Philosophy in Saudi schools will cultivate minds for Vision 2030

Saudi Arabia’s decision to introduce philosophy into the education curriculum is a welcome and significant step.

It signals that the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 is not confined to economic diversification or institutional reform, but extends to the deeper project of investing in human capital.

At its core, this move reflects an understanding that nations are ultimately built not only by infrastructure and capital flows, but by the quality of thinking cultivated in their people. 

In this sense, the introduction of philosophy can be read as an investment in the first and most essential building block of development: the human mind. 

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has repeatedly emphasized the importance of preparing Saudi society for a complex and rapidly changing world.

Economic transformation alone cannot achieve this aim.

A population trained only in technical skills, without the ability to think critically, reflect deeply, and understand the broader meaning of knowledge, risks becoming efficient but intellectually fragile. 

Philosophy, when approached carefully, can help address this gap. It trains students to ask questions, examine assumptions and understand how conclusions are reached rather than merely accepting them.

Yet the introduction of philosophy into the curriculum also demands the utmost care. Philosophy is not a neutral or self-contained enterprise.

When taught without grounding in Islamic teachings, it risks producing a kind of intellectual schizophrenia, where students are pulled between inherited beliefs and imported frameworks of thought that rest on very different foundations. 

The task is more demanding: to teach students how to think philosophically while remaining anchored in Islamic concepts, particularly tawhid

This tension does not arise from philosophy itself, but from a failure to situate it properly within Qur’anic worldview. 

Philosophy should not be celebrated for its own sake, as though the act of abstract reasoning were an ultimate goal.

Rather, it should be understood as a tool: a disciplined way of thinking that helps students make sense of the universe, their place within it and the meaning of existence.

When philosophy is treated as an end in itself, it can become detached from ethical purpose and spiritual orientation. 

When treated as a means, it becomes something far more valuable: a way to deepen understanding without losing coherence.

In Islamic teaching, the concept of tawhid, or the oneness of God, is foundational. The Qur’an rests upon this principle, and all knowledge ultimately flows from it.

By tawhid, we do not simply mean the declaration that “there is no god but God.” It encompasses a far deeper philosophical reality: every existence, every phenomenon, and every law of nature is contingent upon God.

When this understanding is only recited as a slogan, without reflecting on its profound implications, it risks producing individuals who perform religious rituals such as prayer or fasting mechanically, without appreciating the intellectual and spiritual depth that underlies these practices. 

In other words, the declaration of tawhid should awaken both the heart and the mind, prompting a thoughtful awareness of God’s centrality in all things.

In contrast, much of Western philosophy places human intellect at the center of inquiry, treating reason as the ultimate judge of truth, often independent of revelation.

But we must distinguish between what is logically consistent and what is actually true. Logic alone does not guarantee truth; it only organizes thought based on given premises.

Similarly, human intellect, if not grounded in tawhid, can produce ideas that appear coherent but fail to capture the ultimate reality: that all existence depends on God. 

Philosophy, therefore, is most effective when it combines careful reasoning with reflection on divine reality, leading to conclusions that are both rational and spiritually grounded. 

This is not to suggest that intellect and revelation are enemies. On the contrary, the Qur’an repeatedly calls upon human beings to think, reflect, and observe. 

It appeals to reason, but it does so within a framework that recognizes God as the ultimate source of truth and order.

When intellect operates within this framework, it complements faith rather than competing with it.

For this reason, Saudi educators face a critical responsibility. Teaching philosophy in an Islamic context cannot mean simply importing Western philosophical traditions wholesale and presenting them as universal.

Nor can it mean shielding students from philosophical inquiry out of fear. The task is more demanding: to teach students how to think philosophically while remaining anchored in Islamic concepts, particularly tawhid.

Furthermore, there is another intellectual danger that must be addressed.  The tendency toward circular reasoning, often expressed as: It is true because it is in the Qur’an. 

While the Qur’an is indeed the ultimate source of truth for Muslims, relying on this statement as the end of inquiry reflects a form of intellectual laziness. It short-circuits the very process of reflection that the Qur’an itself demands.

The Qur’an does not call on believers merely to memorize its verses, but to ponder them, to observe creation and to draw insight from the signs of God in the world.

It repeatedly asks human beings to look at the heavens and the earth, to consider how life unfolds, and to reflect on the order and balance embedded in existence. 

A philosophical education grounded in Islam should therefore aim to revive this spirit of reflection, not replace it with rote answers.

When students are encouraged to think deeply about why something is true, they develop a more resilient and mature understanding of  their religion. Philosophy, properly taught, can help cultivate this maturity. 

This approach also has implications for how science is understood. Modern science is often presented as a purely human achievement, capable of explaining reality in its entirety.

Yet science does not create; it explains functions and relationships. It builds models, tests hypotheses, and uncovers patterns, but it does so within a universe that already exists.

From an Islamic perspective, this infrastructure is provided by God. Science can describe how the universe works, but it cannot account for why there is a universe to study in the first place.

Recognizing this distinction is essential. Without it, scientific explanation can quietly slide into metaphysical assumption, presenting itself as a complete worldview rather than a powerful but limited tool. 

If introduced thoughtfully in Saudi Arabia, philosophy can help students understand the limits of reason as well as its strengths, the scope of science as well as its boundaries, and the role of faith not as a substitute for thinking, but as its proper orientation.

Such an education would embody the true spirit of Vision 2030: not only building a diversified economy, but also nurturing a generation of Saudis who are thoughtful, reflective and well-rounded. 

• Hiam Nawas is an Arab American expat who lives and works in the region.