Adab of the Learner in Islamic Education: Toward a Qur’anic and Prophetic Framework of Learner Ethics

Abstract

The strong orientation of formal education toward cognitive achievement underscores the need to reaffirm adab as an integral dimension of Islamic education. This study aims to construct a conceptual framework of learner adab through a thematic examination of the Qur’an and Prophetic hadith, with muta‘allim as the central conceptual focus. Although studies on adab in Islamic education have continued to develop, discussions of learner adab remain fragmented, with limited efforts to synthesize its various dimensions into a systematic conceptual framework derived from primary Islamic sources. This study employs a qualitative library research approach and thematic interpretation (tafsir maudhu‘i) to identify, classify, and interpret Qur’anic verses and Prophetic hadith related to the ethics of seeking knowledge. The findings identified four main dimensions of learner adab, namely sincerity (ikhl??), humility (taw??u‘), respect for teachers, and earnestness in seeking knowledge (jiddiyyah). These four dimensions indicate that learner character from an Islamic perspective is concerned not only with the acquisition of knowledge but also with spiritual orientation, character formation, ethical relationships, and perseverance. Based on these findings, this study formulates a conceptual framework of four dimensions of learner adab that may enrich the study of Islamic education and provide a conceptual foundation for further research as well as for the development of adab-oriented education and curricula in madrasahs, pesantren, and Islamic educational institutions.