muslim education

reports on muslim education

1. Samar College, Inc. College of Graduate Studies Catbalogan City ( Muslim Education, Humanism and Religious Moralism as an Educational force)

2. Salient Features of Muslim Education: Aim of Education: The aim of education during the period was the extension of knowledge and the propagation of Islamic principles, laws and social conventions. Education was based on RELIGION. It’s aim was to make persons religious minded. The Muslim education also aimed at the achievement of material prosperity. State Patronage: During the Muslim period education received a great patronage of state. The Muslim rulers established many Maktabs , Madrasas; libraries etc , and patronized many scholars. They also granted scholarships to many students.

3. Organization of Education: Education was organized in MAKTABS and MADARSAS. MAKTABS: in maktabs children were made to remember the “ AYATS OF QURAN”. They were also imparted the education of reading, writing and primary arithmetic. When the children had learnt the Arabic script, they were given the education in Persian language and script. The stories of PROPHETS and MUSLIM FAKIRS were also told to the children. Children were imparted the knowledge of art of writing letters and conversation. MADARSAS: after completing the primary education, the children were sent to madarsas to receive higher education. Here there were separate teachers for different subjects. Special emphasis was laid on the education of religion as well as secular subjects. The religious education included the study of QURAN, MOHAMMAD (SAW) and his PREACHINGS. Islamic laws and Islamic history etc. The secular education included the study of Arabic literature, Grammar, History, Philosophy, Mathematics, Geography, Politics, Economics, Greek Language, Astrology and Agriculture etc.

4. Religious Orthodoxy: Spreading Islam was considered the most sacred duty of every Muslim citizen. Principles and beliefs of Islam could be best propagated through education. Thus convinced, the Muslim rulers and beneficiaries established Maktabs and Madarsahs where the study of Holy Quran became a prominent feature.These institutions were built near the Mosques where theological thinking could flourish to the maximum extent. The Islamic laws, opinions, customs, and doctrines were subjects of study and all students were required to master them so that this knowledge could help them in bringing the non-Muslims under the fold of Islam. A spirit of religiousness was strongly imbibed among the Muslim youth so that he could serve the cause of propagating Islam hastily.

5. Discipline: Pupils were generally well-behaved, morally strong and humble. Whenever a pupil was found breaking rules of conduct, he was punished adequately. The type and manner of imposing punishment was left to the discretion of the teacher. Sometimes students were inhumanly punished. The reason behind such a harsh treatment was not vengeance but correction and preservation of discipline among others. Cooperation of students was also sought in maintenance of discipline. Like the Buddhist system some senior students were appointed monitor for guiding and controlling junior students. In absence of a teacher, a senior of higher class used to teach junior ones.

6. The teacher-taught relationship: In ancient India the teacher was treated by his student as father, king and God. He was to serve him like a son and a suppliant. No progress in knowledge was possible without serving the teacher. These traditions went on being observed. In the Muslim period also the student was always humble and polite to his teacher and served him whole-heartedly. The teacher always regarded the student as his son. He had a constant touch with him and thus influenced his personality development. There was "mutual reverence, confidence and communion of life. Medium of education: During the Muslim period, Arabic and Persian were the media of education. However, after the growth of Urdu, education began to be imparted through this language.

7. Examination: The system of education was not prevalent in the Muslim period. Evaluation was in-built, continuous process. Promotions were based on the teachers themselves. Degree came to be awarded for specialized and in-depth study in various branches of learning. The most important of these degree were; Fazil (specialized in logic), Alim (specialist in theology) and kamil (specialist in literature). Neglect of vernaculars: Muslim education neglected the vernaculars. Arabic and Persianlanguages had been adopted and the vernacular languages had been altogether neglected.

8. Methods of teaching: Oral education and memorization of the assigned lessons were the chief methods of teaching during the Muslim period. Emphasis was placed on memorization in addition to reading, writing and arithmetic. As the method of teaching was oral, the main task of the teacher was to give lectures and the student used to listen to them passively. The students were advised to read some relevant books they were required to prepare their lessons individually. This method made them active. Individual attention was paid to students. The monitor system had been used in Maktabs and Madrasas.

9. Vocational education: During the Muslim period, there was provision for vocational, technical and professional education. Emperor Akbar took considerable interest in education as is evident from the passage ‘ Ain -in-Akbar’. The passage makes interesting reading and provides valuable information on the system of instruction i.e. curriculum, methods of teaching etc. This helped to develop handicrafts and other industries. A large number of cottage industries and workshops were established at important places. Facilities of the training in sculpture, embroidery, tusk work, decorations and architecture were made available. Thus in artistic work, this age was at its zenith.

10. Education of women: Women’s education was almost totally neglected in the Muslim period. The ‘Purdah’ system which shut up all Muslim women, except young girls, in seclusion, made their education in matter of great difficulty. The girls were entitled to receive education equal to that of the boys up to a definite age but thereafter their education was stopped. However, the girls of higher classes used to continue their studies at home. There have been some very learned women who made unique contributions to the development of literature during Muslim period. The Empress Noorjahan was a learned woman. She very well carried on state administration. Arrangements for education of princesses were made in the palace. Similarly, rich people used to arrange education of their girls in their own homes. Sultana Razia , Princess GulBadan . Daughter of Babur, Aurengzeb’s daughter, Zebunnisa are the examples of learned royal ladies.

11. Objectives/Aims of Islamic education: Spread of knowledge: Hazrat Mohammad (SAW) had said that knowledge is divine and without it salvation is not possible. The main objective of Islamic education was extension of knowledge in order to draw attention to Islam and its role in the world in terms of politics, economics and social structure etc. The purpose of spreading knowledge was to enhance the Islamic perspective of students and their critical thinking, problem solving and creativity skill needed to function successfully as Muslims in society. 2. Propagation of Islam: Religion was basis of education and hence the purpose of education was propagation of religion. It was for this reason knowledge of Quran was imparted in the Maktabs . Hazrat Mohammad (SAW) had also declared that a proper and liberal education was the finest of gifts that parents could bestow on their children.

12. 3. Strengthening the Administration: Another objective of Muslim education was to strengthen the administration. Muslim rulers believed that their administration could not be firmly entrenched in the absence of education, and hence they wanted to utilize the educational system for strengthening their own political position. 4. Islamic social morals: The most important character traits expected of a Muslim are piety, humility and a profound sense of accountability to God. Thus Islamic education brought a concept of human equality, a pride in one’s religion, a legal system which in many ways was an advance on the codes of time. Islamic education enjoins upon the students to exercise control of their passion and desires. Adequate stress was laid on well defined norms of behaviour, pattern of thought, building up personality and character of pupils.

13. 5. Preparing students for practical life: In Muslim period learning was held in high esteem and the learned were loved and respected all over the country. Important posts like posts of the judges, lawyers, commanders of the army and ministers were filled up from the educated class. Many Hindus were attracted towards Muslim education with a view to get these employment facilities. Thus Muslim education prepared the students for practical life. 6. Worldly progress: The state encouraged the educated people in every conceivable way. The posts of Kazis (preachers) and Wazirs (ministers) were reserved for the educated Besides, Muslim education also aimed at preparing the individual for future life. Many Hindus received the highest Muslim education and rose to high positions.

14. 8. Formation of character: The aim of Muslim education was formation of character of students. Their life was very rigorous and hard and the discipline a strict one. The centres of learning were situated at far off places. The system of education was well planned and systematically organised. 9. Preservation of culture: Muslim system of education worked for the preservation and transmission of culture. Study of authentic works was compulsory. Rules and regulations pertaining to their culture were strictly followed. Emphasis was laid on the study of original work. The help and cooperation of kings and priests was readily available in this matter.

15. Curriculum of Muslim Education: The syllabus of education in the Muslim period included such subjects as the holy Koran, the biography of Hazrat Mohammed (SAW), the history and the laws of Islam, Arabic and Persian, grammar, literature, logic, philosophy, law, astrology, history, geography, agriculture, Unani system of medicine, etc. There were provisions for teaching Sanskrit to Hindu children. Madrasas provided both religious and material or worldly education. Subjects of religious education included Quran, Islamic laws, history and Sufi philosophy, while worldly or material education consisted of grammar, language, literature, etc. There were some specialized centers for education in particular subjects.

16. Methods of Teaching of Muslim Education: Oral education and memorization of the assigned lessons were the chief methods of teaching during the Muslim period. The Muslim students were required to memorize certain portions of Holy Quran. Writing and Arithmetic were also taught in some maktabs . There was no scientific method of teaching in the Maktabs . So most of the students used to memorize Quran and prayers for most of the time. Realizing the facility of this method Akbar encouraged writing and tried to reform the scripts. He ordered that the work should be written down first before memorizing. Thus Akbar urged tried to give a scientific basis to education so that the students might be trained in practical affairs of life as well. To make educational procedure systematic, Akbar urged that the students should be first given knowledge of alphabets, then word knowledge and afterwards sentences knowledge. As the method of teaching was oral; the main task of the teacher was to give lectures and students used to listen to them passively. Then the students were advised to read some relevant books. They were required to prepare their lessons individually. This method made them active.

17. Role of Teacher in Muslim Education: The pupil teacher relationship during the Muslim period was as cordial as during the ancient days. As the people believed that no knowledge was possible without a teacher, hence the students used to respect and serve the teacher with all devotion. The society also respected him. There were hostels attached to many madarsas . The teacher also resided in them with their students. The situation helped the teacher and the students to understand each other. The teacher loved his students and tried his best for their development. As there were no hostels with maktabs , so no personal relationship existed between the teacher and his students. When the students left a maktab after completing their education they had little impact of their teacher on them. The students of Maktabs were young children, there was no problem of indiscipline in them. Consequently there was no feeling of disrespect in the students for their teacher.

18. HUMANISM Reported by: Angie T. Verzosa

19. Humanistic education  (also called  person-centered education ) is an approach to education based on the work of humanistic psychologists, most notably  Abraham Maslow  and  Carl Rogers . Carl Rogers has been called the "Father of Humanistic Psychology" and devoted much of his efforts toward applying the results of his psychological research to person-centered teaching where empathy, caring about students, and genuineness on the part of the learning facilitator were found to be the key traits of the most effective teachers.

20. Humanistic Education -refers to an educational philosophy that believes human beings are, by nature, self-developing creatures. An educator's primary responsibility is to create an environment in which students can do their own growing. Humanistic educators have a broad understanding of the knowledge that children acquire as they grow, and highly value student's affective and social development as well as their intellectual development.

21. The five basic principles of humanistic education: 1) Students' learning should be self-directed. 2) Schools should produce students who want and know how to learn. 3) The only form of meaningful evaluation is self-evaluation. 4) Feelings, as well as knowledge, are important in the learning process. 5) Students learn best in a non-threatening environment.

22. The goal of humanistic education is to contribute to the development of energetic, positive, self-respecting, caring human beings who can meet all challenges.  The approach seeks to engage the whole person: the intellect, feeling life, social capacities, artistic and practical skills are all important focuses for growth and development. Important objectives include developing children's self-esteem, ability to set and achieve appropriate goals, and development toward full autonomy. 

23. The Humanistic Curriculum is based on the belief that the education that is good for a person is also best for the well being of the nation. Here, the individual learner is not regarded as a passive or at least easily managed recipient of input. S/he is the choosing or self-selecting organism. The Curriculum:

24. To design the Humanistic Curriculum, we have to focus on the question “What does the curriculum mean to the learner?” Self-understanding, self-actualization, and fostering the emotional and physical well being as well as the intellectual skills necessary for independent judgment become the immediate concern of the Humanistic Curriculum.

25. This was to be accomplished through the study of the studia humanitatis , today known as the Humanities: Grammar Rhetoric History Poetry and Moral Philosophy

26. To the humanists, the goals of education are related to the ideals of personal growth, integrity, and autonomy. Healthier attitudes towards self, peers, and learning are among their expectations. The concept of confluent curriculum and curriculum for consciousness are the important types of humanistic curriculum. The Goals of Education:

27. "The tutor or lecturer tends to be more supportive than critical, more understanding than judgmental, more genuine than playing a role." Their job is to foster an engaging environment for the students and ask inquiry-based questions that promote meaningful learning. Teacher as a Facilitator:

28. The humanistic approach places a great deal of emphasis on students' choice and control over the course of their education. Students are encouraged to make choices that range from day-to-day activities to periodically setting future life goals. The students:

29. This allows for students to focus on a specific subject of interest for any amount of time they choose, within reason. Humanistic teachers believe it is important for students to be motivated and engaged in the material they are learning, and this happens when the topic is something the students need and want to know.

30. Reformation 1500 AD – 1600 AD • Educational Goals: Cultivate a commitment to a particular religious denomination, and general literacy. • Students: Boys and girls ages 7-12 in vernacular schools, young men of upper class in humanist schools. • Instructional Methods: Memorization drill, indoctrination, catechetical instruction in vernacular schools, translation and analysis of classical literature in humanist schools.

31. • Curriculum: Reading, writing, arithmetic, catechism, religious concepts and rituals. Latin and Greek theology. • Agents: Vernacular elementary school for general public, classical schools for upper class. • Influence on education: Commitment to universal education to provide literacy for everyone; origins of school systems, dual track school system based on socio economic class and career goals.

32. Thank You For Listening…