The Medieval Muslim System of Education: Some Aspects for Reflection

By Dr. Zafar Darik Qasmi, New Age Islam 16 August 2025 Summary: The Muslim system of education emphasized both religious and rational sciences, producing balanced scholars like Ghazali, Ibn Sina, and Al-Biruni. Great institutions such as Nizamiyya, Ghazni, Al-Azhar, and Cordoba offered free, holistic education. Today, bridging the gap between religious and modern education is essential for unity, progress, and social harmony. Main Points: 1. Value of Knowledge – Knowledge is seen as life, while ignorance is death of thought and spirit. 2. Islamic Morality – Education builds moral character and social responsibility. 3. Historic Institutions – Nizamiyya, Al-Azhar, Cordoba, and Ghazni were major centers of learning. 4. Great Scholars – Thinkers like Ghazali, Ibn Sina, and Al-Biruni mastered multiple fields. 5. Unified Curriculum – No division between “religious” and “worldly” sciences in the past. 6. Modern Need – Integration of religious and modern education is vital for harmony and progress. —-- It is as clear as daylight that the greatest wealth of humankind is knowledge, upon which its progress and prosperity depend. The reality is that in the journey of life, only the people of knowledge remain truly alive, for their intellectual, scholarly, and research contributions continue to be remembered long after they are gone. Knowledge grants life and brightness, self-awareness, responsibility, independence, and freedom of thought. In contrast, ignorance turns a person into a lifeless dependent, depriving them of independence and self-awareness, and trapping them in mental and intellectual slavery — which ultimately leads to physical and political enslavement. The Importance and Value of Knowledge: As stated in an article from Muhammad Encyclopaedia, knowledge first frees the human soul from the slavery of selfish desires and the dirt of materialism, enabling a person to live according to the will of Allah. The reflection of a pure soul is seen in human morals, for the state of one’s inner self can be judged from their outward actions. This is why the Islamic curriculum strongly emphasizes good morals. In fact, morality is the standard for the success or failure of an individual and society’s practical life. Islamic education builds a person’s moral character so that they become a good, ethical, and respected member of society. A person blessed with true knowledge does not create unnecessary mischief or promote immoral philosophies. Instead, they make morality the ruler in every field of life and teach that the affairs of life should be based on moral principles rather than on desires, personal gains, or selfish motives. Islamic teachings demand the establishment of a life system based on good and noble values, free from evil. Islamic education links not only a person’s relationship with Allah but also their relationships with fellow human beings. It seeks to keep the spirit of moral principles alive in all human dealings. Islam loves qualities such as mercy, forgiveness, patience, truthfulness, justice, honesty, tolerance, kindness, equality, brotherhood, and piety. Adopting good traits and avoiding bad ones is the sign of a true believer. The essence of Islamic teaching is that high morals are the peak of human honor and the beauty of humanity. Unlike the Vedic religion, Islam did not limit knowledge to the Brahmins, nor did it make it the privilege of the elite class as in the old days of kings. Rather, Islam made education a democratic and public treasure, urging every individual to acquire it. Islam described knowledge as life and ignorance as death — not the death of body and soul, but the death of thought and spirit. Allah says in the Holy Qur’an: “Is he who was dead and We gave him life and made for him a light by which he walks among the people like him who is in darkness from which he cannot come out?” (Al-An‘am 6:122) There are many verses and Hadiths that show the great value and virtue of knowledge. When we study the Prophet Muhammad’s system of education, we see that his concept of knowledge put Islam’s intellectual life on a clear and unchanging path. It is a complete system that builds a strong and balanced personality, focusing on the full education of the body, mind, and soul. This system lights the divine flame within the human spirit, giving true meaning to life and pushing a person to strive continuously towards their goal. Islam teaches that growth and progress in life come only through continuous effort and struggle. The Muslim System of Education: In the past, our scholars and thinkers built educational institutions without separating “old and new” or “Eastern and Western” knowledge. These institutions aimed only at the pursuit of knowledge, producing scholars according to the needs of the time.Famous Examples: Madrasa Nizamiyya: This madrasa is attributed to its founder, Nizam al-Mulk Tusi, who was the prime minister during the Seljuk period. Run under royal patronage, the madrasa provided every kind of facility for both students and teachers, and it became a great center for acquiring various sciences, arts, knowledge, and wisdom. Distinguished scholars such as Imam al-Ghazali, Imam Abu Ishaq al-Shirazi, and Majd al-Din al-Firuzabadi served here as teachers. From their diverse intellectual contributions, one can clearly understand the richness of thought that flourished in this institution. Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi’s Madrasa: When Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni came to India, he ordered the construction of a magnificent mosque in Ghazni. A huge amount of money was spent, and a grand and splendid mosque was built, which was named “Aroos al-Falak” (Bride of Heaven). Alongside this mosque, an excellent madrasa was also established for the teaching of both religious and rational sciences. The most accomplished scholars and intellectuals used to teach students who came from all over Asia. This institution was unique in its kind throughout the entire continent. Al-Azhar University: When the Fatimid rulers conquered Egypt in 358 AH, they made Cairo their religious center and, in 359 AH / 970 CE, laid the foundation of Al-Azhar Mosque. The first Fatimid caliph, Al-‘Aziz Billah, established a royal madrasa there, where both religious (traditional) and rational sciences were taught. Very soon, students from different regions gathered here. Their education, food, accommodation, and other facilities were provided free of cost. The Fatimid rulers were Shia, and they used this madrasa largely for political purposes. Later, when Salahuddin Ayyubi conquered Egypt, he introduced education according to the Shafi‘i school of thought. This madrasa has continued to exist under the name Al-Azhar University, and today it is recognized as the oldest and largest university in the Muslim world. The Great University of Cordoba: In Andalusia (Spain), which was under Muslim rule, the cities of Cordoba and Granada became great centers of knowledge, art, and culture. In Cordoba, the famous Great Mosque of Cordoba housed a university founded by Caliph Al-Hakam II, known as the University of Cordoba. Free education was provided there, and distinguished teachers from both the East and the West were appointed to teach. The greatness of this university can be understood from its library, which contained about 400,000 rare books, and even its catalogue alone consisted of 44 volumes. Following their example, many other schools were established in Damascus, Jerusalem, and other cities by rulers like Nur al-Din Zangi and Salahuddin Ayyubi. Graduates of These Institutions: Those who studied in these institutions were well-balanced thinkers and experts in multiple fields. Religious and worldly studies were not separated. Some great examples include: Imam Ghazali — mastered philosophy and Islamic sciences, wrote Ihya Ulum al-Din and Tahafut al-Falasifa. Ibn Sina (Avicenna) — excelled in medicine, mathematics, philosophy, and literature; his Canon of Medicine was taught in Europe for centuries. Al-Biruni — expert in astronomy, geography, mathematics, and multiple languages, including Sanskrit. Imam Bayhaqi — a great scholar of Hadith, law, and theology, author of over a thousand volumes. Ibn Abd al-Barr — a master of Hadith and author of many important works. From these examples, it is clear that there was no division between religious and worldly knowledge. One institution taught whatever knowledge was beneficial for society. The Need for Harmony Between Religious and Modern Education Just as social harmony is important today, harmony between religious and modern knowledge is also necessary. Unfortunately, our present education system has a wide gap between religious schools (madrasas) and modern schools/universities. As Maulana Manazir Ahsan Gilani pointed out, this division has caused great harm. He wrote that one group of scholars is unaware of the other’s knowledge, creating a never-ending conflict in society. One group pulls people forward, while the other pulls them back — and as a result, neither makes real progress. Gilani believed that education should not be divided into “religious” and “worldly” categories but into “beneficial” and “non-beneficial” knowledge. He also supported a unified curriculum to prevent division and conflict in society. He encouraged learning local languages like Sanskrit and Hindi alongside Arabic and English. In the past, Muslim scholars learned Sanskrit and Hebrew to better understand the culture and religious texts of the land. Today, most madrasa research is in Arabic, Urdu, or English, but very little is in Hindi or other regional languages, creating distance between madrasas and society. This distance breeds misunderstanding and conflict in India’s diverse society. Conclusion: If we want national pride, social balance, and intellectual harmony, we must bridge the gap between religious and modern education. Madrasas should connect more closely with society by teaching local languages and addressing contemporary needs. Education should unite people, not divide them. In a plural society like India, this is the only way to ensure peace, unity, and collective progress. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-society/medieval-muslim-education-reflection/d/136506 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism