Course Subject/Course Code

Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Malaysian Education

Long Essay Writing:

Commodification of Education and It Terms in Maqasid Al-Syariah

SECTION 2

Lecturer`s Name:

Dr Mohammad Johdi Salleh

Students`Name:

Nurul Nasrin Husna Binti Sahardi (2015146)

Date of Submission:

30 MAY 2021
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

NUMBER CONTENT PAGE

1 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2

2 DEFINITION 3

3 HISTORICAL CONTEXT

1.0 PAST 4

2.0 PRESENT 5

3.0 FUTURE 6

4 FACTORS 7

5 ADVANTAGES 8

6 DISADVANTAGES 9

7 CONSEQUENCES 10

8 MAQASID AL-SYARIAH 10

1.0 DIVISIONS OF MAQASID AL-SYARIAH 11

2.0 PRINCIPLES OF MAQASID AL-SYARIAH 13

9 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COMMODIFICATION OF 15

EDUCATION AND MAQASID AL-SYARIAH

10 SUMMARY 16

11 REFERENCES 17
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DEFINITION

In this globalization era, education had found it ways through to be recognized as ones of

the important thing in life. As money, profit and business had been the most usage in life, education

have adopted to the ‘business model’ that enabled university authority to maximize profit and

reduce the cost. Through years, commodification of education had been applied to upgrade the

needs of education and usage in the economic changes. Commodification is derived from the word

‘commodity’ which literally means anything that can be bought and sold or any trading. According

to Arjun Appadurai, it is “anything intended for exchange,” or any object of economic value.

Simply, commodification of education means changing the purpose of humans or graduates of

universities to be an indicator of profit in the economy. Kazmi stated the idea of knowledge as a

commodity from “education as a form of investment in human beings, where society should focus

on investing in education that promises higher returns”. The primary aim of education has shifted

from development of the individual itself to the focuses on gaining knowledge for wealth and

power. Institutions of teaching and learning become sites to produce knowledge, thus resulting

them to be seen as a factory which supplied products for the students to consume. Commodification

of education is more visible in higher education because of the many choices and the chances of

securing a job. Thus resulting of Higher Education (HE) perceived as knowledge industry and

Higher Education Institutions (HEIS) as service providers. Education has become a tool for

capitalism to gain power and benefits over other capitals.

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HISTORICAL CONTEXT

1.0 PAST

As commodification is a process of treating something like a commodity, in other words,

products or goods, services, or articles of trade by giving a more abstract concept to something

like traditional higher education. The early methods of instruction in higher education stemmed

from the influences of medieval, classical and colonial times, during the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries

respectively. In the 18th century, students were put into “classes” where they were considered a

cohesive social unit. They took the same classes at the same time every day in the same classroom

by the same teacher and would then graduate together as a cohort. Moving into the nineteenth

century, two more popular methods became prevalent for teaching students. The first was

recitation. With a huge emphasis on rote memory, there was an exchange between student and

tutor, where the tutor was citing and the student was reciting. Recitation gave way to the Lecture

Method, where the professor would literally read from a book and students would try to write not

only what was being said, but how it was being said. There was a big shift to seminar-style learning

and utilizing labs and libraries in the 20th century, where students conducted research and became

more independent. In a qualitative study that investigated the purpose of higher education and how

it has changed through the commodification of higher education. Commodification of education

has interrupted these fundamental educational processes and distilled the traditional method of

education into sellable packages of things. With this transformation happening in the 21st century,

teachers have become commodity producers and deliverers, and students have become consumers

of more commodities. The student/teacher relationship has been reestablished through the medium

of the market, with the buying and selling of commodities taking the appearance of education.
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2.0 PRESENT

Nowadays, organizational learning is the search for equilibrium between exploitation of old

certainties and exploration of new possibilities. Exploitation includes items like production,

implementation, and execution. These refer to ‘the old paradigm’ mind set and most closely

resembles single-loop learning. Exploration captures terms like innovation, discovery, and

flexibility. This refers to the ‘new paradigm’ mindset and most closely resembles double-loop

learning. Organizational conditions like leadership, communication, structure, and technology

greatly influence the effectiveness of an organization. Literature references organizational

effectiveness as productivity, profitability, turnover, and efficiency to all of which are explicitly,

implicitly, separately, or in combination considered criteria for success. Several approaches have

surfaced to define organizational effectiveness. The first approach is goal attainment and the most

widely used approach by researchers and management practitioners. Here, effectiveness is

measured by outcomes as opposed to means; social systems achieving its goals and objectives, and

these practitioners are concerned with an organization’s bargaining position in its environment to

obtain resources. The Systems Resources Approach focuses on inputs rather than outputs; it

explicitly treats the relations between the organization and its environment as a central ingredient

in the definition of effectiveness. The Systems Resources Approach only provides inputs and

excludes outputs, and therefore yields inaccuracies in its effectiveness model. The inability to

uncover these inaccuracies and a variety of unpleasant truths arises due to faulty organizational

learning. This includes habits and attitudes that allow the organization to hide its problems that

ultimately lead to rigidity and deterioration. A researcher describes how this process can be

reversed by a method he calls double-loop learning. The double-loop learning theory focuses on

solving complex problems and changes as problem-solving advances and can be used with a higher
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education institution’s strategic decision-making process. The theory is based upon a “theory of

action” where changes in behavior, values, and leadership are all part of the theory of action, and

interaction with others is causal for identifying the conflict, like commodification of traditional

higher education. There are four steps in the action theory process which are, discovering the

theory-in-use, inventing new meanings, producing new actions and generalizing the results.

Oriented toward leadership inside organizations and applied within the context of management

development, the end results of using double-loop learning should allow for better acceptance of

mistakes and failures while increasing effectiveness in the decision-making process.

3.0 FUTURE

Higher education is transforming, and this includes the trend of commodification. According

to Florida’s Board of Education (BOE), the Florida College System is at the nexus of

transformation by embracing innovation and fostering economic development. As part of their

2012-2013 through 2017-2018 Strategic Plan, Florida BOE will implement Enterprise Florida-

related programs, erect technology transfer and economic development centers, and create

workforce literacy programs. In a recent study on Responding to the Commoditization of Higher

Education, it is stated that as the economy has slowed, tuition rates have gone up and continue to

increase, and graduating high school students are treated as customers being lured into the higher

education marketplace. Higher education is too important to society to allow its future to be

determined by market forces. In an article written on college and university board of trustees

turning to a business-style model, governing boards of higher education institutions are

increasingly demanding that the president of their institution perform more like CEOs, despite

academics who feel that treating their college or university as a business does not fit the higher
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education mission. Experts in the field say that these moves have been spawned by state and federal

funding cuts implying that presidents of universities are transitioning to running their schools like

a business with their board of trustees acting as professional boards.

FACTORS

There are some factors of commodification in education in Malaysia. The biggest reason is

that Malaysia need skilled manpower of the knowledge in economy. It is undeniably that nowadays

people are competing knowledge in industry and economy, thus, it is why Malaysia needs to

evaluate the manpower and brains to be more committed to the job. Through years, there are many

citizens in Malaysia that further their study in higher education whereby in overseas and private

or public university. Nowadays, the criteria needed to secure a job is getting tougher as there have

been increase number of graduates from university, thus graduates need to compete to get the most

knowledge and applicable in in real life. Graduates need to prove that they are able to make a

difference in their choice of job. It is until in order to meet the demand for places in higher

education, the government increasingly sought the involvement of the private sector in higher

education in Malaysia. Another factor that contributed towards the commodification of higher

education sector was the increasing cost of supporting Malaysian student overseas. Since the early

year of scholarship, Malaysia have sent many students to overseas and many also have graduated

with flying colors. This have been resulting the increase number of student applying for

scholarships. In 1985, there were 68,000 Malaysian students studying overseas mainly in the

United Kingdom, Australia, United States of America, Canada and New Zealend. By the year

2000, the number has been reduced to 50,000 students. The outflow of funds for the overseas

education was about RM 2 billion. The major reason for the higher cost of overseas education was
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the introduction of full-fee payment for overseas students by the thatcher (Prime minister)

government in United Kingdom, followed by Australia and the other commonwealth countries,

which have been popular educational destinations for Malaysian students. In 2006, there were only

11,900 government sponsored students. Government has been reducing sponsored students due to

the financial burden.

ADVANTAGES

It is undeniable that commodification has its own advantages. Without these new

opportunities, many students would have realized a college degree was still possible. The

advantages include, reduce cost. The competitiveness for enrolling students to complete degree (or

to finish degree programs), literally from across the globe, has made a commercial center that

empowers understudies to take a crack at practically any course given by many foundations. This

rivalry has driven both the expense for the establishment and the cost for the understudy

descending because of practically limitless enrollments. Next, accessibility. Similarly, the online

course environment and proliferation of such opportunities enables students to enroll in courses at

multiple times during the calendar year and to complete the required work for each course on their

own time, that is, around work, family and other personal obligations. Students are also able to

complete courses at a single location, usually their own home, a library or some other designated

space. The alleviation of time and space restrictions for learning is a tremendous enhancement to

this degree completion opportunity. And lastly, fulfillment of dreams. Perhaps the most significant

of the results associated with these opportunities for many students is the realization they are able

to earn a degree, which might have seemed unattainable until now. Many of the barriers to

completion are removed from their paths and a college degree is suddenly within reach.
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DISADVANTAGES

However, many researcher has concluded that commodification also has its negative sides,

such as inflated expectations. Sometimes students, especially for transfer may become so

enthralled with their new opportunities for courses they might make assumptions about how their

newly-earned credits will apply to their previous degree program or transfer to the institutions they

previously attended. Academic policies at a former institution might allow for limited courses

taken at other institutions, have time limits on specific courses or have substantial changes in

degree requirements. Clearly, students must confer with the institution from which they intend to

earn a degree before enrolling in courses. Commodification also cause coherence of the degree

program. When students take advantage of the multiple and varied opportunities for completing

courses that enable them to advance their degree, they often succumb to the simple criterion of

availability, if it meets a requirement, it’s okay. This principle might be true, but the relationships

of the total curriculum could easily be lost in the disconnectedness of taking courses from many

different sources. This is not to say students do not learn from each course, but that the integration

of course content may not be obvious when left to the individual students to infer. And lastly,

vulnerability. Unfortunately, there are course and degree “providers” engaged in this new

opportunity that are not as ethical, or even legitimate, as most are. Misleading advertising can be

very compelling to the eager and unsuspecting student, especially since there has been so much

positive press about these expectations and opportunities. However, diploma mills do exist, and

the student is responsible to verify a provider’s status. Also, some institutions may mask their lack

of specific accreditations in order to attract unsuspecting students. Such accreditations can be

especially relevant in professional and licensure programs, and even in traditional liberal arts and

science, business, health care and other areas.

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CONSEQUENCES

Undoubtedly, commodification has its own consequences in term of education. The

objective of education as agreed by many scholars whether from western and Islamic perspective,

is to produce good human beings and responsible citizens. The nature of knowledge may be only

one of the several elements that determined the character of education, once its importance as a

commodity is emphasized, then it will have to compete with other commodities for the

determination of its value, which consequently will change the landscape of education. Education

cannot be exempted from full commodification because, in order to produce a good and high

quality education, sufficient faculties and learning programs that require a lot of funds. There have

been many cases that students cannot afford their education fees and end up being forced to leave

school. As education is a ticket to secure a job, means that ‘if they cannot afford education, there

will be no future for them’. It is understandable that the educational process in the present days

cannot be separated from commercial transaction. When students pay tuition, they expect to

receive knowledge, skills or a degree qualification in return. The higher the students pay, the higher

qualities they expected from the universities. When the government set a political or economic

agenda, they hope to create human capital for the benefits of the nation. This is what we call

transactional orientation in which we treat consumers based on their desires.

MAQASID AL-SYARIAH

The word maqasid from the language of language is plural to the word maqsad taken from

the verb (‫ )قصد‬which means, holdings, sources, targets, alignment, justice and simplicity. In other

words, this term refers to the meaning of 'objective' which means the true facts or facts. While

Shariah comes from the word syara'a (‫ )شرع‬means a water source that never breaks and keeps
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flowing, starting a job and explaining, explaining and shows the way. Terminology, it covers what

is revealed by Allah s.w.t. to mankind through His Messenger of Prophet Muhammad. In general,

the Syariah maqasid as described by the scholar of the fiqh motion is the meaning and purpose of

Syariah in dissocating a law to ensure the benefits of mankind. Maqasid is the desired purpose,

whether in act or conversation. So the meaning of Maqasid Al-Syariah is the purpose or meaning

required by Syariah to be achieved. Maqasid Al-Syariah exists and is applied ever since the time

of Prophet Muhammad and the sahabah. This timber consideration should be based on the al-

Quran and al-Sunnah values that are the basis for ensuring that they are within the Syariah

framework. Some propositions regarding Maqasid Al-Syariah is an order from Allah is from surah

Maidah:6, “It is not Allah’s will to burden you, but to purify you and complete His favour upon

you, so perhaps you will be grateful.”

1.0 DIVISION OF MAQASID AL-SYARIAH

Al-Daruriyat is the objective of which religious and human-world life is indicated by it, if it

is no human life in this world will face good difficulties in the world and the hereafter. This

fundamental al-Daruriyat has five namely preserving religion, preserving lives, preserving

common sense, preserving descent and preserving property. Each religious deal is built on these

matters and only preserves it, then all individuals and societies will go well. The scholars' Islam

has made a resolution, there is an order among the five types of priorities, namely the interests of

religion placed in the highest and more important position from the interests of life, while the

interests of life must be prioritized from the importance of reason, the importance of reason must

be prioritized from the interests of the offspring and the interests of the offspring. preferred from

the importance of property. For example, Allah has required the implementation of the five pillars
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of Islam. To maintain religion, Islam has obliged jihad and imposes punishment on those who are

apostate. Therefore, keep the concept of religion and Muslims from damage. To preserve the

continuity of the generation and the existence of good offspring then Islam is married. In order to

preserve human life, Allah obliged to eat or drink something that is originally illegal in a state of

affirmation of life, to ensure the safety of the life. Similarly, in the murder situation, Allah has

obliged qisas or diyat or distributing punishment against murderers. Hajiyat is the importance of

humanity needed to facilitate them and remove the narrowing that leads to difficulties and

difficulties in its absence. While his absence is not to bring the humility in human life as the

absence of al-Daruriyat, but it will lead to difficulties in their lives. For example, the preserves of

several facilities (rukhsah) such as qasar and jama’ prayers for the travelers, are required to not

fast during Ramadan for sick people or travelers, performing prayers in a state of sitting for a

person who cannot stand, sweeping the khuf in instead of washing the feet when performing

ablution, traveling and more. Al-Tahsiniyat is an interest that requires one to adhere to good morals

and noble character. The absence of al-Tahsiniyat does not lead to the difficulties of human life as

the absence of al-Daruriyat and al-Hajiyat, but it leads to an unfavorable life in the views of the

sensible people. For example, Islam is pursuing cleanliness and covering aurat in prayer, wearing

smelly while in the mosque and at the place of public assembly and so on. In term of Muamalat's

affairs, Islam forbids any deals that are dealing with mudharat such as drugs, stools, carcasses and

other related. Similarly, Islam is a sale and purchase of the sale and purchase of others. In custom,

Islam teaches adab to eat and drink, forbidding eating vile food and engaging, as Islam prohibits

beyond the limits in eating and dressing and so on.

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2.0 PRINCIPLES OF MAQASID AL-SYARIAH

The first and most important Syariah goals is the life of a Muslim is to safeguard religious

safety (hifz al-din). Religion became a true quality separator of a Muslim and was very closely

related to the aspect of the faith. In the context of the organization, religious aspects need to be

emphasized. The activities carried out should be maintained so as not to conflict with the teachings

based on tauhid and do not sue the faith of a person. Liberate the minds and beliefs of mankind

from plague, superstition, bid'ah, hypocrite, ideology, and blindness are the main thing that is

emphasized according to the order or hierarchy of Maqasid Al-Syariah. Islam comes to liberate

the minds and human beliefs of the fetters of superstition, superstition, hypocrisy and kindness.

Islam invites people to believe in the One and Only God Allah s.w.t. and matters relating to it (the

six pillars of faith) and avoiding shirk elements by explaining various guidelines to execute

obedience to Allah s.w.t. Maqasid Al-Syariah is also to guard and preserve the soul (life) as well

as the human body (hifz al-nafs). Hence, Islam has obliged every individual to safeguard their own

safety and at the same time prohibit an act that can threaten the safety of life or others. Life needs

to be preserved by each individual. Therefore, in the context of organizations, security issues

should be given priority. This includes safety elements at work or in a field should be emphasized.

Any activities that may suffocate or threaten the human life shall be avoided. Maintain mind and

thinking are also one of the Islamic Syariah goals (hifz al-aql). Through this privilege, man is given

the status of the Khalifah (vicegerents) to prosper the earth in accordance with the provisions and

command of Allah s.w.t. Through it human beings can exploit all natural awards for human well-

being. In accordance with this purpose and that reasonable to function with accordingly, Syariah

Islam has stressed the importance of demanding and mastering knowledge. Therefore, mind and

thinking should be taken care of because of the most precious God's gift to humans. Intellectual
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and thought are also the privilege of Allah s.w.t. that distinguishes human and other creatures.

Reason should not only be taken care of, but need to be nourished its functions for the benefit of

the universe. Islamic Syariah also in its efforts to ensure the sanity and strength of thinking has

banned any form of treatment that can be to affect the function of reason.

Islamic Syariah is very concerned about preserving dignity and human descendants (hifz al-

nasb) is one of Shariah goals and even Islam is built on a noble character. Rasulullah s.a.w. said:

"Verily, I have only been sent to perfect righteous character.". If reviewed the entire order and

prohibition of Allah s.w.t, it will be found that it is intended solely to form a noble and insane

personality. From the effect of fasting, zakat, discharge pilgrimage and others, all this specialty

worship if fully fulfilled will be able to form the height and glory of morality. Therefore, all forms

that can lead to the violation of dignity and human descent are prohibited at all. If the obedient and

prohibition of Allah s.w.t., it has a one purpose to avoid humanity from falling into the valley of

humiliation. In the context of the organization, things that can induce adultery and molesting the

honor of others should be prevented immediately. This can be implemented by raising religious

awareness and creating a culture that can strengthen the internal value and morality of workers.

Thus, the organization can be seen, the conclusion, the entire order and prohibition of Allah s.w.t.

can be attributed to the importance of ensuring honor and dignity. Keeping and owning property

is one of the purposes or Maqasid Al-Syariah (hifz al-mal). It cannot be denied that the perfect life

of a human being is also very closely related to the possession and control of property. Recognizing

this fact, the Islamic Syariah has outlined its own rules, laws and laws in the matter of significance.

It is widely discussed in its own discipline and field known as Fiqh Muamalat. Generally, this field

has outlined certain procedures began from attempt to own, dominate and spend a property. Islamic

Syariah has also set certain ways and methods for spending property. Among them, Islamic
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Syariah has obliged zakat to certain assets and strongly encourage charity and gift giving in certain

circumstances.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COMMODIFICATION OF EDUCATION AND MAQASID

AL-SYARIAH

From the outset, maslahah and Maqasid Al-Syariah are very comparable ideas. Nonetheless,

they are really reliant and supplement one another. While maslahah is related with the degree of

assurance of the human essential components (Religion, Life, Mind, Offspring and Wealth), the

security of those components is the target of the Maqasid Al-Syariah. The act of commodification

in advanced education ought to likewise think about securing five fundamental human necessities

so the destinations of schooling, for example delivering great individuals and productive members

of society, will be satisfied. Ibn Taymiyyah endeavored the extent of the Maqasid. Past the extent

of the five basics proposed by the early pioneers, he kept up the Maqasid as developing and added

different topics as seen in the Qur'an, like dependability, truthfulness, satisfaction of agreements,

respecting one's neighbors, and good nobility. Subsequently, it is proposed to audit its degree

towards an open-finished size of values. The explanation is basically in light of the fact that the

Al-Syariah ought not be restricted to a specific number in particular. Adding to the main Maqasid,

it leads to world harmony, financial turn of events, science examination, and major sacred rights

as arising subjects.
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SUMMARY

In summary, this essay talked about commodification of education and it terms in Maqasid

Al-Syariah. Commodification of education means education as a form of investment in human

beings, where Kazmi stated that it is where society should focus on investing in education that

promises higher returns. I also discussed the history of commodification in education in context

and see the difference during nowadays and the future of it. As education continues to evolves

along with economy and its commodities. I can also see the factors of commodification in

education in Malaysia which begins with Malaysia in need of skilled manpower to strengthen the

economy. I can also see the advantages and disadvantages of commodification in education as well

as the consequences commodity to the nation. Next, we discussed regarding Maqasid Al-Syariah

as it meaning the purpose or meaning required by Syariah to be achieved. I continued with division

of Maqasid Al-Syariah that is divided to three which are, al-Daruriyyat, al-Hajiyat and al-

Tahsiniyyat and their position in order. I also stated the five principles of Maqasid Al-Syariah

which are, religion, life, akl, prosperity and descendants. And lastly, I relate the commodification

of higher education with Maqasid Al-Syariah as Islam is the way of life and everything revolves

us is all regarding to Islam.

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REFERENCES

Othman, A., Hussien, S., Sidek, S. S. M., & Faizuddin, A. (2017). COMMODIFICATION OF

KNOWLEDGE IN HIGHER EDUCATION: WHERE IS THE SEAT OF MAQASID AL-

SHARI’AH AND ISLAMISATION?. Al-Shajarah: Journal of the International Institute of

Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC), 219-244.

MAQASID SYARIAH – MAIS. (n.d.). Majlis Agama Islam Selangor. Retrieved May 29, 2021,

from https://www.mais.gov.my/maqasid-syariah/