Balaghah instruction at Malaysian public universities has increasingly encountered challenges in maintaining its

relevance within contemporary higher education contexts. Many students demonstrate limited ability to

conceptualise and apply Balaghah beyond its traditional theoretical framework, resulting in surface-level

understanding and reduced academic engagement. Although prior studies on Balaghah pedagogy are extensive,

much of the existing literature concentrates on instructional techniques in isolation, offering limited examination

of the deeper structural and epistemological foundations that shape the discipline. This gap necessitates a more

findings indicate a clear need for a comprehensive reconfiguration of both curriculum design and pedagogical

approaches in Balaghah instruction. Such reform is essential to ensure that Balaghah continues to function as a

Keywords: Balaghah; Higher Education; Arabic Language Curriculum; Critical Pedagogy; Digital

Balaghah constitutes a significant intellectual heritage of the Arabic language, playing a vital role in shaping

linguistic eloquence and sharpening intellectual acuity, particularly in the appreciation of the stylistic features of

the Qur’an. Nevertheless, within the contemporary higher education context, the teaching of Balaghah is

frequently perceived as ineffective and insufficiently engaging for students (Mahmudah et al., 2025). A

importance of Balaghah, particularly in uncovering the linguistic uniqueness of the Qur’an continues to be

2025). Most previous studies have focused on proposing more creative teaching methods or advocating the use

of technology, yet they have paid limited attention to core issues related to curriculum structure, epistemological

foundations, and the underlying paradigms that shape the teaching of Balaghah. This analytical gap necessitates

a more in-depth and systematic examination to better understand and reinforce the relevance of Balaghah in the

The literature on Balaghah instruction, particularly at the tertiary level, reveals considerable divergence in

scholarly perspectives. Some researchers advocate comprehensive curriculum reform, arguing that existing

From a pedagogical standpoint, many studies recommend the use of technology such as interactive applications

and e-learning platforms as a means of enhancing student engagement (Abdullah & Zainuddin, 2020). However,

the mere incorporation of technology does not necessarily result in meaningful change if teaching approaches

remain unidirectional and centred on rote memorisation. Issues related to lecturers’ professional training and

institutional support for pedagogical innovation also receive limited attention, despite being identified as major

Furthermore, there is a tendency to attribute students’ weak mastery of Balaghah solely to motivational factors

(Hasan, 2023). Such an interpretation is overly simplistic, as it overlooks the possibility that instructional

approaches may fail to connect learning content with students’ contemporary life contexts. Criticism has also

been directed at the excessive emphasis on grammar (nahw) and morphology (ṣarf) without clear integration

This study adopts a conceptual analysis approach, a research method that does not involve the collection of

empirical field data. In fact, this approach requires a high level of intellectual rigour, as its primary focus extends

beyond merely compiling and organising existing information to critically examining, deconstructing, and

reconstructing conceptual understandings of a given issue (Grigoryeva et al., 2021). In the context of this study,

conceptual analysis is employed to reassess the discourse on Balaghah instruction and to formulate a new

The main objective of this methodology is to develop a new conceptual framework, or at least to refine existing

frameworks that are no longer congruent with the realities of Balaghah instruction in Malaysian public higher

education institutions. This approach is deemed appropriate because the issues surrounding Balaghah instruction

pedagogy, and Islamic education. Documents were purposively selected based on the following criteria: first,

they contain critical analysis or clearly articulated theoretical frameworks; second, they address issues related to

curriculum, pedagogy, or the epistemology of Balaghah; and third, they demonstrate potential to contribute to

conceptual debates. Purely descriptive works, studies that merely reiterate established narratives, and

publications offering recommendations without in-depth analysis were excluded. Primary attention was given to

studies published between 2020 and 2025, although classical works were also consulted to establish a robust

Subsequently, the analytical procedure involved repeated and systematic readings of the selected documents.

This process entailed identifying key themes, argumentative tensions, gaps in discussion, and conceptual

weaknesses. During this phase, conceptual coding was employed to mark ideas related to curriculum, pedagogy,

epistemology, and technology integration. The purpose of coding was not to quantify frequency, but rather to

trace dominant modes of thinking and to identify perspectives that diverge from mainstream discourse yet

The challenges associated with Balaghah instruction in Malaysian public higher education institutions do not

stem from a single factor; rather, they emerge from a network of interrelated issues. One of the principal findings

establishing clear connections to contemporary communicative realities. As a result, students struggle to perceive

the relevance of Balaghah theory within modern communication landscapes shaped by digital media and diverse

discourses (Fahmi et al., 2025). From a pedagogical perspective, teaching practices continue to be dominated by

one-way lectures, text memorisation, and rhetorical analysis based on classical examples. Opportunities for

twoway interaction and learning activities grounded in critical exploration remain limited. Consequently, the

instructional process functions primarily as information transmission rather than as a space for intellectual

discourse construction, leading students to adopt passive learning roles and limiting their ability to apply

Lecturers’ preparedness was also identified as a significant factor. While many lecturers possess strong

traditional expertise in Balaghah, their exposure to modern pedagogical approaches and digital literacy appears

limited. This situation reflects deficiencies in institutional support and continuous professional development

rather than individual shortcomings. In this context, students’ motivation should be viewed as an outcome of less

relevant instructional approaches rather than as the root cause of the problem. When learning experiences fail to

The findings of this study indicate that the challenges of Balaghah instruction in Malaysian public higher

education institutions stem from systemic issues that extend beyond curriculum design and pedagogical practices

alone. The inability to align Balaghah with the realities of 21st-century communication reflects a widening gap

structural frameworks fail to support this objective. As a result, graduates may demonstrate linguistic competence

Viewed through a constructivist lens, meaningful learning occurs when students actively construct knowledge

through interaction with learning materials. The findings reveal that Balaghah instruction remains largely

transmission-oriented, with lecturers positioned as the primary source of knowledge and students as passive

recipients. Such an approach is inconsistent with constructivist principles and constrains the development of

Furthermore, the failure to integrate multimodal literacy and digital semiotics undermines the potential of

Balaghah as a relevant analytical discipline. In contemporary communicative environments characterised by

visual, audio, and symbolic texts, Balaghah holds considerable promise as a foundation for media literacy and