The Perceived Influence of English Language on Islamic Identity and Value of Students Enrolled in an Islamic-Oriented Human Resource Education Programme

Abstract

In Malaysia, English has been heavily emphasized in education with the main goal of proficiency in both Malay and English for all. Like any other language, English is associated with the culture of its native speakers. Hence, it may also be perceived as the carrier of Judeo-Christian values and Western cultures. This may lead to the perception that learning English is a threat to Islamic identity and values, causing rejection. Therefore, with the increasing demand for capable English speakers in the Malaysian workplace, it is imperative to identify whether students enrolled in tertiary programmes perceive the language as influential towards their identity and values as Muslims. Hence, students enrolled in an Islamic University College under the Human Resource programme tailored to inculcate Islamic values are identified as respondents for the study. The study employed a quantitative design utilising a questionnaire developed from an analysis of past literature. Descriptive statistics and ANOVA test through SPSS were utilized to answer the research questions. Overall a mean score of 1.38 (SD=.58) was an indication that the respondents have high acceptance towards the English language. The respondents also strongly disagreed that English negatively influenced their religious identity and Islamic values. It is hoped that the findings from the study provides valuable and significant insights to English language teaching. Introduction English is one of the most widely used language around the world. In many non-native speaking countries, English is spoken as a second language or used as a foreign language. Over the years, the mastery of English has become a major requirement for advancement in both education and the working sector. In Malaysia, English is taught as second language with the main goal of International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences Vol. 1 0 , No. 6, June, 2020, E-ISSN: 2222-6990 © 2020 HRMARS 508 attaining proficiency in both Malay and English for all Malaysians (Malaysian Education Blueprint). Therefore, the learning of English is definitely compulsory for every student in Malaysia. Background of the Study English, like any other language, is associated with the culture, beliefs, religion and actions of its native speakers. Being the most commonly spoken language by native and non-native speakers across the world, English brings with it a set of perceived social sentiments than goes beyond the function of communication and its role as a lingua franca. According to (Mohd-Asraf, 2005), other than giving people the advantage for educational and social advancement, English is also perceived as the carrier of Judeo-Christian values and Western cultures. This factor implicates various images, both positive and negative to the Muslims. The fact that English is associated with Christianity and Western values may influence the way the language is viewed by society in Malaysia, which comprises