Samarkand, Uzbekistan, a Madrasa in Registan Square. (I took this picture in 1968 long before restoration of the Registan Square began). This building was able to withstand quite well when an earthquake struck this area in early 1966.
"'Madrasa"" means a learning institutions. The education system ln Muslim regions consisted of Maktab for children up to age of 6 where they learned basics and ability to read Quran and memorised surahs required to read the in the daily prayers. The Maktab was followed by Madrasas and they had 16 grades ln 2 levels. Level 1 from age 6 to 14 and level 2 from age 15 to 22. In level 1, one trade was compulsory. The curriculum of Madrasa was multidisciplinary and included subjects like science, logic, Falsafa (philosophy), literature, law, governance, religion and others. Haroon Al Rashid in 790 in Baghdad started the first Madrasa, an institution of advanced learning called Al Nizamya center of knowledge. Madrasa in the Muslim world were modeled after the house of wisdom and knowledge in Baghdad.
Al-Azhar in Cairo, the oldest University in the world started in 970, in comparison Oxford started in 1248 and Harvard in 1636. Two other old institutions of advanced learning were, Ez Zaitona in Tunisia, which started in 737 and Al Quaraouiyine in Morocco established in 859. The curriculum was multi disciplinary and that is why the early Islamic scholars were scientists, philosophers, mathematicians, physicians and at the same time scholars of Islam. The separation between science and religious scholarship that now exists is not consistent with the past traditions of the Islamic scholars. There are exceptions, Allama Iqbal(1877-1938) was a philosopher and a scholar of Islam. Professor Sayyed Husain Nasar of the George Washington University is a scientist, a philosopher and a respected scholar of Islam. Khaliq (April 2016).
PS. The Golden
Age of Islam started in the 7th century and ended in about 18th century when the occupation of Muslim regions by non
Muslim powers occurred. Assertion that the golden age ended in 13th century when Mongol invasion brought an end of the Abbasid Caliphate is incorrect. Soon after their fall Ottoman Empire emerged and became the patron of art, science and education and so did Mongols after their conversion too Islam in their ruled areas and Khanates.
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