Abstract
This dissertation examines the perceptions and engagements of Yao-speaking Zimbabwean Muslim graduates from Saudi Arabian Islamic universities, particularly the Islamic University of Madinah, with the traditional Chuo Qur'anic school system in Zimbabwe. Rooted in Talal Asad's (2009) concept of Islam as a discursive tradition, the study explores how these graduates navigate tensions between local, community-based educational practices and globalized Islamic scholarship influenced by Salafi perspectives. Drawing on qualitative semi-structured interviews with six graduates, the research highlights the Chuo's historical role in preserving Yao Muslim identity through oral transmission, moral instruction, and cultural integration since its introduction via early 20th-century migrations from Malawi. However, participants critique the system's limitations, including unstructured curricula, inadequate Arabic proficiency, and vulnerability to unverified teachings, which they attribute to ideological shifts post-1980s Saudi education. Rather than rejection, the findings reveal a reformist impulse: graduates advocate for hybridization, integrating rigorous textual scholarship, standardized syllabi, and modern pedagogy while retaining the Chuo's emphasis on piety and community cohesion. Thematic analysis identifies key themes such as resource disparities, cultural authenticity negotiation, and intergenerational knowledge transfer, underscoring Islam's dynamic adaptation in postcolonial African contexts. Implications include recommendations for policy reforms, such as teacher training programs and curriculum documentation, to enhance Islamic education's relevance in Zimbabwe. This study contributes to broader discussions on transnational influences in African Muslim communities, emphasizing respectful dialogue between tradition and modernity for sustainable educational evolution.