ABSTRACT
This research work, study of Qur’anic school system and its impact to children behavior, was design to outline some challenges faced by Qur’anic school students, and the solutions on how to solve the problem in Danmusa local government. The research is intended to identify the changes that school under go in providing education to children. Interview and observation was used as instrument for data collection. The researcher used random sampling for selecting some schools, which to observe and interview with some Almjirai/Mallams and some people. After proper used of the instrument data was analyze and proper suggesting to the problems of Qur’anic school student, the recommendation was centered on parent, government, teachers and students in general.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Title page
Approval page
Dedication
Acknowledgment
Abstract
Chapters
CHAPTER ONE
1.1. Background of the study
1.2. Statement of the problem
1.3. Objectives of the study
1.4. Research questions
1.5. Research hypothesis
1.6. Limitation of the study
1.7. Definition of the terms
CHAPTER TWO
Review of related literature
2.0. Introduction
2.1. Concept of Qur’anic education during the life time of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
2.2. Concept of Qur’anic education during the life time of the companions.
2.3. Concept of Qur’anic education after the life time of the successors
2.4. Development of Qur’anic education in Nigeria.
2.5. Development of Qur’anic education in Katsina
2.6. Development of Qur’anic education in Danmusa local government
2.7. Concept of children behavior
2.8. Concept of Almajiri
2.9. Concept of the impact of Qur’anic school education to children behavior
2.10 Summary
CHAPTER THREE
Methodology
3.0. Introduction
3.1. Research design
3.2. Population of the study
3.3. Sample and sampling techniques
3.4. Instrumentation
3.5. Data procedure for data collection
3.6. Data analysis techniques
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0. Introduction
4.1. Personal information of the respondent discussion
4.2. Analysis of the data
4.3. Problems faced by Qur’anic school student
4.4. Prospect solution to the problems
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0. Introduction
5.1. Summary of the finding
5.2. Conclusion
5.3. Recommendation
CHAPTER ONE
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Islam is a religion found in Makka, Saudi Arabia by Prophet Muhammad (SAW), in the first half of 7th century A.D. Later the Arab conquers North Africa.
This facilitated trade relations as well as the spread of Islam. No wonder then that Islam came to West Africa through traders. The traders made it possible for the religion to spread along trade routes to Kanem-Borno, Hausa land and the central Sudan.
By 11th century, Islam had penetrated the kingdom of Kanem-Borno (section of which comprised present day Borno state of Nigeria). Islam began to penetrate Hausa land on a large scale in the 15th century and was spreading south west in the 16th century.
Throughout Sudan (present Northern Nigeria) during the 16th century there was considerable expansion both in the number of people who were converted to Islam and in the number who could read and write in Arabic. The religion became so influential that most of these ancient states were ruled by Muslims by 1800. It’s to their credit that the Muslims brought with them the first the first written language known in West Africa and all the benefits of Arab culture. (NCE/DLS, 2000, historical foundation of education, module 1 unit 02, NTI)
STATEMENT OF THEB PROBLEM
Qur’anic education is intended to make the learner to become a useful member of the society by imparting to him moral teachings that will make him fid into Muslims society and general society at large.
But there are many problems facing student/pupils (Almajirai) in the process of learning. Most of the students have poor performance in their learning process due to social and economic problems which both the teacher and Almajirai are seriously facing. Other problems facing Almajirai is relating to feeding, health care personal hygiene, accommodation, and condition of study.
Moreover, there is lack of government fully intervention into the activities in Qur’anic education in Danmusa local government.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objectives of this research are as follows;
- To document the historical evaluation and contemporary dimensions of Qur’anic schools (Makarantun Allo).
- To examine the impact of Qur’anic school to children behavior in Danmusa local government.
- To identify the impact of the changes that the Qur’anic schools has undergone in its capacity of providing education to children RESEARCH QUESTIONS
- What are the historical evaluation and contemporary dimension of the Qur’anic education?
- What are the impacts of Qur’anic education to children behavior in Danmusa local government?
- How we identify the impact of the changes that Qur’anic education has undergone in its capacity of providing education to children?
RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS - There is significant differences in the historical evaluation and contemporary dimension of Qur’anic education
- There is significant impact of the Qur’anic education to children behavior in Danmusa local government.
- There are significant differences to the impact of the changes that Qur’anic school has undergone in its capacity of providing education to chi
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
This research covers some Qur’anic schools in Danmusa local government. My concern may be examining typical Qur’anic education system which applies specifically to the elementary level. There is how ever the feeling that limiting my research study of Qur’anic school system and its impact to children behavior to only this level will not give the reader wrong expression of this research.
Generally speaking, Qur’anic education can be divided into two main levels, the primary and advanced levels. It must be pointed however that this division is simply to aid understanding because there is no sharp line demarcation between the two levels as we find in the western education
DEFINITIONS OF THE TERMS
QUR’AN; is the word of Allah revealed to prophet Muhammad (SAW) in 610AC, within 23years , 13 years in Makka and 10 years in Madina, through angel Jibril.
EDUCATION; is a process of teaching, training, instructing, and learning especially in formal way, so that the learner will become useful and acceptable to the society.
QUR’ANIC EDUCATION; is a process of teaching, instructing, learning, impacting and training the Holly Qur’an, for permanent changes socially, spiritually, morally, healthy, politically and economically.
BEHAVIOR; is the way some one react to the environment.
IMPACT; the impression made by person.
CHILD; boy or girl between birth and physical maturity.
ALMAJIRI; someone who begs foods, clothes, money etc for live hood, it also is define as a person who set out to seek knowledge. (New web ster’s dictionary of English language,
CHAPTER TWO
RELATED STUDIES
QUR’ANIC EDUCATION DURING THE LIFE TIME OF THE PROPHET (SAW)
Soon after, the revelation continued Muslims every day increase in number, the need for collective educational pursuit was felt, and the house of Arqam-bin Abi Arqam was used as first school of the prophet were the companions received lesson.
Latter when the prophet migrated to Madina he build a mosque and made it a centre for education and various Qur’anic sciences were taught in the mosque. Different circles studying different aspect of Islamic sciences and social interaction, political leadership, military organization for defense of Islam and economic education were taught. Small children were taught the Qur’an in a place outside the mosque.
There are numerous examples of explanation of the Qur’an by the Prophet, who either himself asked the Angel Gabriel for explanation of matters not clear to him, or who was asked by the Companions about the Qur’an. Suyuti has given a long list of explanations of the Qur’an by the Prophet sura by sura.[8]
Here one example may suffice:
And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn appears to you distinct from its black thread. . . (2: 187).
Narrated ‘Adi b. Hatim: I said: ‘O Allah’s Apostle! What is the meaning of the white thread distinct from the black thread? Are these two threads?’ He said: ‘You are not intelligent, if you watch the two threads’. He then added, ‘No, it is the darkness of the night and the whiteness of the day’.[9]
QUR’ANIC EDUCATION DURING LIFE TIME OF THE COMPANIONS
Next, after explanation of the Qur’an by the Qur’an and of the Qur’an by the Prophet himself, ranks the explanation of the Qur’an by the sahaba. Among them, the following were best known for their knowledge of and contribution to the field of tafsir: Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘Ali (not much has been reported from them), Ibn Mas’ud, Ibn ‘Abbas, ‘Ubay b. Ka’b, Zaid b. Thabit, Abu Musa al- Ash’ari, ‘Abdullah b. Zubair.
IBN ABBAS
Abdullah b. ‘Abbas (d. 68/687) is considered to be the most knowledgeable of the Companions in tafsir.[11] He has been called ‘tarjuman al-qur’an’, the interpreter of the Qur’an. Since he was related to the Prophet, being his cousin, and his maternal aunt Maimuna being one of the Prophet’s wives, he was very close to the Prophet Muhammad and learnt much about the revelation. It is said that he saw the Angel Gabriel twice. Apart from his detailed knowledge of everything concerning tafsir, he is also given the credit for having emphasised one of the basic principles of ‘ilm al-tafsir which has remained important to this day, namely, that the meaning of words, especially of unusual words in the Qur’an ought to be traced back to their usage in the language of pre-Islamic poetry. There is a long list of such explanations quoted by Suyuti.[12]
Example:
The following is an example of tafsir from a sahabi, namely Ibn ‘Abbas, confirmed by ‘Umar
So celebrate the praises of your Lord, and ask for His forgiveness. Verily! He is the one who accepts the repentance and forgives (110:3).
Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas: ‘Umar used to make me sit with the elderly men who had fought in the battle of Badr. Some of them felt it (did not like that) and said to ‘Umar: ‘Why do you bring in this boy to sit with us, while we have sons like him?’
‘Umar replied: ‘Because of what you know of his position’ (i.e. his religious knowledge).
One day ‘Umar called me and made me sit in the gathering of those people, and I think that he called me just to show them (my religious knowledge). ‘Umar then asked them in my presence: ‘What do you say about the interpretation of the statement of Allah’.
“When comes help of Allah and the conquest . . .” (110: 1).
Some of them said: ‘We are ordered to praise Allah and ask for His forgiveness, when Allah’s help and the conquest (of Makka) comes to us’. Some others kept quiet and did not say anything. On that ‘Umar asked me: ‘Do you say the same, O Ibn ‘Abbas?’ I replied: ‘No’. He said: ‘What do you say then?’ I replied: ‘That is the sign of the death of Allah’s apostle which Allah informed him of. Allah said:
‘(O Muhammad) when comes the help of Allah (to you against your enemies) and the conquest (of Makka) (which is the sign of your death) – you should celebrate the praises of your Lord and ask for His forgiveness, and He is the One who accepts the repentance and forgives’ (110:1-3). On that ‘Umar said: ‘I do not know anything about it other than what you have said’.[13]
Another short example is:
Narrated ‘Ata’: When Ibn ‘Abbas heard:
Have you not seen those who have changed the favour of Allah into disbelief? (14: 28).
He said: ‘Those were the disbelieving pagans of Makka.[14]
QUR’ANIC EDUCATION DURING THE LIFE TIME OF THE SUCCESSORS
There are many more persons from among the tabi’un known for their preoccupation with tafsir, because many more people had embraced Islam and the need for knowledge about the Qur’an had increased manifold. Also, the Prophet himself and many of his Companions were no longer available to give this guidance, and therefore greater efforts had to be made to satisfy this need for proper understanding of the book of Allah.
Of the mufassirun from among the tabi’un one distinguishes three groups, according to their origin and area of activity:
• Those from Makka.
• Those from Madina.
• Those from Iraq.
THE MAKKAN GROUP
According to many scholars, this group of mufassirun from among the tabi’un is the most knowledgeable in tafsir, because they learnt about it from ‘Abdullah b. ‘Abbas. They are many in number, and among the best known out of many others are Mujahid (d.104/722), ‘Ata’ (d.114/732) and ‘Ikrima (d.107H).
Mujahid, the best known among them, is reported to have gone through the Qur’an thrice with Ibn ‘Abbas and to have asked him about the ‘when’ and ‘how’ of each verse that had been revealed.[15]
A complete book of tafsir by Mujahid has been published. It is based on a manuscript from the 6th Hijra century and is edited by Surti.[16]
Example:
Humaid b. Qais Makki reported: I was with Mujahid and we were circumambulating the house (Ka’ba). A man came and asked whether the fasts of penalty of an oath should be observed continuously or severally. Humaid replied that if he liked he could observe them severally too! But Mujahid said: Not severally, for the reading of ‘Ubayy b. Ka’b is thalathi ayyamin mutatabi’at, i.e. to fast three days continuously’.[17]
THE MADINAN GROUP
The mufassirun among the tabi’un from Madina had many Companions as their teachers, among the best known being ‘Ubay b. Ka’b. The following are some of the well-known Qur’an exegetes among them: Muh. ammad b. Ka’b al-Qarzi (d.117/735), Abu-l ‘Alliya al-Riyahi (d.90/ 708) and Zaid b. Aslam (d.130/747).
THE IRAQ GROUP
There were also many mufassirun among the tabi’un in Iraq. Their principal teacher was Ibn Mas’ud. Their main centres were Basra and Kufa. The best known among them are: Al-Hasan al-Basri (d.121/738), Masruq b. al-’Ajda’ (d.63/682) and Ibrahim al-Nakha’i (d.95/713).
SUMMARY
Nothing can excel the tafsir of the Qur’an by the Qur’an. This is followed by sound reports about the Prophet’s explanation of the revelation.
Whatever is sound and genuine in the explanation of the Qur’an by the sahaba and the tabi’un may not be rejected, but the following principles are to be observed:
• Sound reports must be distinguished from unsound ones, for many views have been falsely attributed to some sahaba and tabi’un (especially to Ibn ‘Abbas and Mujahid, the most renowned ones among them), which cannot be traced back to them when the isnad is investigated. Those reports must of course be rejected.
• Material from the ahl-al-kitab, in particular the Jewish traditions (isra’iliyat)[18] must be sorted out and evaluated.
• Material which crept in due to theological, philosophical, political and other considerations, must be sorted out and evaluated (such as e.g. some Shii’a attributions to ‘Ali, or ‘Abbasid attributions to Ibn ‘Abbas, etc.).
• False material purposely introduced by the enemies of Islam must be distinguished from sound material.
DEVELOPMENT OF QUR’ANIC SCHOOL IN NIGERIA
INTRODUCTION
Muslim geographers and historians have provided excellent records of Muslim rulers and peoples in Africa. Among them are Al-Khwarzimi, Ibn Munabbah, Al-Masudi, Al-Bakri, Abul Fida, Yaqut, Ibn Batutah, Ibn Khaldun, Ibn Fadlallah al-‘Umari, Mahmud al-Kati, Ibn al Mukhtar and Abd al-Rahman al-Sa’di. Islam reached the Savannah region in the 8th Century C.E., the date the written history of West Africa begins. Islam was accepted as early as 850 C.E. by the Dya’ogo dynasty of the Kingdom of Tekur. They were the first Negro people who accepted Islam. Trade and commerce paved the way for the introduction of new elements of material culture, and made possible the intellectual development which naturally followed the introduction and spread of literacy.
ISLAM IN KANEM-BORNU EMIPIRE
Kanem-Bornu in the 13th century included the region around Lake Chad, stretching as far north as Fezzan. Kanem today forms the northern part of the Republic of Chad. Islam was accepted for the first time by the Kanem ruler, Umme-Jilmi, who ruled between 1085-1097 C.E., through a scholar named Muhammad B. Mani, credited for bringing Islam to Kanem-Bornu. Umme-Jilmi became a devout Muslim. He left on a pilgrimage but died in Egypt before reaching Makkah. Al-Bakri also mentions that Umayyad refugees, who had fled from Baghdad following plans to liquidate their dynasty at the hands of the Abbasids, were residing in Kanem [21, 22].
With the introduction of Islam in Kanem, it became the principal focus of Muslim influence in the central Sudan and relations were established with the Arab world in the Middle East and the Maghrib. Umme’s son Dunama I (1092-1150) also went on a pilgrimage and was crowned in Egypt, while embarking at Suez for Makkah, during the third pilgrimage journey. During the reign of Dunama II (1221-1259), a Kanem embassy was established in Tunisia around 1257, as mentioned by the famous Andalusian historian Ibn Khaldun (d. 1406 C.E.). It was almost at the same time that a college and a hostel were established in Cairo, named Madrasah Ibn Rashiq. Toward the end of the 13th century, Kanem became a center of Islamic knowledge and famous teachers came from Mali to teach in Kanem. By the middle of the 13th century, Kanem established diplomatic relations with Tuat (in the Algerian Sahara) and with the Hafsid state of Tunis at embassy level. The Kanem scholars and poets could write classical Arabic of a very high standard. We have evidence of this in a letter written by the Chief Scribe of the Kanem court dating from 1391 to 1392.
The historian Ibn Khaldun calls Dunama II as the ‘King of Kanem and Lord of Bornu,’ because his empire had expanded as far as Kano in the west and Wadai in the east. It is said that Dunama II opened a Talisman (Munni or Mune), considered sacred by his people, and thus brought a period of hardship to his people. It was because of his enthusiasm for the religion of Islam that he committed this ‘abomination’ (perhaps the talisman was a traditional symbol of divine (kingship) and alienated many of his subjects).
In the late 14th century, a new capital of the Kanem empire was established in Bornu at Nigazaragamu by ‘Ali b. Dunama, also called ‘Ali Ghazi, who ruled during the period 1476 to 1503. This thriving capital continued until 1811. ‘Ali revived Islam. He was keen on learning its principles. He used to visit the chief Imam ‘Umar Masramba to learn more about the Islamic legal system. He, by his own example, persuaded the nobility and Chiefs to limit the number of their wives to only four.
The Islamization of Bornu dates from the time of Mai Idris Alooma (1570-1602). We come to know about him through his chronicler, Ahmad bin Fartuwa. In the 9th year of his reign, he went on a pilgrimage to Makkah and built a hostel there for pilgrims from Bornu. He revived the Islamic practices and made all and sundry follow them. He also set up Qadhis courts to introduce Islamic laws in place of the traditional system of customary law. He built a large number of brick mosques to replace the existing ones, built with reeds.
In 1810 during the period of Mai Ahmad the glories of the Empire of Bornu came to an end, but its importance, as a center of Islamic learning, continued.
ISLAM IN HAUSA-FULANI LAND
Islam came to Hausaland in early 14th century. About 40 Wangarawa graders are said to have brought Islam with them during the reign of ‘Ali Yaji who ruled Kano during the years 1349-1385. A mosque was built and a muedthin (one who calls to prayer) was appointed to give adthan (call to prayer) and a judge was named to give religious decisions. During the reign of a ruler named, Yaqub (1452-1463), one Fulani migrated to Kano and introduced books on Islamic Jurisprudence. By the time Muhammad Rumfa came into power (1453-1499), Islam was firmly rooted in Kano. In his reign Muslim scholars came to Kano; some scholars also came from Timbuktu to teach and preach Islam.
Muhammad Rumfa consulted Muslim scholars on the affairs of government. It was he who had asked the famous Muslim theologian Al-Maghilli to write a book on Islamic government during the latter’s visit to Kano in the 15th century. The book is a celebrated masterpiece and is called The Obligation of the Princes. Al-Maghilli later went to Katsina, which had become a seat of learning in the 15th century. Most of the pilgrims from Makkah would go to Katsina. Scholars from the Sankore University of Timbuktu also visited the city and brought with them books on divinity and etymology. In the 13th century, Katsina produced native scholars like Muhammadu Dan Marina and Muhammadu Dan Masina (d. 1667) whose works are available even today.
The literature of Shehu ‘Uthman Dan Fodio, his brother, Abdullahi, and his son Muhammad Bello speaks of the syncretic practices of the Hausa Fulanis at the end of the 18th century. The movement of ‘Uthman Dan Fodio in 1904 was introduced as a revivalist movement in Islam to remove syncretic practices, and what Shehu called Bid’at al-Shaytaniyya or Devilish Innovations.
The spread of Islam in Africa is owing to many factors, historical, geographical and psychological, as well as its resulting distribution of Muslim communities, some of which we have tried to outline. Ever since its first appearance in Africa, Islam has continued to grow. The scholars there have been Africans right from the time of its spread. Islam has become an African religion and has influenced her people in diverse ways.
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However, the effort of Fulbe scholars (Dangawa) who migrated from Yantumaki to Niger (Mina) has lead the establishment of Qur’anic schools in Auchi, Agbede, and Ugpelle where Muslims were taught al- Qur’an. This achievement is further strengthentened by the activities of Muslim organization in the area, and progressed is daily being witnessed in the area of Islamisation.
REFERENCE
NCE/DLS 2000, course book on Islamic Religious Studies cycle 1, NTI.
Dr. Abdulrahman Yusuf Maigida (01/05/12)
HISTORY OF NIGERIAN EDUCATION
Islamic Education
Introduction
Islamic education is one of the two foreign systems of education experienced in Nigeria. This education is peculiar to the Muslims. The Muslims believe in God almighty (Arabic – Allah) and the messengership of Prophet Mohammed. The Quran is the Holy book of the Muslims and on which their entire life undertakings and dealings are dependent. Islam is the religion of the Muslim. Islam means submission to God’s will and those submitted to it are the Muslims. Islam started in the early 7th Century in the Arabia.
In Nigeria, Islam existed for over 300 years before the advent of Christianity. It is on record that Islam was first accepted by a Kanem ruler, Umme Jilmi (1085 – 1097). Subsequent rulers, Dunama 1 (1097-1150) and Dunama II (1221 – 1259), continued the tradition of Islamic learning such that by the end of the 13th Century, Kanem had become a centre of Islamic learning (Fafunwa, 1974:53).
In the early 14th Century, Islam was brought into Hausa land by traders and scholars who came from Wangarawa to Kano in the reign of Ali Yaji (1349-1385). The religion later spread to other parts of the country through the Jihad of Uthman Dan Fodyio in 1804 reviving and purifying Islam, to eliminate syncretic beliefs and rituals, to remove all innovations contrary to the Qur’an and Shar’ia, and to encourage less devout Muslims to return to orthodox and pure Islam (Robinson and Smith, 1979).
.Traditional Islamic Education
As earlier mentioned, the Quran is the holy book of Muslims and on which their entire life undertakings are hinged, therefore, education to the Muslim from the beginning was the learning of the Holy Qur’an and Arabic language. In other words, this system of education was called Quranic education. However, Quranic education is synonymous to the tradition of Islam, wherever Muslims settled; they organised themselves as a community, built mosques and established Islamic learning centres. The traditional Islamic/Quranic teacher was called Mualim/Mallam. The teacher had only complete manuscript, but dictated to learners in piecemeal for memorisation. At a point, learners wrote using a pen called kalam with locally prepared ink called tada’a or tadawa on a wooden slate known as wala’a. The places of learning included the teacher’s parlour, verandah, courtyard, house frontage, under tree shade or inside the mosque. Mats were provided as the sitting materials
Islamic education became a more appropriate nomenclature for education by the Muslims, when the learning integrated other sources like the Hadith (sayings of the Prophet of Islam), Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) from where the shari’ah was derived; to broaden the horizon of the Muslims learners in terms of Knowledge.
Modern Influence on the Education of Muslims
Allah who revealed the Quran to Prophet Muhammed (Peace Upon Him) had the first command as reading. In the first revelation to Prophet Muhammed, contained in Quran Chapter 96 verses 1-5; Allah commanded Muhammed who was an unlettered Arab to ‘read’ in the name of his lord and he did. This is a proof that Allah even wanted us to be knowledgeable. The command ‘read’ was an open ended command, not limited to reading Arabic or readings of Islam, but other secular knowledge in science, engineering, medicine, journalism, teaching etc.
In one of the Prophet traditions too, he urge the ummah (community of Muslims) to search for knowledge even it would take them to China. Specifically, China was then the farthest place to the Arabia; where Islam had not even spread to and the knowledge available then in China was neither Arabic nor Islamic. Therefore, anyone claiming that Islam does not allow knowledge other than that which is Islamic is committing a fallacy of reasoning and also ignorant of history, for which many modern areas of knowledge were pioneered by the early Muslims.
Historically in Nigeria, the colonial experience and the Christian missionaries’ educational efforts were important factors in the education of Nigerian Muslims. The colonial government gave recognition to education by the European missionaries, probably because it was the type of education they themselves had back home in Europe. Consequently, the mission schools were assisted and the products of this education were those qualified for colonial jobs as clerks and so on. Those with knowledge of Arabic or Islamic knowledge were rendered to the background, leaving them politically irrelevant, socially unrecognised and not economically prospered.
. Birth of Muslim Primary School Colonial Government
In 1895, there was a protest to the colonial government by the Lagos Muslims, alleging that the tax paid by the Muslims was used in funding the Mission schools. The agitation was considered reasonable by the colonial government. This led to the establishment of a Muslim Primary School at Asogbon in Lagos Island in 1899. With this newly accepted education by the Muslims, there manifested a political relevance, social recognition and economic prosperity for the Muslims.
Birth of Exclusive Muslim Primary School – Ahmadiyya Movement
Coming together of the Lagos Muslims to agitate for a Muslim school and its eventual achievement was a sensitization that a cause can be achieved as a group. In this regard, an Islamic Movement of Indian origin, established by Mizra Gullam Ahmad and named Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’ah were adopted by the Lagos Muslims in 1916. The realisation of the importance of Western formal education and the increasing number of Muslim children seeking education into the only Government established Muslim primary school informed why another primary school was established by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’ah in 1922, still in Lagos at Elegbata and was named “Talimul Islam Ahmadiyya Primary School”.
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Karatun Allo: The Islamic System of Elementary Education in Hausaland
By
Dr. Sulaiman Khalid
sulkhalid@yahoo.co.uk
Department of Sociology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto HISTORICAL EVOLUTION
Islamic education in Hausaland is as old as the spread of Islam in the area which began as early as the eleventh century through the deliberate activities of Muslim traders and itinerant scholars as well as migration. By the fifteen century the reputation of some Hausa state capitals as Muslim metropolis was already high enough to attract many students and scholars. According to the “Kano Chronicles”, Malams from Senegal arrived in Kano during the reign of Yaqub (1452-1463). A fifteen cenutry ruler of Zazzau appointed a malam from Mali as one of his subordinate chief (Abdurrahman and Canhan, 1978), which seems to indicate that there was a Muslim scholar community from which to make the choice. About this time also, the neighbouring Gao, Djenne and Borno were overflowing with schools and scholars of international repute, and the book market was a flourishing business (Smith, 1987:32 ).
The intellectual activities compared favourably with what obtained in Italy about the same time. In Kano, Al-Maghili wrote his famous al-mantiq (Aristotelian Deductions) and The Obligation of the Prince about the same time Cicero’s classical treatise On Moral Obligation and Machiavelli’s The Prince were published in the second half of the fifteenth century. In the seventeenth century, Katsina produced native scholars like Muhammadu Dan-Marina (d.1655) and Muhammadu Dan-Masani (d.1667). On the eve of the Sokoto Jihad, Yandoto, then the headquarters of Katsina (Last, 1967) stood as a citadel of learning and Degel near Alkalawa, the headquarters of Gobir Kingdom, was something of a university village. Many of the Habe kings were about this time educated Muslims from Kano to Gobir and Zamfara.
It is clear that there must have existed an important class of Ulama who were significant preservers and teachers of Islamic learning. According to Smith (1987:35): ‘‘they possessed a vast fund of Qur’anic knowledge, and were in addition particularly well-informed in traditions, law, Rhetoric and classical Islamic history.’’
The extent of their knowledge of Arabic writings is particularly remarkable, which suggests that facilities for Islamic education were far more advanced in this period than is usually believed (Hiskett, 1957).
Sultan Muhammed Bello testified to that when he wrote in this Infaq al-Maysur that:
Indeed there are not to be found in these countries ordinary people more scrupulous than they in reciting the Qur’an and readin it and memorising it and writing it out. And the ordinary people did not cease to be thus to the beginning of Jihad (cited in Kani, 1975:27).
The establishment of an Islamic state in the name of Sokoto Caliphate at the beginning of the 19th century provided an enabling environment for the growth of education. Besides, the jihad leaders did run their own schools and embarked on fierce religious campaigns which in themselves led to the growth of education. As a matter of state policy the leaders of the Caliphate gave top priority to education. In his Jawab Shafin wa’l Kitab, Muhammed Bello said: “we will attach to him (the village head) a tutor who will instruct their children and a learned man who will lead them in their prayer …” (cited in Abubakar, 1983:211) Consequently, schools were organized in all nooks and corners of the Caliphate and the state endowed it and supplied it with collection of books.
Indeed, in the early years of colonial rule, British colonial officials in Northern Nigeria were fascinated by the existence of a formal system of Islamic education. According to the 1931 census figures, two-thirds of Northern Nigeria’s 10 million inhabitants were Muslims. It also had, the government estimated, 30,000 to 35,000 Islamic schools enrolling 200,000 to 360,000 pupils (Hubbard, 1975). 2. The Makarantar Allo: Its Features and Structures
At the centre of Islamic education is the Qur’an itself, and every Muslim out, ideally, to have learned the sacred text or some portions of it by heart. With the ascendancy of western type (boko) educational system, in the present day Qur’anic schooling in Hausa land is increasingly viewed by parents as an important of religious component for their children. Often, the children divide their time between western-type schools in the morning and Qur’anic schools in the afternoon. It is for this purpose that makarantun allo (Qur’anic schools) – institutions where young children learn to recite the Qur’an by rate – exists in all Muslim communities.
A typical Qur’anic school is located in a mosque which serves the dual purposes of a place of worship and a school. Most of the schools are however in other places, e.g. special building for the purpose, the verandah or porch of the malam (teacher), under trees, inside compounds, etc. The notion of an entrance examination, which an aspiring student must take before he can enter a given level of the educational system, is foreign to traditional Qur’anic school system. So, too, are the final examinations conferring qualifications, in which Western education so often culminate.
The pupils sit on the mats, bare floor or ground either in a semi-circle or straight line. Each child holds his written wooden slate (allo) and recites the verses of the Holy Qur’an. The method of instruction is as follows, the teacher recites to his pupils the verse to be learnt and they repeat it after him. He does this several times until he is satisfied that they have mastered the correct pronunciation. Then the pupils are left on their own to continue repeating the verse until they have thoroughly memorized it. The verse is then linked with the previously memorized verses and in this way the pupil gradually learns by heart the whole Qur’an. At this level, hardly is any attempts made to enable the pupils understand the meaning of what they recite or write. The teacher only pays particular attention to the reading and writing skills of every pupil as well as keep tract of his attendance even though no formal registers are kept.
The relationship between teacher and pupil is generally intimate and personal. The teacher is always ready to pardon a late-comer if he is convinced that his lateness was caused by some engagement at home. Whenever he uses the cane, wrote Fafunwa (1974) “he does so with fatherly levity and caution” (p.62). As for disciplinary measures, the long whip is always handy to deal with erring pupils, and leg chains are sometimes used to confine truants to the school premises for a number of days as a punishment (Sulaiman, 1994).
The school schedule is extremely flexible and allows for each parent to send his child to school at the most convenient period for both the parent and the child. This is one reason why it is possible for children to combine both formal primary education with the Quranic school. Moreover, each child is allowed to progress at his or her own pace and therefore the length of time t takes a pupil to finish learning how to read the whole Qur’an depends on his intelligence and commitment, and also the encouragement and support he receives from his parents. Even though there is no sessional examination or test and that the malam treats each pupil according his or her capabilities, intelligence and individual problem, the spirit of competition is always there among age-mates, brothers and sisters (Mai’adua, 1994)
The exact times of the beginning of classes vary from area to area, and from teacher to teacher. In most of the schools there are three sessions. In a study conducted by Yahya (1977) at Kano, the school sessions are classified as follows:-
1) Morning 5.00 am – 11.00 a.m.
2) Evening 3.00 p.m. – 4.00 p.m.
3) Night 8.00 p.m. – 11.00 p.m.
Mubi (1985) however came out with the following schedule:-
- Morning 5.00 a.m. – 11.00 a.m.
- Afternoon 2.00 p.m. – 4.00 p.m.
- Night 7.00 p.m. – 10.00 p.m.
Although there exist no water-tight division of pupils into classes, three categories of Quranic pupils are distinguishable: the kotso (nursery stage), the tittibiri (elementary stage), and the gardi (adolescent/adult stage). The kolo stage consists of children of about four years or even less. They normally come to school in the company of their more elderly brothers and sisters. At this stage the children are grouped together and instructed orally. They learn to recite the shorter chapters of the Qur’an and are taught some Islamic rituals like ablution, daily prayers, etc. The tittibiri stage is where the pupils of about five to fourteen years old start to read the Arabic alphabets. He first learns the reading of unvowelled letters babbaku) of the same short chapters he memorized at kotso stage. This is followed by the reading of vowelled letters as well as words farfaru), after which he starts writing the Quranic verses on his allo (slate) while he is guided either by the malam or by some senior pupils in the school. Straight reading is continued with switch-over from pupil’s allo to loose pages of the text of the Qur’an up to the last chapter. By the time he reaches gardi stage, the pupil has in most cases completed the reading of the Qur’an at least once. He also knows some basic principles of Islam. The main task at this stage is to improve the art of reading the Qur’an with a view to committing it to memory. This is usually the last stage of general Quranic education. While the step-by-step learning process seems to be universal to Hausa society, the categorization of pupils into kolo, tittibiri, and gardi is not. In Sokoto area for example, only two categories of Islamic pupils are recognized: the ‘yan makarantar allo (elementary [Quranic] pupils) and ‘yan makarantar ilmi (higher Islamic studies students). Often, the education stops here.
But if a student wishes to go further, he will proceed to makarantar ilmi or school of higher Islamic learning. The makarantar ilmi is the school of advanced learning which covers the whole range of Islamic literary, theological and legal education. In most schools, the pupil starts with either treatises or booklets on theology (tawhid). This is followed by books on Islamic jurisprudence (fiqhu), the exegesis of the Qur’an (tafsir), and sayings and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (Hadit). At the stage of studying advanced books of Islamic jurisprudence, some Quranic school students embark on learning various branches of Arabic language starting with Arabic grammar followed by Arabic literature (Lemu, 1994). The teaching method is the time-honoured one of reading and commentary, in which the teacher reads a passage from a text, then delivers his commentary upon it.
3. Socio-Economic Status of Malams in the Society
In Sokoto, as in other parts of Hausa land, prior to the advent of colonialism, descent determined whether one was born a talaka (commoner) – and therefore destined to make a living as a peasant, artisan or bara (client of someone) — or a basarake (aristocrat or title-holder) and thus able to live off peasants, artisans, traders and slaves. However, other factors operated alongside descent in the determination of social differentiation and mobility. One of these factors was Islamic education. The Hausa title for scholar is malam (pl. Malamai). The word is a Hausa corruption of the Arabic mu’allim (a learned man) and is now used by the Hausa as a courtesy title, similar to Mr. in English.
Islamic learning offered to a peasant one of the few routes for achieving upward mobility as a malam, a scribe, or a minor official n the state’s patrimonial bureaucracy (Lubeck, 1986). Though people were indeed born into scholarly families, or traditions, their becoming scholars – in other words their pursuit of education – was largely a matter of choice and conscious effort.
During the classical days of Sokoto and Borno caliphates, malams were accorded grants and privileges called ‘mahram’. The mahram was a written document given to a Quranic school teacher by a certain ruler certifying that the bearer, his family and descendants, and sometimes his followers were exempted from some state obligations such as military conscription, taxes, palace duties, and so on. The document sometimes specifies grants of land allocated to the bearer, his family and his disciples to cultivate, free from taxation, confiscation and any form of field control (Ashigar, 1997). In addition, Muslim scholars and their schools were among the principal beneficiaries of proceed of zakat tax. According to Malam Mahmud Koki (Skinner, 1977) who participated in the assessment, collection and redistribution of zakat in Kano emirate in the period immediately before the advent of British occupation, various Muslim scholars, most of whom had schools, were attached to a specific Jakada (emir’s agent) from whom they obtained their share of zakat. After collection, that Jakada would have it ready and then send word to scholars attached to him to go to the appropriate village or town to collect it. The malam would then hire women to thresh the corn for them, pay the women for the work, and load the grain onto donkeys and return home. A particular Jakada could be associated with many scholars, and vice versa. The informant himself recalled how he had received zakat on behalf of his teacher.
This state patronage which predated the Sokoto Caliphate had been important in the creation of a specialized class – the scholars – with sufficient standing and influence to have a voice or nuisance value in the management of public affairs even before the jihad. The principal jihad leaders and all the flag-bearers who waged the holy war against the Hausa kingdoms in their various provinces were Qur’anic school teachers. In the process of the jihad itself, this power deriving from learning was taken a step forward when the scholars initially dominated power-sharing and the decision-making process. However, with the emergence and ascendancy of the dynasty of Shehu Danfodiyo and its dependent dynasties, ‘’scholars lost place to the dynasts but still performed an important role as judges, advisors and generally as agents of social and political indoctrination” (Abubakar, 1982:24).
The British occupation of the defunct Sokoto Caliphate has divested the Muslim scholars of nearly all their role and influence in government and administration of their society. A completely new system of education was imposed on the society. The Arabic scripts which were used in courts and administration were replaced with Roman scripts thereby making graduates of Qur’anic school system of education irrelevant to the colonial administration. However, some of them who benefited from the integration of Qur’anic with Western education managed to hold positions in the society as Area Court Judges, teachers of Arabic and Islamic Studies in government educational institutions, etc. But for the majority of the malams traditional Qur’anic school teaching remained their principal vocation.
Generally, Qur’anic education system places emphasis on the production of teachers (or clerics). And for those who become teachers, Qur’anic instruction is the first stage in the system of education that offers satisfaction not measure only in religious terms but also in socio-economic terms (Peshkin, 1972).
4. Teaching and Learning as Acts of Worship (ibadat)
In a typical Qur’anic school there is no formal system of fee-paying. The students however contribute what they can by way of sadaqa or alms of the upkeep of the school. This may not be more than a few Naira coins or a couple of kola nuts, but can be a more substantial gift in cash or kind if the donor or his parent is wealthy. “It seems there is an unwritten code, recognized by all, and depending on the individual’s status, which governs how much shall be given” (Hiskett, 1974:141). On the whole, the teacher gets just enough to sustain himself and maintain his dignity and worth, but generally he is not wealthy. In principle, he teaches in order to discharge his duty as a literate Muslim to guide others in their religion.
Indeed, learning and scholarship are considered as acts of worship, a fulfillment of God’s commandments Who said:
A company of every party should go forth to gain sound knowledge in religion to enable then to teach their people when they come back to them (Qur’an 9:127).
Yet another verse of the Holy Qur’an exhorted the faithfuls to constantly seek for knowledge from cradle and keep in mind the fact that “above every possessor of knowledge is one more knowledgeable” (Qur’an 12:38). Above all, they should constantly pray, “Oh! Lord, increase me in knowledge’’ (Qur’an 24:52).
The Prophetic Traditions are even more emphatic about knowledge. Several ahadiths describe learning and wisdom as equal to worship, and of men of learning as successors to the prophets.
The ink of the scholar is holier than the blood of the martyr
God ease the way to paradise for him who seeks learning.
Angels spread their wings for the seeker of learning as a mark of God’s approval of his purpose
Whoever follows the road to knowledge Allah will show him the road to paradise.
He who has an ambition in this world must acquire knowledge. He who has an ambition in the Hereafter must acquire knowledge and he who has ambition in both this world and Hereafter must acquire knowledge to achieve it
(Ahmad b. Hambal, vol.196).
With particular reference to the teaching of the Qu’ran, he said:
“The best of you is he who learns the Qur’an and cares to teach it” (ibid).
Thus learning in Islam is viewed more as an act of worship than a process of acquiring wisdom and skills, and the teacher (malam) is not just a mere functionary who draws salary either from the state or from a private organization. Far from that, he was a spiritual figure, a model to be emulated. The teacher was required not only to be a man of learning but also to be a person of virtue, a pious man whose conduct by itself could have an impact upon the minds of the young. It is not only what he taught that matters, what he does, the way he conducts himself, his deportment in class and outside, are all expected to conform to an ideal which his pupils could unhesitatingly accept and emulate.
The ancient seats of learning in Islam, according to Tibawi (1979), grew up around certain personalities who attracted pupils by reason alike of their learning and their piety. This had wide repercussions. It helped to sustain and strengthen the foundations of ethics and it sets before the young a model or virtue which they could unquestioningly follow. Therefore, by virtue of their position as the chief custodians of knowledge and values, Muslim teachers were discouraged from charging tuition fees – an act that may lock the school gates against the poor and less-privileged members of society – even though the practice of charging fees was well-established, at least in Tunisia by the ninth century (Hitti, 1981). Al-Ghazali (d.1111), for instance, maintained that a Muslim teacher should not accept payment for teaching religious subjects, but could be paid for teaching ‘extra’ subjects such as mathematics and medicine (Tibawi, op.cit). The teaching of religious subjects, in Al-Ghazali’s opinion, was a personal duty of the believer and should be done without charging fees. This does not, of course, prevent the student from working for his Quranic teacher or the student’s parents from giving the teacher gift in recognition for what he was doing for their child.
Accordingly, the size and prestige of the school depend on the degree of public recognition that it wins, although Hiskett (1974) has observed that the proprietor’s status is to some extent hereditary and must have the charisma of a learned family behind him. They also tend to specialize in and thus become well-known for their expertise in certain branches of Islamic knowledge, and even specific texts.
Overall, the malam in Ha
DANGI BAGUDU 