Teaching scientific research in the universities of the Muslim world : a proposed model for integrating research, innovation and critical thinking

Abstract EN

Numerous research studies support the claim that scientific research plays a critical role in decision-making and performance as it influences innovation and critical thinking.

Despite this body of research, there are insufficient theories and models from the scholars in the Muslim world that recognize and address the role and significance of scientific research as it affects research and development.

It is a well-known fact that scientific research that leads to innovation is not among the qualities that one may attribute to the countries in the Muslim World.

It is obvious to say that the majority of Muslim countries continue to lag behind the rest of the developed world in the state of innovation, critical thinking, development and maturity of their scientific and technological infrastructures, a fact that translates into shocking disparities in the standards of living due to failure to refer back to the basics of Islam teachings and scientific research.

It is also a fact that even the innovative research models and theories that have been proposed to facilitate advancement in the field of educational pedagogy tend to focus on Western world without given cognizance to the Muslim world.

Consequently, the Universities in the Muslim world not able to compete with their counter parts in the western world, this lack of adequate knowledge in teaching scientific research have a significant role that is often misinterpreted or ignored.

For this reason this paper proposes a novel model for teaching a scientific research that takes cognizance of the Muslim world, Islamic teachings leading to new insights that incorporate research and developments, innovation, and critical thinking.