Preserving Islamic civilization knowledge through Nusantara handicraft heritage: A tacit knowledge perspective

Abstract

Preservation of traditional handicraft heritage in the Nusantara region extends beyond the maintenance of physical artifacts to encompass the transmission of Islamic values, cultural identity, and civilizational knowledge. Processes of modernization, commercialization, and rapid digitalization have disrupted traditional, experience-based methods of knowledge transfer. This study investigates the preservation and transmission of Islamic civilizational knowledge through handicraft practices by analyzing tacit knowledge transfer within Malaysian heritage craft communities. A qualitative multiple case study approach was employed, utilizing semi-structured interviews, observations, and document analysis with artisans, protégés, and heritage agency officers. The findings indicate that handicraft practices function as embodied knowledge systems, wherein Islamic principles such as niyyah (intention), adab (ethical conduct), amanah (responsibility), and ihsan (excellence) are implicitly transmitted through mentorship, observation, and hands-on practice. These processes exemplify the concept of tarbiyyah, which emphasizes guided, value-based learning within community contexts. The study further identifies key challenges, including the diminished spiritual dimensions in digital documentation, generational discontinuities in knowledge transmission, and structural limitations in institutional support. In response to these challenges, the study proposes an enhanced Islamic Tacit Knowledge Transfer Framework for Heritage Preservation. This framework integrates traditional apprenticeship models with digital tools while maintaining Islamic epistemological foundations. It highlights spiritual intention, ethical transmission, and socio-cultural context as essential components for sustaining heritage practices. The research positions handicraft heritage as a dynamic medium for the preservation and transmission of Islamic knowledge, providing practical guidance for policymakers, heritage institutions, and the global ummah in addressing contemporary cultural and identity challenges.