Exploring the relationship between perceived understanding of Qur’anic verses and akhlaq Islamiyyah practices among selected Islamic revealed knowledge students at International Islamic University Malaysia

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between perceived understanding of Qur’anic verses and akhlaq Islamiyyah practices among IRKHS undergraduate students. It explored the extent to which the respondents perceived they understood the selected Qur’anic verses and whether this perception was associated with their akhlaq from an Islamic perspective. This research was conducted with four main objectives, namely to identify the various levels of perceived understanding of Qur’anic verses and also of akhlaq Islamiyyah practices among the respondents, explore the relationship between the two constructs, and establish whether perceived understanding of Qur’anic verses is a significant predictor of akhlaq Islamiyyah practices. The sample consisted of 137 undergraduate students majoring in Qur’an and Sunnah under the Department of Qur’an and Sunnah, Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences (KIRKHS), International Islamic University Malaysia. The sample was obtained through convenience sampling. After the validation process by experts, the questionnaire comprised 12 items to measure perceived understanding of Qur’anic verses (PUQ) and 25 items to measure akhlaq Islamiyyah practices (AIP). Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and linear regression were used for data analysis. The results reveal that the level of PUQ is high with a mean of 4.70. As for akhlaq Islamiyyah practices, the level is also high with a mean of 3.99. On top of that, there is a significant positive relationship between PUQ and AIP (r = .350, p < .01). Lastly, PUQ is a weak predictor of AIP with a beta weight of 12.3%, indicating that 87.7% could not be explained by the model. Based on the results, it is recommended that students of Qur’an and Sunnah should do their best to maintain and improve their understanding of Qur’anic verses and uphold akhlaq Islamiyyah practices at all times and not be inclined to follow practices and ideologies that depart from Islam.