Hakikat Alam Semesta dalam Perspektif Filsafat Pendidikan Islam: Ontologi, Kosmologi, dan Implikasinya bagi Pendidikan

Abstract

This article examines the nature of the universe (alam semesta) in the perspective of Islamic educational philosophy through a qualitative library research method employing philosophical analysis and Quranic hermeneutics. The study addresses four interrelated questions: the definition of the universe in Islamic thought, the process of its creation as narrated in the Quran, the purposes of creation, and its implications for Islamic education. The findings reveal that the universe in Islam constitutes the totality of existence apart from Allah SWT encompassing both the visible realm (alam syahadah) and the unseen realm (alam ghaib) and functions fundamentally as signs (ayat) testifying to the existence, power, and majesty of the Creator. A comparative analysis of Al-Ghazali and Ibn Sina discloses a fundamental divergence: Ibn Sina viewed the universe as an eternal, necessary emanation from the First Being, while Al-Ghazali affirmed creation ex nihilo through the free divine will, a position aligned with orthodox Islamic theology. The Quranic account of creation exhibits a notable convergence with modern cosmological findings, particularly the Big Bang theory, the nebular hypothesis, and the expanding universe model. The primary purposes of creation are identified as: manifesting divine signs (ayat), providing the arena for human stewardship (khilafah), enabling the acquisition of knowledge ('ilm), and eliciting gratitude (syukr). These philosophical foundations carry transformative implications for Islamic education, demanding an integration of natural sciences with theological reflection, the development of an ecology-based curriculum grounded in tawhidic consciousness, and the cultivation of graduates who embody ecological responsibility as an expression of their faith.