An Ideal Islamic Educational System: Theoretical Foundations, Practical Features, and Prospects for Implementation

مثالی اسلامی تعلیمی نظام،نظریاتی بنیادیں،عملی خدوخال اور نفاذکے امکانات

Abstract

The significance and necessity of education and learning are undeniable. Education is a torch that dispels darkness and removes obstacles; it is a key that opens the doors to the greatest successes. It not only refines human behavior and social etiquette, but also shapes moral character. For this very reason, Allah Almighty initiated the process of human guidance and education from the beginning of creation through the gradual appointment of 124,000 prophets, who dedicated all their capacities to the propagation of knowledge and wisdom. The final and most complete link in this sacred chain is the person of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Regarding the objectives of his mission, Allah Almighty declares in the Qur'an:“He it is Who sent among the unlettered ones a Messenger from among themselves, reciting unto them His verses, purifying them, and teaching them the Book and wisdom, although they were before in manifest error.” (Al-Jumu‘ah: 2) The entire life of the Prophet ﷺ stands as a living testimony to the fact that he devoted his every moment to these very goals. Through his tireless efforts, the Arabian Peninsula, once engulfed in ignorance, was illuminated with the light of knowledge and guidance, and centuries of darkness vanished in a matter of years. Following the establishment of the Islamic state, the Prophet ﷺ founded an educational institution known as “Suffah” adjacent to the northern wall of Masjid al-Nabawi. He himself served as its principal and instructor, while the learners were none other than the noble Companions. The educational structure and principles implemented in this school provide the foundational model for an Islamic system of education. Within a span of merely ten years, this model proved so effective that illiteracy was virtually eradicated in the Islamic state, and men, women, children, and elders all became adorned with the jewels of knowledge. This paper, entitled "An Ideal Islamic Educational System: Theoretical Foundations, Practical Features, and Prospects for Implementation," seeks to examine the Islamic educational model in the light of Prophetic guidance. The study will address the following major themes: