Iqro

The Iqro method was originated by As'ad Humam (1933–1996), a kyai and merchant from Yogyakarta and developed by a team calling themselves Team Tadarus AMM, also in Yogyakarta.^[13][2] The book was first published in the early 1990s,^[5] but according to Team Tadarus AMM, the history began earlier. In 1953, a Quranic teaching group was established using a traditional teaching method called the Baghdadi method.^[2] In 1973, As'ad Humam began discussions at his home on challenges faced in teaching the reading of Quran.^[2] Team Tadarus AMM was then established and subsequently developed reports on teaching conditions.^[14] Among others, the team reported that the current teaching methodologies were not sufficient.^[14]

The team then experimented with new teaching methodologies, and developed a new system, which spread to other cities in Java.^[14] In 1988, the team received recognition from the provincial Department of Religious Affairs bureau.^[14] By 1992, the Iqro books were sold throughout the country.^[14] The proliferation of the books were combined with the establishment of a schooling system known as Taman Pendidikan Al-Quran ("Quranic kindergartens", TPA).^[14] The TPAs were initially organized in local mosques sponsored by local initiators.^[5] Eventually, the local schools came under the umbrella of a semi-official confederation known as the "Organizing Body for the Youth Groups of Indonesian Mosques" (Indonesian acronym: BKPRMI).^[5][15] The BKPRMI trained TPA teachers on the Iqro method and materials.^[16]

The Iqro method spread rapidly and became very popular throughout Indonesia.^[5] The success was generally attributed to its students being able to learn faster than students using the traditional methods.^[5]

At the same time, the Iqro method also spread to the neighboring Malaysia, and in 1994 the Malaysian government adopted it as an official method for teaching Quranic recitation in elementary schools.^[16][17] The Malaysian version of the book has slight variations from the original, for example, instructions in local language are given in Jawi script—a common practice in Malaysia for Islamic education books—rather than the Latin alphabet.^[18]

Iqro is one of the most popular textbooks for learning to read the Quran in Indonesia as well as other countries in Southeast Asia.^[18] Iqro is usually learned by kindergarten to early elementary school children, and often used in the designated recitational schools, seminaries such as pesantren or surau, or homeschooling for religious education. Recitation skill learned through Iqro is a competition material in the Quranic recitational contest Musabaqah Tilawatil Quran (MTQ).^[19]

• Gade, Anna M. (2004). Perfection Makes Practice: Learning, Emotion, and the Recited Quran in Indonesia. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-2599-7.
• Nakata, Yuki (2009). "Constructing New Stages of Education for Muslim Children: Impacts of the Dissemination of the Iqro' Method Textbook on Islamic Education in Indonesia and Malaysia". EDUCARE: International Journal for Educational Studies. 2 (1): 25–34. ISSN 1979-7877.
• "KH As'ad Humam 'Sang Kakek' Penemu Metode Iqro" [KH As'ad Humam 'The Grandfather', originator of the Iqro method] (in Indonesian). Republika. 2016-02-07.
• Srijatun (2017). "Implementasi Pembelajaran Baca Tulis al-Qur'an dengan Metode Iqra pada Anak Usia Dini di RA Perwanida Slawi Kabupaten Tegal" [Implementing Quranic Literacy Teaching using the Iqro method for Young Children in RA Perwanida Slawi in Tegal Regency]. Nadwa (in Indonesian). 11 (1). Walisongo State Islamic University: 25. doi:10.21580/nw.2017.11.1.1321. ISSN 2502-8057.