Evolution of Education

during Medieval Period

Dr Kalpana Thakur
Islamic Philosophy in Relation to Education
Fundamentals of Islamic philosophy
 Epistemology (Theory of Knowledge)
 Islamic philosophy was the main source of all culture and education during the
medieval times that covered the period from 10 th century A.D.to the middle of
18th century.
 Passionate belief that there is one God who is the creator of the universe, full of
power, mercy and goodness.
 In Islamic educational theory knowledge is gained in order to actualize and perfect all
dimensions of the human being. From an Islamic perspective the highest and most useful
model of perfection is the prophet Muhammad, and the goal of Islamic education is that
people be able to live as he lived.
 Education in the context of Islam is regarded as a process that involves the complete
person, including the rational, spiritual, and social dimensions.
 Metaphysics:
 Allah is the only reality. Allah means the one who is the object of worship,
love and obedience, who rules over the universe, responds to prayers,
protects from evil, provides for the needs and the one who is hidden from
eyes and transcends comprehension.
 He is the only self-existing reality. Everything is his creation.
 Axiology:
 Islam advocated higher values of life.
 Prophet preached simple but firm moral codes of kindness towards the poor
and the needy and loyalty to friends
Structure of Education
 Maktab (primary grade); and
 (ii) Madrasha (higher grade).
 Maktab:
 The term ‘Maktab’ is derived from Arabic ‘Kulub” means a place where writing is
taught. The ‘Maktabs’ were attached to mosques. There was a special method of
admission to the Maktabs. Similar to the Brahmanical system, the education among
Male children used to commence with the formal observance of a ceremony known
as ‘Bismillah Khani”.
 The ceremony was observed when the child was four years, four months and four
days old. At the beginning of the academic career the child was taught the script
through the help of eye and ear. This was followed by the study of the thirteenth
chapter of the Quran which contained verses of daily prayer and ‘Fatiha’ (Verses
recited at the time of burial ceremony) Considerable attention was paid for the
correct pronunciation.
 In case of girls, the ceremony was somewhat different. A scroll with golden
writings was presented to the girl known as ‘Zarfishani’. The word Zarfishani
means sprinkling gold. To give education to girls amounted to giving gold to her or
better than that even.
 Pupils were devoting some time for writing and cramming the Persian grammar and
certain poetic works. Besides these, elementary arithmetic, mode of conversation,
correspondence etc. were also included in the primary education. Though the script
of the alphabet was Persian, yet Urdu too formed one of the chief subjects of study.

 By the time the students finished their primary education they got some practical
knowledge.
 Under the primary grade ‘Maktab’ there appeared to be four types of schools for the
Muslim children. The Quran schools which were attached to the mosques, taught the
recitation of the holy book without perhaps understanding it. But it did not profess
to teach writing and arithmetic. The second was the Persian school where poetical
works of the renowned writers of Islamic culture were taught. The third were the
Persian Quran schools which combined in them the characteristics of both types of
schools mentioned above. The last type was the Arabic School which was meant for
the adults.
 Madrasha:
 In the medieval period higher Islamic education was imparted in the Madrasah.
The Madrasahs were maintained out of the bounty of kings and noble men.
These institutions were manned by the erudite teachers and eminent scholars.
Teaching work in different subjects was conducted through lectures.
 After completing the study at Maktab, the students were eligible for the
admission to Madrasah. No formal ceremony was observed on this occasion.
The private managing body or respectable benefactors were conducting the
administration of the Madrasahs.
 There was provision for both secular and religious education in the Madrasah.
The total duration of the course was ten to twelve years in all. The medium of
instruction in these institutions was the court language, Persian. But the study
of Arabic was made compulsory for the Muslim students.
 The seculars education included the subjects Arabic Grammar, Prose,
Literature, Logic, Philosophy, Law, Astrology, Arithmetic, History, Geography,
Medicine, Agriculture, Composition , etc. The Muslims generally followed in the
field of handicraft and architecture the traditional Indian system.
 The religious education included a comprehensive and profound study of the
Quran, commentary on Quran traditions of the prophet Muhammad, Islamic
law and sometimes the tenets of Sufi creed. At the beginning, stress was given
to secular education. As time went on they wanted to increase the number of
their tribe and to this end, they converted many Hindus into Muslims and
initiated them into Islam.
 In course of time religious education dominated the scene as the convert new
Muslim needed religious education.
 As the emperor Akbar adopted the policy of religious tolerance, the prevalent
curriculum was modified during his reign. Because he anticipated some danger
to the safety of his empire in providing only Islamic education to the Hindus.
Akbar established colleges for the Hindu children where they were taught
Hindu religion, philosophy and literature along with Persian.
 During medieval period domestic system of teaching was prevalent and the
educational work was done by the private teacher. There were certain families
of hereditary Muslim scholars whose reputation drew students from different
parts of the country. These scholars were imparting highest instruction in their
respective educational centers to the students in their field of specialization.
 These educational centers had to depend mostly upon the capacity of the
individual teacher and his reputation. As it was the family affairs of the private
teacher, it was breaking up when the family ceased to produce the scholars.
Another agency of education was the wandering scholars and preachers who
moved from place to place and attracted huge audience.
 Higher madrashas were located in the bigger towns like Oudh, Jaunpur, Agra,
Lahore, Delhi, Multan, Ajmer, Lucknow.
 The medium of instruction was Persian as it was court language.
Aims of Education
 Acquisition of knowledge:
 The chief aim of Islamic education was to acquire knowledge and to spread the light
of knowledge. According to Mohammad, “Knowledge is nectar and salvation is
impossible without it”. He also said that the ink of the scholar is more holy than the
blood of the martyr. However, the objectives of education by the Muslims were
almost entirely intellectual. It was gaining of knowledge and training of mind.
 ii. Propagation of Islam:
 The aim of education was to propagate Islam religion by following the dictates of the
great religious personalities. The spread of Islam was considered as religious duty.
 Islamic social morals:
 A special system of morals based Islamic education was evolved. The teachers laid
emphasis on the inculcation of moral and spiritual values among students through
education.
 Achievement of material progress:
 Muslims also wanted to achieve material progress through education. In order
to get high posts, honorable rank, medals, grants of ‘Jagirs’ people were
motivated for Islamic education.
 Organization of political and social system:
 The objectives of education were to gather cultural and political knowledge
from the Indians. Therefore, the Muslims introduced their own education
system to gain knowledge of this culture and also to create some political
circumstances as it would strengthen their role in this country.
 Preservation and spread of muslim culture:
 Muslim educational system worked for preservation and transmission of
Muslim culture. The centres of learning situated in different parts of the
country bear eloquent testimony to this fact.
Curriculum

 At the primary stage, the curriculum was limited to the study of 3Rs. The
Quran was compulsory at all the stages.
 At the senior stage, History, Science, Economics, Philosophy, Religion,
Mathematics, Astrology were included in the curriculum.
 There was great emphasis on vocational education. There were many
kharkhanas or manufacturing centres which give technical training to those
who had interest and aptitude for it. The trainees spent many years in order
to learn a particular trade.
Methods of teaching

 The oral instructions by the teacher was the chief method of teaching.
Lectures by the teachers on important topics constituted a significant method
of imparting instruction.
 Memorization by the students was an essential factor in teaching and
learning.
 There were discussions at the senior stage.
 For the first time a ‘Takhti’ a wooden plank for the children to learn writing
during the initial stages was introduced as an important method of teaching
writing.
Discipline

 There was a strict code of discipline. The teacher was regarded as an

authority and his word was an order.
 The child was expected to obey his teacher. In case of break of discipline, the
student was subjected to severe corporal punishment.
Teacher-pupil relationship
 The Muslim teacher lived a worldly life like other citizens. However, he was
sincere and devoted.
 In the Muslim period also the teacher was respected as during the Brahmanic
or Budhist 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 Budhist period.
 Pupils were humble, submissive and obedient owing to the high honour and
prestige of teachers in society.
 The number of students with the teacher was limited, he paid individual
attention to each students . 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.
Women education

 Often attached to mosques, Islamic schools were open to the poor but were
gender segregated, often only for boys. Muslim girls of affluent families studied
at home, if they received any education beyond learning to recite the Koran.
 Although there was Pardah system during the Muslim period yet Islam did not
oppose the education of women. These two contrary factors influence the
education of women in two ways. 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 girl to higher classes used to continue their studies at
home.
Role of state

 Most of the Muslim kings were interested in the spread of Muslim education
and set up of Maktabs and madrashas for the purpose. But there was no
systematic and consistent educational policy among the Muslim kings. The
only exception was Akbar who provided schools and colleges for Hindus and
Muslims both.
Merits and shortcomings

 Synthesis of worldly and religious education

 Vocational education
 Compulsory education for Muslim children
 Growth of professional writings and Art
 Centres for education developed
 Shortcomings
 Political instability
 Material aspect of education was stressed
 Arabic and Persian languages were dominated
 Mass education was neglected
HINDU SYSTEM OF EDUCATION DURING THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD

 Lack of state support: With the advent of the Muslim rule, the state support for
the Hindu system of education almost ended. Now it depended upon the rich people,
scholars and village communities. Of course where there were no Muslim rulers, it
received state support. Gradually there remained a few such areas..
 Religion Oriented Education: The system of education, by and large was
dominated by religion. Elementary education was imparted in ‘pathshalas’ which
existed both in villages and towns.
 Pathshalas
 Usually pathshalas were held in the verandah of some house or under trees. There
were also separate houses for pathshalas. Specific type of buildings for them did not
exist. Premises of the temples were also used. ) The ‘Pathshalas’: Elementary
education was imparted in ‘pathshalas’ which existed both in villages and towns.
 Fees:
 No regular fees were charges from the students. The parents gave presents to
the teachers. Students were required to render personal service to the teachers.
Sometimes teacher also engaged themselves in part time work to supplement
their income.
 Curriculum at the elementary stage:
 Knowledge of weights and measures was considered essential therefore;
arithmetic was a compulsory subject at the elementary stage. According to Dr.
Krishnalal Ray,(1989),the elementary schools were mainly for giving
instruction to these R’s and them practical application (such as composition of
letters and business documents.).
 Literature was included in the curriculum, real literature taste was not
cultivated.
 Moral and religious instruction also had a secondary place in these schools. In
some schools, salutation to Goddess Saraswati (the Goddess of learning) was
learnt by heart by the students. Instruction in mythology and sacred love of the
Hindus was also given in some schools.
 Instructional Methods at the Elementary Stage:
 There were four stages of Instruction at the elementary stage.
 In the first stage writing letters of the alphabet on sand was taught to students.
 In the second stage, the teacher wrote on palm leaves and the students traced
over them with red pen and charcoal ink .These could be rubbed very easily.
 In the third stage, the student wrote and pronounced compound components.
Excessive practice was given to the students in this regard. Common names of
persons were used for this purpose. At this stage also, the student was taught to
use the words in the formation of sentences. He was also taught to make a
distinction between written and colloquial languages. The students were taught
to rules of arithmetic and multiplication tables repeated by the entire class.
 In the fourth stage, students were taught to use paper for writing .