Unit 5 islamic period-dr.c.thanavathi

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5.4. EDUCATION DURING ISLAMIC PERIOD
5.4.1. Introduction
During medieval period Muslim rulers started a new system of education which is
popularly known as Maktab-Madarsha system Muslim system of education. Side by side the
old Pathashala system also continued for Hindu students. We shall discuss the Muslim system
of Education in detail. The period under review covers the system of education in India from
about the 10th
century A.D. to the middle of the 18th
century, i.e. before the British rule.
5.4.2. Aims of Education
(a) Developing love for Muslim culture and religion.
(b) Enabling the individual for Islamic life.
(c) Preparing the students for the next world.
(d) Equipping the students for a vocation.
(e) Preparing individuals for running administration.
The main aim of Muslim education was to spread Islamic Culture and religion.
1. Development of knowledge
By knowledge they meant material knowledge and spiritual knowledge both and by
spiritual knowledge they meant the knowledge of Islam.
2. Spread of Islamic Culture & Islamic Religion
They emphasized on the education of Islamic culture and Islamic religion since they
firmly believed in it.
3. Development of character and morality
They want to develop Islamic morality among the students. In case of any misconduct
there was provision of repentance on the basis of Islamic rules.
4. Loyalty to the Government
Since they are foreigner, they wanted to make Indian Loyal to the Government by
education.
5. Education of Arts, skills and Vocations
Since almost all the Muslim rulers were great lover of arts and crafts. They laid
emphasis on the education of arts and crafts. Simultaneously education of different vocations
was also organized which resulted in the economic growth of the country
5.4.3. Chief Characteristics of Muslim Education:-
(1) Patronage of the rulers: The rulers helped in the spread of education. They built
educational institutions and universities. They endowed them with the funds. Big landlord also
provided financial help for the spread of education. The rulers patronized the men of learning.

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(2) No state control: The rules neither claim any authority over the educational institutions
nor interfered with their management.
(3) Religion dominated education: In the words of S.N. MUKERJI, “The whole educational
system was saturated with the religious ideals which influenced the aim, the contents of study,
and even the daily life of the pupils.” The pupils acquired knowledge as a religious obligation.
(4) Countryside as the centre of education: By and large, educational institutions flourished
in the countryside.
(5) Provision of various discipline: Through education was primarily religion- oriented, it
included the study of many intellectual activities like mathematics, astronomy, grammer, polity
and politics. Art and literature were also encouraged.
(6) Norms of conduct: Adequate stress was laid on well- defined norms of behaviour, pattern
of thought, building up personality and character of the pupils.
(7) Teacher-pupil relationship: In the Muslim period also the teacher was respected as
during the Brahmanic or Buddhist period. There was intimate relationship between the teacher
and the pupil, although the practice of living with the teacher was not as common with the
Muslim as it was in the case of Brahmanic and Buddhist period.
(8) Learned teachers: Teachers took to teaching for love of learning. They were held in high
esteem. Prof. S.N. Mukerji has observed, “Learning was prized for its own sake and as a mark
of the highest human development and teaching was never handicapped by examination
requirements.
(9) Individualized instructions: Since the number of students with the teacher was limited, he
paid individual attention to each students.
(10) Monitorial system: Although a teacher did not have many pupils to teach yet, still the
teacher would take the help of senior and advanced students to teach the younger or the junior.
(11) Discipline: Punishments were quit severe. Truants and delinquents were caned on their
palms and slapped on their faces. A strange mode of punishment was to make the children hold
their ears by taking their hands from under their thighs while sitting on their tiptoes.
In the medieval period, discipline referred to obeying the teachers and compliance to
the rules of maktabs and madarsha. Corporal punishment was given and at the same time there
was a provision of reward for disciplined students.
(12) Types of institutions: Primary education was imparted in ‘Maktabs’ and secondary and
high education in ‘Madrasahs’.
(13) Vocational education: Provision was also made for vocational, technical and professional
education. Emperor Akbar took considerable interest in education as is evident from the

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passage of from the ‘Ain-in-Akbar’. The passage makes interesting reading and provides
valuable information on the system of instruction, i.e., curriculum, methods of teaching etc.
5.4.4. Chief features of Primary and Elementary Muslim Education
(1) Institution of primary education: Primary education was imparted through the
‘Maktab’ which were attached with mosque or were independent of the mosque ‘Khanquahs’
of the saints also at some places served as centres of education. Several learned men also
taught students at their residences.
(2) Financing of the Maktabs: Most of the Maktabs were either patronized by rulers or had
endowment. They dependent on the charity of the philanthropists.
(3) Management of the ‘Maktabs’: The ‘Maktabs’ were run under the guidance of the
learned ‘Maulavis’. They were supposed to be very pious.
(4) Curriculum: Curriculum varied from place to place but the teaching of Alphabets and the
recitation of Quran was almost compulsory. The students learnt some portions of Quran by
heart as this was considered essential to perform religious functions.
Muslim education in the medieval period was divided into two levels-primary education and
higher education.
Curriculum at the primary level
Knowledge of alphabets, 30th
section of Quran, reading, writing, mathematics, letter
and application writing and the way of conversation. Special practice in proper pronunciation
and good handwriting were given to children.
Curriculum at the higher level
The curriculum was divided into two categories namely-worldly and religious.
Worldly curriculum
Arabic and Persian languages and their Literature, Mathematics, Geometry, History,
Geography, Economics, Political Science, Astrology. Islamic law, Unani Medicine and various
arts, skills and vocations.
Religious curriculum
Quran, Islamic history, Islamic literature, Sufi literature and Islamic law.
(5) Language: Arabic and Persian languages were mostly compulsory. For getting high
government posts, one had to learn these languages.
(6) Fees: There were several village schools where the students were required to pay their
instructions, not in cash but in kind.
(7) Orphanages: The state set up some Orphanages where the children received education
free of charge. Vast endowments were made for these orphanages.

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(8) Age of admission: At the age of four years, four months and four days, ‘Maktab’
ceremony or ‘Bismillah’ was performed to indicate the beginning of the child. This was
considered as an auspicious moment for initiation or starting education. Good wishes were
offered to the child. ‘Surah-i-Iqra’ a chapter from the holy Quran was recited on this occasion.
(9) Education of sons of Nobles and Rulers: The Muslims nobles as well as rulers engaged
tutors to teach their children at home.
(10) ‘Wide- spread Maktabs’: Almost every village had at least, one ‘Maktab’. There were
several ‘Maktabs’ in town and cities.
(11) Curriculum and Mode of Instruction:
(i) During those days there were no printed books for the beginners. Wooden books (taktis)
were used.
(ii) The Quran : After alphabets, words were taught to students
(iii) Stress on Calligraphy: beautiful and fine handwriting was an important element of
instruction.
(iv) Teaching of Grammar: Grammar was taught as it was considered very valuable in teaching
the languages.
(v) Religious Instruction: Instruction imparted in the ‘Maktabs’ was religious through and
through.
(vi) Books other than Quran: After the Quran, the ‘Gulistan’ and the ‘Bostan’ poems of poet
Firdausi were taken up.
(vi) ‘Paharas’: Students also learned ‘Pahars’ (multiple of numbers). Students memorized these
while uttering collective in a loud voice.
(12) Buildings: In general, the students sat on the ground in the rows under the shade of a tree
and the teacher used mat or dear-skin to sit at. He also attended to the students while standing.
5.4.5. The Madrasahs or Madrasas
The ‘Madrasahs’ imparted secondary and higher education. Often these Madrasahs were
attached to mosques. The term ‘Madrasahs’ is derived from Arabic word ‘dars’ (a lecture) and
means a place where lecture is given. There was difference in principles between the Madrasa
and other mosques. When a particular room was set apart in a mosque for the teaching purposes
it was called a Madrasah. Sometimes it was quite close to a large mosque. It functioned as college
of higher education where eminent scholars taught different subjects by using the lecture method
supplemented by discussions. Management was usually private supported by state grants and
endowments. The content of the curriculum was both religious and secular and covered a period
from 10 to 12 years. Religious education comprised deep study of the Quran, Islamic law and

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Sufism. Literature, logic, history, geography, astronomy, astrology, arithmetic, agriculture and
medicine were the secular subjects taught in madrasa. Some madrasa had hostels attached to
them which provided free boarding and lodging.
5.4.6. Methods of Teaching
In the Muslim education different teaching methods were adopted to teach different
subjects at different levels. At primary level the teaching method adopted were imitation,
practice and memorization. At the higher level speech, lecture and explanation method were
adopted. To teach subject like philosophy and logic, logic method was used. Self study method
was also adopted for higher level. To teach the activity oriented subjects, arts, skills and other
vocations Demonstration, Experiment and practice method were adopted.
5.4.7. Teachers: (USTAD)
People well versed in Islamic religion and Scholars of Arabic or Persian or other
subjects could become teachers. They receive high salary and they possessed high status in the
society.
5.4.8. Students (SHAGIRD)
The students lived under the strict control and discipline of the teachers. They lived in
a highly authoritative and oppressive condition. They lead a sophisticated life in the hostels. In
hostel they had very good infrastructure facilities and very delicious food was provided.
5.4.9. Teacher-Taught Relationship
Teacher loved their students and taught them with great concern. Students also
respected their teachers and obeyed them devotedly. The students obeyed the teachers out of
fear in medieval period.
5.4.10. Conclusion
In retrospect one may say that Muslim education was an exotic plant in India. It failed to
benefit the Indian to the extent to which an education system of a society should have been some
of the good aspects like free education, state patronage, and regular financial aid to educational
institution have been practiced in the modern system of education.