cheerfully. The teacher has injected an element of innovation by using the coordinate method in this i-SIR KIT, in which the students have to place the important magnetic contents on the coordinate board provided according to the coordinates or numbers that have been set based on the set of stories given. Then the students will read in groups and re-copy the important contents in the blank brochure as an individual written exercise. This gives a difference to the students because the exercises are not written in existing notebooks. Then students can color and beautify the brochure according to their creativity. After that, the brochure can be used as a pocket note to make it easier for students to review at any time. So, with this KIT i-SIR, students will have more fun in learning Sirah because it involves game activities and art elements that can involve all levels of students, i.e. weak, average and excellent students in groups. Therefore, the use of this KIT i-SIR is able to stimulate cognitive, psychomotor and affective students in learning Sirah that meets the characteristics of learning activities of the 21st century (PAK 21).