Introduction

Abstract This paper is an overview of the interface between Islamic and western pedagogies and epistemologies in Muslim context. It shows that despite differences in pedagogies and epistemologies, education in both Islamic and western contexts were important domains in religious organisations. However, in Europe, the powerful rise and the strengthening of secular and rationalist philosophies and ideologies shrank significantly the scope and the influences of religious knowledge in public education and knowledge. In contrast, Islamic education and knowledge have remained strongly attached to Qur’anic framework which has impacted on its pedagogies and epistemologies. Evolving on these parallel paths has resulted in noticeable divergences accounted for by differences in tradition and directions.