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.
(I) 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.
(II) 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:
1. 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. 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

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

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

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

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 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

25. This was to be accomplished through the
study of the studia humanitatis, today known
as the Humanities:
1. Grammar
2. Rhetoric
3. History
4. Poetry and
5. 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
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
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
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

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.