Goals and Functions of Islamic University from the Perspective of Islamic Jurisprudence

Universities are among the educational and training centers in every country, focusing on higher and specialized education as well as research in the fields of science and technology. Various scholars and schools of thought have addressed the topic of the goals and functions of universities. Some have concentrated on the domain of education, others on research, and some on vocational training and entrepreneurship, among other areas. The aim of this research is to determine the goals and functions of higher education based on an Islamic approach from the perspective of jurisprudence, utilizing Islamic sources (with an emphasis on the ijtihad method) to formulate important and applicable rules in this regard. This paper discusses critical and practical jurisprudential rules for establishing the goals of higher education, such as the necessity of aligning education with spiritual growth, the need to address the requirements of Muslims, and the principle of negating any subjugation. The results indicate that higher education, from an Islamic viewpoint, should pursue goals such as: teaching Islamic teachings, promoting education and training in society (virtue-centered approach), focusing on spiritual purification and integrating development with higher education, producing knowledge (with emphasis on humanities and applied sciences), providing practical sciences to meet the needs of Muslims, and engaging in education and research aimed at maintaining independence and self-sufficiency.