Islamic education in medieval India was structured around societal strata, with education primarily accessible to aristocrats, priests, and town dwellers, while peasants were largely excluded. The educational system emphasized religious and secular learning, with significant cultural contributions in arts and architecture, and established institutions such as makthab for primary education and madrassa for higher studies. Islamic teachings stressed the importance of knowledge and education, advocating for character development and socio-economic welfare.

1. ISLAMIC
EDUCATION IN
INDIA : SALIENT
FEATURES

3. People were divided
broadly into four strata
during Medieval Period
in India, not on the
basis of caste, but on
the basis of the status
in society.

4. ARISTOCRATS
Aristocrat group were
consisting of
the Sultan and his
relatives, nobility
landholders, Hindu
rajahs, chiefs, Hindu
merchants and bankers.
The wealth an power
were centered around
them

5. PRIESTS
Among the Hindus, they
were the Brahmans and Ulemas
among the Muslims. They were
given grants of tax-free land for their
maintenance and were often very
powerful. The Ulemas wielded great
influence on the Muslim Sultans and
often influenced their policies.
Sometimes the priests were not
interested in religious affairs but
were more interested in worldly
affairs

6. TOWN PEOPLE
In the town lived the wealthy
merchants, traders and artisans.The
nobility, the officers and the soldiers
also stayed in the towns, that were
the administrative and military
centres. Places where the Sufi and
Bhakti saints lived and places which
housed important temples
and mosques had become pilgrim
centres.The artisans lived in their
own special

7. THE PEASENTS
The peasants, of course, lived
in the villages and were often
the worst off.They paid huge
taxes to the state as land
revenue.Any change of dynasty
had no effect on their lives.
Their life continued as before.

8. WHO GOT
EDUCATED?
Only the three Prominent
CategoriesWere given
Education ( Aristocrats,
Priests andTown People)
while the Peasants were
Completely Ignored in this
regard

9. Actually Islamic
Education is Not
Islamic Education

12. Islamic
Education is
not education
on Islam and
related aspects

13. But

14. It is the educational
system prevailed
during the medieval
period i.e..The
period of Muslim
rulers in India.

15. ISLAM & EDUCATION:A
GENERAL PERSPECTIVE

16. Islam has given an
inevitable place for
knowledge and education.
See the following slides
which show before you
some of the teachings of
Islam to feel that inevitable
place of knowledge

17. BE A SCHOLER
or A STUDENT
or A LISTENER
or A LOVER….
NEVER BE A FIFTH ONE
A Holly Quotation from Islam

18. “IT IS BETTERTO
EDUCATE ONE’S
CHILD , than to GIVE
GOLD IN CHARITY”
A Holly Quotation from Islam

19. “KNOWLEDGE
SHOULD BE
SOUGHT FROMTHE
CRADLETOTHE
GRAVE”
A Holly Quotation from Islam

20. “KNOWLEDGE
SHOULD BE
SOUGHT FROMTHE
CRADLETOTHE
GRAVE”
A Holly Quotation from Islam

21. “THE ALMIGHTY, AT FIRST
CREATED PEN AND ORDERED
IT “WRITE”, AND IT WROTE, ON
THE SPOT , ALL THE ITEMS TO
BE WRITTEN TILL THE END OF
THE WORLD”
A Holly Quotation from Islam

22. The medieval period in India was,
in fact, a transitional period in
India i.e. from the traditional
period to the modern period.
Hence, one can see that their
educational system was built upon
traditional as well as modern
traits. It is said that they
established thousands of
institutions- religious as well as
secularist.They gave much
importance to music, art,
architecture etc.
Islamic Education in India
or Education During
Medieval Period in India

23. INCULCATION OF ISLAMIC FAITH
SELF REALISATION THROUGH WORSHIPPING THE
ALMIGHTY
PROMOTTING UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD
CHARACTER & MORAL DEVELOPMENT
SOCIO-ECONOMIC WELFARE
PREPARATION FOR LIFE HERE AFTER
INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT
General
Aims of
Education
According
to Islam

24. INCULCATION OF CLERICKAL
SKILLS
INCULCATION OF WAR RELATED
SKILLS
PRPOGATION OF ISLAMIC
PRINCIPLES & CULTURE IN
INDIA
CREATION OF POLITICAL EXPERTS
PROMOTION OF ART &
LITERATURE
PROMOTION OF ARCHITECTURE
Aims of Education During
the Medieval Period in
India

25. Educational
System during the
Medieval Period
There were two levels or
stages of education during
the medieval period.They
are Makthab which was the
primary educational
institution and Madrassa
which was the Higher
Educational Institution MADRASSA
MAKTHAB
KATHABA( ARABIC) = TO WRITE
KATHABA( ARABIC) = TO STUDY

26. Educational
System during the
Medieval Period
MAKTHAB
READING & WRITING-
RECITATION OF HOLY
QUR-AA-N & RELIGIOUS
PRAYERS.HINDUS
LEARNED PERSIAN-BASIC
ARITHMATIC, MODE OF
CONVERSATION etc.

27. Educational
System during the
Medieval Period
MADRASSA
RELIGIOUS SECUALR

28. BISMILLAH
Ceremony during
the Medieval
Period
It was the initial ceremony of
starting education of a child during
Medieval Period in India. It was an
Islamic version of the Upanayana
Ceremony ofVedic Age and Pubbaja
Ceremony of Buddhist Age.The
meaning of the word ‘ BISMILLAH’ is
‘(I) start with the name of GOD’.
This ceremony occurred, when the
child reached the age of 4years,
4months and 4 days.The child, after
taking bathe and wearing new cloths,
sits before ‘Molla’ or ‘Usthad’, and
recite ‘ BISMILLAHI RRAHMANI
RRAHEEM’ just after the usthad
recited so.

29. Educational
System during the
Medieval Period
Madrassa Makthab
Lecture Self Study Discussion
Memorizing Writing
Oral Transaction as well as writing
was used as methods of teaching

30. Teacher- Student
Relationship
During the
Medieval Period
The teacher enjoyed high status and
honored position among the students
as well as the society. Just as it was
during the Vedic Age and Buddhist
Age. Students were supposed to be
obedient and humble before the
teachers. And it is also said that
severe punishments were given to the
students for their faults and mistakes