The Impact of Religious Texts for Values Education in Higher Education Institutions of Pakistan

Abstract

Religious texts are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. Islamic texts are believed to be the sacred source of law for the entire humanity. Therefore, religious texts i.e. Quran, Hadith, Sufi text, Islamic history & culture etc. are included as a mandatory course (Islamic Studies) in the curriculum of higher education Institutions in Pakistan. Translation of the Holy Quran is also taught separately at undergraduate level in some of the provinces as a mandatory course in HEI. The core objective of such courses is to add value education and the character building of future generation. Such courses, of course, has positive impacts regarding awareness and mindfulness. However, it has some negative response regarding adoption of radicalism and extremism. The paper aims to attempt in discussing the need of value education with questions that how religious texts impacts on the students in Pakistani society, whether religious texts are shaping a moderate or radical society and how the religious texts can have more positive impacts on the students regarding value education.