Montessori and Islamic Education

Darul-Wadood Montessori Preschool is not a Montessori school that adds an Islamic component or an Islamic school using Montessori “secular” education. Rather, it is a confluence of both Islamic teachings and Montessori methodology integrated into one seamless experience. Montessori philosophy echoes Islam’s focus on learning through reality by leading the child to understand his or her place in the world. It also resonates with Islam’s focus on developing the innate human inclination to virtue and intellect. Thus, reconciling them did not require force-fitting either one to the other as they are mutually compatible. Rather, it required thinking deeply about how Montessori principles and methods correlate with teachings in Islam and then weaving them together into one harmonious whole.

A child's faith in Allah ﷻ is ingrained from the moment of his or her conception. "Fitrah" is the Arabic word for this inherent belief in Allah ﷻ. All children are touched by their environment in some way, whether directly or indirectly. If the child was left alone, it would grow up aware of Allahﷻ in His oneness.

The prophet Muhammad SAW said that “كُلِّ مَوْلُودٍ يُولَدُ عَلَى الْفِطْرَة” “Every child is born upon Al-Fitrah” (Sahih Muslim, 2659a). Darul-Wadood aims to nurture the nature of the child by enhancing the Fitrah (natural disposition / intrinsic nature) that each child is born with.

We at Darul-Wadood believe in cultivating the natural virtue inclination of a child rather than imposing an artificial order on his/her life.

Instead of trying to shape a seed into a tree, a gardener provides a rich soil for it to grow in. Resources, motivation, guidance, and friendship must be provided to the child in order for him or her to realize his or her potential. Our main emphasis is on self-direction, self-expression and self growth which is basically based on the Montessori effective Approach .

The development of one's character is just as important as one's academic development. The classroom should feel like a welcoming community where children help one another and learn to work together as a group.

I encourage all parents and caregivers to watch this series of Sheikh Kariem abu Zaid on Building a better Future.

Hamzah Yusuf on Raising Children 1 of 3 Videos.