The Relevance of Abdul Fattah Abu Ghuddah’s Educational Thought for Society 5.0 and SDGs

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to examine the relevance of Abdul Fattah Abu Ghuddah’s educational thought for Society 5.0 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in strengthening human-centered Islamic education in the digital era. Society 5.0 emphasizes technological advancement integrated with ethical, spiritual, and humanitarian values, while SDG 4 promotes inclusive and quality education for sustainable development. Theoretical framework: The theoretical framework of this study is based on Islamic educational philosophy, prophetic pedagogy, and competency-based education developed through Abu Ghuddah’s interpretation of the Prophet Muhammad’s teaching methods in Al Rasul Al Mu’allim wa Asaaliibuhu fi al-Ta’lim. Literature review: Previous studies mainly discussed Islamic teacher professionalism, prophetic education, and character formation, yet limited research has connected Abu Ghuddah’s educational concepts with Society 5.0 and SDGs perspectives. Methods: This research employed qualitative library research using primary and secondary classical and contemporary Islamic educational sources. The primary source was Al Rasul Al Mu’allim wa Asaaliibuhu fi al-Ta’lim published by Dar al-Basya’ir al-Islamiyyah, Beirut, in 1996. Data were analyzed through content analysis, normative, and theological approaches to interpret educational values and teacher competencies. Results: The findings reveal six major competencies of Islamic education teachers: religious pedagogical competence, religious personality competence, religious professional competence, religious social competence, religious global competence, and religious emotional competence. These competencies support ethical digital transformation, intercultural understanding, emotional resilience, and sustainable educational development in Society 5.0. Implications: The study implies that Abu Ghuddah’s educational thought contributes significantly to developing holistic Islamic educators aligned with SDGs values. Novelty: The novelty of this study lies in integrating classical Islamic educational thought with Society 5.0 discourse and global sustainable education frameworks. Furthermore, this study highlights that integrating spiritual intelligence, technological literacy, and social responsibility into Islamic teacher education can strengthen educational sustainability, reduce moral degradation, and encourage adaptive learning cultures capable of responding to global challenges and future educational transformations across Muslim societies.