Classical Foundations of Islamic Educational Thought

Education has always been an important pursuit in Islam. The Prophet Muhammad enjoined his followers to “seek knowledge, even unto China.” Within the religion, educational theory and practice were founded on the work of itinerant teachers who taught the fundamental tenets of the faith in exchange for lodging and other services; Qur’anic schools where masters of the Qur’an tutored pupils; and centers of higher learning in Baghdad, Damascus, Alexandria and elsewhere, where Islamic theology and jurisprudence were developed and taught. In this volume, Bradley J. Cook, with assistance from Fathi H. Malkawi, has drawn together and introduced selections from the writings of eminent Islamic thinkers on the subject of Islamic educational efforts, presenting the original Arabic texts alongside their annotated English translations.

Bradley J. Cook is the Provost of Southern Utah University. Prior to this appointment, he served as the president of the Abu Dhabi Women’s College in the United Arab Emirates. Fathi H Malkawi is a Jordanian-born educator and university professor. He was formerly the executive director of the International Institute of Islamic Thought in Herndon, Virginia.