The Islamic Education system presents an ideological challenge to western civilization

For decades many have discussed whether the Islamic ideology can return as a leading civilization, one that can bring nations out of illiteracy, war, poverty to advancement in education, peace, and economic prosperity as in the past. A civilization that can stand as an example to the world...

People of the likes of H.G Wells, a famous historian and writer have brought this discussion to the frontline and was quoted to have said "Islam has created a society more free from widespread cruelty and social oppression than any other society had ever been in the world before". Others have also commented on the great Islamic civilizations, such as Carly Fiorina (the chairman and CEO of Hewlett Packard) "the civilization I'm talking about, of course, was the Islamic world from the year 800 to 1600, which included the Ottoman Empire and the courts of Baghdad, Damascus and Cairo, and enlightened rulers like Suleiman the Magnificent - rulers who challenged our notions of self and truth; who contributed to our notions of tolerance and civic leadership; whose leadership led to 800 years of invention and prosperity.......humanity has learned much from the diversity of the Islamic world - a world that was based on meritocracy, not inheritance".

When we look to the Muslim world today we see the decline in thought and advancement. People of the likes of George W.Bush have considered it the “uncivilized world”. One would never perceive a time of prosperity in its past. However we must look at the Islamic past, not in a historical context but as inspiration for the future of the so called “civilized” world as well as for what is perceived as the “uncivilized” world; as it was the past not the present, which truly represented Islam as a civilization and may again in the future.

The Education System of Islam

The education system of Islam is built on Islamic principles of giving the right of education to all and to advance society in knowledge and skills. Under Islam, the value of education was very important because Islam obliges the pursuit and acquisition of Knowledge. The Prophet Muhammad (saw) stated, “Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim male and female” 

This encourages the Muslims to pursue knowledge for this life and for the hereafter. The view held is to educate so that it may benefit the wider society but also to please the creator Allah (SWT). With this outlook the Islamic caliphate established numerous Universities for Muslims and non-muslims, men and women. 

Universities under Islamic rule 

During the time of the Fatimids, Caliph Almuiz built and opened Al-Azhar University in 361 AH / 972 AD. Since then it has become the most well known mosque in the whole Muslim World, and the oldest university ever known worldwide for all types of studies. Right from the beginning, the seminars held at Al-Azhar were of purely academic nature and produced thousands of eminent scholars and educationalists. The Universities academic excellence became known later in both east and west. During the Fatimid period, Al-Azhar was an essential part of the intellectual life. Beside the usual seminars, education sessions were held for women. Al-Azhar was also the official seat of judges on certain days and the accountant or chief tax collector "Muhtasib" for nearly two centuries. It attracted many teachers as well as many students from all over the Islamic world. Many famous scholars graduated from al-azhar and many more came from the schools of Baghdad, where they got to know scholars of the calibre of Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, Abu Ishaq al-Isfara'ini, Al-Juwaini and Abu-Bakr Al-Baqilani. When Napoleon Bonaparte attacked Egypt in (1213 A.H / July 1789 A.D) he looked upon Al-Azhar as the most well known university in the whole Islamic world. During his exile at Saint He wrote in his diary that Al-Azhar was the counterpart of Sorbonne in Paris. He looked highly upon Al-Azhar Ulema (scholars) as the elite of the educated class and as the leaders of the people.

During the rule of Caliph Al Hakam Ibn Abdul Rahman The University of Cordoba was established, which was a well established centre of learning especially in Europe. Indeed the Kings and the Queens of Europe used to send their children to study within theses universities. It made great contributions to art, the physical sciences, mathematics, geometry, and medicine. Their music was so highly cultivated that it was regarded to be a science, used to cure the insane. Students came from all over Europe to study in the great Muslim universities in Cordoba, Granada and Seville. Europe learned many things from the Muslims, including the Arabic numeral system, the concept of zero, the concept of harmony and concepts of law, maths and physics. In fact, the flood of knowledge coming from these universities led to the creation of the first universities and colleges in Europe.

The world-class University of Sankore, Timbuktu, its achievement in higher education is important to Islamic civilization even though it was less known compared to Al-Azhar, Al-Qairawan, Al-Qarawiyyin and Qurtuba Universities. Like all other Islamic universities, its students came from all over the world. Around the 12th century, it had an attendance of 25,000 students, in a city of 100,000 people. The university was known for its high standards and admission requirements. It produced world-class scholars recognised by their publications and graduates.

All these universities and others provided the fertile ground in which scientific discoveries and inventions were made.

The educated under the caliphate

Below are some eminent people that were produced in the universities under the Islamic caliphate. Each showing how Islam when applied in its true light can build remarkable personalities.

Ibn Sina - b.980, he is well renowned for the book he wrote called Al Qanun [The Canon] which contained a million words. It was translated into Latin in the 12th century and remained of the most valuable textbooks in medieval Europe until the 17th century. He was the first to describe Meningitis, and his work on minerals was one of the main sources of geology of the Christian encyclopedists of the 15th century. His commentary on the works of Aristotle was as significant as the work of the Greek scholar himself. Greek science and Philosophy was lost to the Europeans during the Dark Ages, but the Muslims preserved and expanded the knowledge.

Al Haythem - d.1035, was the greatest analyst of ophthalmology. His work was based around the role of the retina in vision and he wrote a book on optics which discussed the propagation of light and colours. His work influenced scientists such as Roger Bacon, Keplar and Leonardo Da Vinci. Later Ibn Nafis d. 1289 explained the circulation of blood flow, over 300 years before William Harvey who wrote about his research in 1628.

Yaqub Ibn Ishaq Al Kindi - b.800 was the first physician who analytically determined the dosage of most drugs. He had influences in other fields of studies such as geography, mathematics, philosophy and physiology. His influence lasted for 7 centuries.

Al- Bayruni – b.973, was the greatest polymath. His research amounted to 180 works and of that 40 has survived. He was also involved in other fields of study like mathematics, astronomy, natural science, geography and he was a historian as well as a chronologist, and linguist. He was a competent instrument maker who made a geared mechanical calendar in the 11th century. His approach to learning bore careful observation and experiment. 

Al Baitar – d.1248, was a pioneer in the medical treatment of animals. He invented al-Baitarah which was a science concentrating on animals. The word was later changed to ‘Veterinary’ in English. 

Jabir Ibn Haiyan – is recognized as the father of chemistry because he established the practice of experimental chemistry. The word chemistry is derived from the Arabic ‘Al Kami’. He practiced medicine in Kufa [Iraq] in 776.A large amount of his books were popular for 7 centuries and were translated into Latin. He introduced many technical terms for instance ‘alkali’, ‘cinnabar’ and ‘alembic’ which are still used in scientific vocabulary. The most important of his discoveries was the preparation of sulphuric acid, till this day it is a major component of industry. 

Ibn al-Haytham- b.965, He found Major contribution to physics. His book discusses how rays of light travels from objects towards the eye. He was also the first person to construct a camera obscura. In his book of Balance and Wisdom, Al-Khazim ( d.1121) wrote on mechanics, hydrostatics and physics. The book contained a theme of gravity, identified as a central force directed towards the centre of the universe. This was written centuries before Isaac Newton (1642-1727) encountered his theories.

Ibn al-Shatir - b.1304, he calculated the planetary bodies and included a planetary theory that shares many features with that of the work of Nicolaus Copernicus(1473) who knew of at-Shatir’s research.

An ideological challenge to western civilization

During the history of Islam, the Islamic education system was very important and well respected over the whole world. It raised the Islamic civilization to such heights as to witness a period of richness and intellectual advancement unmatched anywhere; a civilization, which benefited Muslims and non-Muslims worldwide; a civilization which became an example to Europe during the dark ages; and a civilization which truly represented the Islamic ideology, unlike the representation today in the Muslim countries. 

Islam, a challenge to western civilization? One may argue it was a challenge of the past. However, many worldwide are seeing the failure of the western civilization to cater for the needs of humans globally, or to bring global economic prosperity. Instead we see aspects of western civilization imported, creating a wide development gap between countries and enforcing aid policies which are strangling nations to its depths; many are seeing educational development in some countries and not others. In contrast the Islamic civilization brought global economic prosperity, and an education system, which developed many regions from the Middle East, Asia, to Europe. 

The ideals, values and principles of Islam remain and are the same today; with application to    the current Muslim world, Islam has the same potential to again create a great alternative civilization for the world. 

Shilla Begum (Graduate of Biochemistry- University of London; teacher of Science)