Competency-Based Education (CBE) has become central in higher education, offering structured progress and measurable outcomes. Frameworks like Bloom’s taxonomy and Marzano’s taxonomy provide cognitive support to aid this process. However, these models remain ethically neutral, concentrating on skills and performance without addressing the moral purpose of knowledge. This could reduce education to a mechanical skill set, disconnected from ethical responsibility. This paper examines the educational philosophy of Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī (1058–1111 CE), particularly his principle that “knowledge without action is madness” (al-ʿilm bila ʿamal junūn). It maps his ethics of knowledge onto Bloom’s and Marzano’s taxonomies, thereby demonstrating how Al-Ghazali’s framework can provide a moral corrective to contemporary CBE models. We employed a comparative textual analysis, drawing from Al-Ghazali’s Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn and Mīzān al-ʿAmal, alongside key literature on Bloom’s and Marzano’s taxonomies. Two comparative models (tables and figures) were developed to illustrate how Al-Ghazali’s ethics—sincerity (ikhlāṣ), intention (niyyah), accountability (muhāsabah), and wisdom (ḥikmah)—enrich existing taxonomies. The mapping reveals that Al-Ghazali deepens Bloom’s taxonomy by aligning each cognitive stage with ethical imperatives and enhances Marzano’s taxonomy by adding moral depth to motivational and metacognitive systems. This dual integration reframes competence as inseparable from ethical action. Infusing Al-Ghazali’s ethical framework into CBE offers a pathway toward holistic pedagogy, producing graduates who are not only skilled but also ethically grounded. The paper contributes to educational philosophy, Islamic pedagogy, and contemporary debates on competency frameworks.

Authors:
Noor Hasbi Yusoff, Higher Colleges of Technology, United Arab Emirates
Ian Harris Sujae, HIgher Colleges of Technology, United Arab Emirates

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Noor Hasbi Yusoff is currently a faculty member at the Higher Colleges of Technology, Applied Media Division.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/noorhasbiyusoff

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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