Qur’anic Pedagogical Methods in Islamic Child Education

The weakening of character education in contemporary settings has prompted a renewed search for pedagogical models rooted in divine guidance. Amid the growing need for values-based child development, the Qur’an offers comprehensive educational principles often underutilized in modern practice. This study explores Qur’anic methods of Islamic child education, focusing on Surah Al-Ahzab and Surah Luqman, using qualitative content analysis through library research. The analysis identified four core educational methods: exemplary conduct (uswah ḥasanah, QS. 33:21), wise counsel (mau‘izhah ḥasanah, QS. 31:13–15), constructive dialogue (mujādalah, QS. 16:125), and measured discipline (al-‘iqāb, QS. 16:126). These methods were examined through classical and contemporary tafsir, including works by Quraish Shihab, Hamka, and Ibn Kathir. The findings show that each approach plays a distinct role in moral and spiritual formation, where advice and role modeling are primary, and discipline is reserved as a last resort. This study concludes that Qur’anic pedagogical models offer a holistic and ethical foundation for Islamic child education and are highly relevant to modern educational challenges. Furthermore, the findings contribute to the development of early childhood education knowledge by highlighting the importance of integrating spiritual values, ethical guidance, and character formation into early learning frameworks, ensuring a balanced growth of cognitive, emotional, and moral dimensions.