Curriculum in Quranic schools...Islamic precedence
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
Written by Dr. Ragheb Elsergany
Muslims’ progress in education
In his travel to Damascus, Ibn Jubayr[1] described to us the progress of the systematic
education of children there. He reported that teaching of Qur’an to children in
the entire Levant was based on indoctrination. He said that children were
taught calligraphy and used it in writing poetry and others. They accorded high
esteem to the book of Allah. In most countries, Qur’an teachers were different
from those of calligraphy. They had good reputation in this regard, as they
mastered calligraphy. Teachers devoted their efforts to teaching, and children
devoted themselves to learning; so it was easy for children to follow suit.
[2]
So, the education of children in Qur’anic schools reached its greatest level. Muslims knew the system of dividing subjects of study, and they allocated a specialized teacher in each subject. The easterners were interested in improving their children's writing skills, and this was highlighted by Ibn Jubayr, who made it one of the most important characteristics of the education system in the Islamic Mashreq.
The system of the education of children in the Mashreq continued to use the same approach told by Ibn Jubayr in 580 AH, as Ibn Battuta[3] in his famous trip reported what Ibn Jubayr had reported one hundred and fifty years before. Talking about the Qur’an teachers at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, Ibn Battuta said “There was a group of Qur’an teachers, each of them leaned against a pillar to teach boys. The boys did not write the Qur’an on sheets out of their high esteem to the book of Allah, but they recite it only. Teacher of calligraphy are different from those of Qur’an. Calligraphy teachers used to teach boys how to write poetry and others. So, boys move from education to writing, this is why they had good handwriting. Calligraphy teachers did not teach anything else.” [4] It is noted that children learnt the Noble Qur’an in mosques, and then studied calligraphy to learn how to read and write correctly.
Disciplining of children in Islam
As for disciplining children
and boys through beating, scholars developed a set of regulations, which means
that Muslims were interested in child-rearing and discipline long time ago. Ibn
Muflih Al-Maqdisi (died in 763AH) reported in his book “Al-Adab Al-Shar’iyah”
(religious morals) that Muslim scholar Abu Abdullah (Ahmad ibn Hanbal) was
asked about the beating by a teacher of a child. Ibn Hanbal said: according to
their mistakes, and a teacher should be gentle in beating, and if the child is
small and irrational, he must not be beaten.” [5]
Many jurisprudents, scholars and teachers warned against exaggeration and sophistication in beating children or treating them cruelly. Al-Abdari said: “Be cautious about the act of some teachers at this time (eighth Hijri century), which is using a tool to hit the boys, such as the dry almonds stick, fronds, Nubian whips, Al-Falaqa (a device with a rope looped through its ends which, when twisted, secures the feet of one who is to be bastinadoed), and other things they innovated. This is too much and does not fit the memorizers of the Noble Qur’an, as stated in the hadith that says: ‘One who memorizes the Qur’an looks like having prophecy between his shoulders, but it is not revealed to him’[6]. So, a teacher should teach them calligraphy as he teaches them how to memorize the Qur'an. Thus, boys would have the capability of memorization and understanding, something which helps them read books and understands issues.” [7]
Functions of Qur’anic schools
The functions of Qur’anic schools were not only educational, but they also had a very important social role. Muslims did not allow isolation and barriers between Qur’anic schools and the society. So, Qur’anic schools interacted with the society and shared it in the daily life. “If a scholar who benefited people with his knowledge; a president who benefited his country with his views and work; or a just prince who had just rulings dies, Qur’anic schools are closed down and the boys suspend their study on the day of burial in order to share in the public calamity, express condolence, and pay tribute to the public interest.” [8]
When Egypt’s ruler Ahmad ibn Tulun[9] became very sick, the Qur’an teachers in Egypt decided to go to the desert along with their boys to invocate Allah to heal Ibn Tulun. [10]
Teachers were keen to involve boys in the public issues that afflict the society. Ibn Sahnun[11] says: “If there was no rain and the Imam prayed for rain, teachers used to bring the boys who know how to pray and invocate Allah for rain. I was told that when the people of Prophet Yunus (peace be upon him) were sure about the punishment, they went out with their children to invocate Allah.” [12]
It is noticeable that educators at Qur’anic schools cared for the health of the boys. They advised any sick child to be isolated from his colleagues lest the disease would spread among them. Ibn Al-Haj Al-Abdari says: “If one of the boys complains of a pain in his eyes or body in the class and his pain is true, the teacher should send him home and not to let him sit in the class” [13] so as to let his family care for him and treat him for fear of the spread of infectious diseases among the boys.
Teachers at the Qur’anic schools were asked to prevent the boys from eating food and sweets displayed by street vendors. “Teachers did not allow vendors to stand outside the school to sell to the boys, as boys would be harmed if they bought from him.” [14] Teachers were so careful that they “ordered a doctor to come to the school every month”[15].
The Islamic civilization’s interest in children since the Prophet (peace be upon him) proves that this civilization did not distinguish between old and young people. Rather, it learned that today’s children are tomorrow's leaders, so it worked on upbringing them well through the establishment of Qur’anic schools, which are like primary schools in our time. Dignified scholars, who provided people with useful knowledge, hence prosperity and progress, graduated from these Qur’anic schools.
[1] Ibn Jubayr: He is Abu Al-Husayn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Jubayr Al-Andalusi (540-614 AH/1145-1217 AD), traveler and man of letter who visited Al-Mashreq three times, in one of which he composed his book "Travels of Ibn Jubayr". He was born in Balansyah and died in Alexandria. See: Al-Zirikli: Al-A'lam 5/319-320.
[2] Ibn Jubayr: Travels of Ibn Jubayr, p 245.
[3] Ibn Battuta: He is Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Muhammad Al-Tanji (703-779 AH/1304-1377 AD), a traveler and historian. He was born and grew up in Granada and visited many countries. He was died in Marrakech. See: Al-Zirikli: Al-A'lam 6/235.
[4] Ibn Battuta: Travels of Ibn Battuta, p 87.
[5] Ibn Muflih: Al-Adab Al-Shar'iyah (religious conduct) 2/61.
[6] Narrated by Al-Hakim (2028) who said it is a correct hadith.
[7] Ibn Al-Hajj Al-Abdari: Al-Madkhal 2/317.
[8] Hassan Husni Abd-al-Wahab: Muqadimat Kitab Adab Al-Mu'allimin li Ibn Sahnun (introduction to the book of teachers' code of conduct by Ibn Sahnun) p 57.
[9] Ahmad ibn Tulun: (died in 270 AH), the ruler of the Levant and Egypt. Al-Mu'taz-billah assigned him the rule of Egypt. He was just, benevolent, brave, modest, of good conduct. He used to check things by himself, reconstruct countries, and check the affairs of his people. He loved scholars. See: Al-Safadi: Al-Wafi bi Al-Wafiyyat 1/870.
[10] Ibn Al-Jawzi: Al-Muntazim 5/73.
[11] Ibn Sahnun: He is Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Salam (Sahnun) ibn Sa'id ibn Habib Al-Tanukhi (202-256 AH/817-870 AD), a Maliki jurisprudent. He had many works. See: Al-Zirikli: Al-A'lam 6/204.
[12] Ibn Sahnun: Adab Al-Mu'allimin, p 111.
[13] Ibn Al-Hajj Al-Abdari: Al-Madkhal 2/322.
[15] Abd-al-Ghani Mahmud Abd-al-Ati: Al-Ta'lim fi Misr Zaman Al-Ayyubin wa Al-Mamalik (Education in Egypt in the era of Ayyubids and Mamluks) p 145, and Muhammad Munir Sa'd-al-Din: Research entitled "Dawr Al-Kuttab wa Al-Masajid ind Al-Muslimin" (Role of Qur'anic schools and mosques with Muslims), p 3.
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