Negotiating Faith

Education Among Muslims in South Africa

Abstract

This critical examination of Muslim religious education in South Africa situates it within its historical development and identifies key tensions and challenges in the field. Muslim South Africans form a heterogeneous community shaped by diverse historical trajectories and theological orientations. Although South Africa formally transitioned to a non-racial democracy in 1994, the enduring legacies of racial classification, class inequality, and spatial segregation continue to structure social life. Drawing on qualitative research, including institutional policy analysis, oral interviews, digital and social media sources, and secondary literature, this article critically examines the range of educational institutions that have emerged in response to shifting political conditions, socio-economic change, and the evolving needs of Muslim communities. These institutions include traditional madrassahs, Islamic private schools, Darul Ulooms (theological seminaries), private academies, academic programmes at tertiary institutions, and online offerings delivered locally and through international networks. The proliferation of religious education coincides with a period in which Islam has become more visible and central in the lives of many Muslim South Africans, intensifying demand for religious learning across age groups and social classes. These institutions face notable shortcomings, particularly regarding the relevance of their curricula and pedagogical approaches. More broadly, they raise a fundamental question: can the teaching of a single, exclusive religious tradition—aimed at reinforcing religious identity—be reconciled with the goal of cultivating inclusive democratic citizenship in a culturally and religiously plural society?