Students of Islamic studies need to understand why knowledge claims warrant acceptance as well as what those claims assert. This article develops an epistemological literacy framework for undergraduate students at Islamic higher education institutions in Indonesia, drawing on bayani, irfani, and burhani. It uses a conceptual synthesis of selected passages from al-Jabiri and classical works, Amin Abdullah’s scholarship, related studies, and epistemic education literature. Sources, processes, justification, and limits of knowledge are examined to formulate competencies and evidence of their attainment. The framework comprises understanding, which reconstructs epistemological foundations; use, which identifies approaches suited to inquiry questions; and evaluation, which examines reasons and the scope of conclusions. Reflection and dialogue allow students to revisit these dimensions. The discussion distinguishes knowledge of irfani theory from irfani experience, and classical demonstration from modern empirical methods. A reading of ar-Risālah and an analysis of an argument about productive zakat illustrate how the framework informs source interpretation and the revision of conclusions. The article’s contribution lies in specifying a traceable relationship between epistemological concepts, decisions in inquiry, and evidence of student literacy. Guided reading, peer criticism, and an analytical rubric are proposed to support this work. The framework remains a normative conceptual proposal; its assessment instruments and instructional use require validation and empirical investigation.
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Fahmi Riady (2026) studied this question.
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