The Middle East: Islamic Medressas


Figure 1.--This photograph is unidentified. We believe that the boys are Islamic medressa students ar talibs. The image is undated, but may have been taken in the lare 19th cenury. We are also not sure where it was taken. Image courtesy of album1900.

A medressa is an Islamic school with historic traditions back to a time when Islamic socitiy had the most advamnced education system in the world and Islamic scholars were making important advances in mathematics, medicine, and science. The medressa focused on religious education. Islamic qari were trained in the recitation of the QUR'AN at Islamic Medressa such as Al Azhar. A student who studies Islam formally at a medressa is called a talib. (This is the derivation for the Afghanistan Taliban. Much of Afghanistan's Taliban leadership were educated in Pakistani medressas when while living there as refugees from the Soviet occupation.) Most Middle Eastern states founded secular public schools upon becoming independent in the 20th century. Many of these countries have failed economically. Many students emerging from the state schools have had difficulty finding jobs. In addition, except in the oil rich states, public education is poorly funded. Many for a range of economic, political, and religious reasons have turned to Islamic medressa. There are thousands of the schools teaching millions of students throughout the Middle East and other countries with Islamic populations. Many are financed through charities funneling money from Saudia Arabia and oil rich states. These charities do not assist public education in poor Islamic states, only the medressas. There are an estimated 30,000 medressas in Pakistan alone. Children wjho canot aford to attend public schools are oftem enrolled in the medressas. These schools vary widely in funding, facilities, and teacher competence. Many are dominated by fundamentalits with ecxtrme views, in many case a hatred of the West and other religions. Some even promote viloate actions like suicide bombing. Many promotethe messages of jihad, or holy war and drill into the boys the idea that Islam is under attack by America and the West. Absurd reports at many medressas such that Jews were behind the World Trade Center attacks are presented as factual and accepted by the pupils. The medressas are only for boys and the curriculum is very narrowly based: the Koran, the sayings of Muhammad and Islamic Shari'a law. As Government funds are not involved, the governments in most countries, especially Pakistan, have little control over them. Many are boarding estanblishments where the boys spend long hours in prayer and memorizing the Koran. There are normally no TV or radio and the boys can not go to movies. There is also no contact with girls. The only women the boys ee are femal relative on rare holiday, normally during the holy month of Ramadan. It is not only other religions the boys are trained to hate, but also other forms of Islam. Attacks on Shi'ites in Pakistan arebelieved to have originated in anti-Shi'ite teaching at these schools.

Historical Background

A medressa is an Islamic school with historic traditions back to a time when Islamic socitiy had the most advamnced education system in the world and Islamic scholars were making important advances in mathematics, medicine, and science. The medressa focused on religious education. Islamic qari were trained in the recitation of the QUR'AN at Islamic Medressa such as Al Azhar.

Terminology

A student who studies Islam formally at a medressa is called a talib. (This is the derivation for the Afghanistan Taliban. Much of Afghanistan's Taliban leadership were educated in Pakistani medressas when while living there as refugees from the Soviet occupation.)

Secular Education in the Middle East

Most Middle Eastern states founded secular public schools upon becoming independent in the 20th century. Many of these countries have failed economically. Many students emerging from the state schools have had difficulty finding jobs. In addition, except in the oil rich states, public education is poorly funded. Many for a range of economic, political, and religious reasons have turned to Islamic medressa.

Modern Madrassas

There are thousands of the schools teaching millions of students throughout the Middle East and other countries with Islamic populations. Many are financed through charities funneling money from Saudia Arabia and oil rich states. These charities do not assist public education in poor Islamic states, only the madressas. There are an estimated 30,000 medressas in Pakistan alone. Children who canot aford to attend public schools are oftem enrolled in the madressas. These schools vary widely in funding, facilities, and teacher competence. Many are dominated by fundamentalits with ecxtrme views, in many case a hatred of the West and other religions. Some even promote violent actions like suicide bombing. Many promotethe messages of jihad, or holy war and drill into the boys the idea that Islam is under attack by America and the West. Absurd reports at many madrassas such that Jews were behind the World Trade Center attacks are presented as factual and accepted by the pupils. The madrassas are only for boys and the curriculum is very narrowly based: the Koran, the sayings of Muhammad and Islamic Shari'a law. As Government funds are not involved, the governments in most countries, especially Pakistan, have little control over them. Many are boarding establishments where the boys spend long hours in prayer and memorizing the Koran. There are normally no TV or radio and the boys can not go to movies. There is also no contact with girls. The only women the boys see are female relatives on rare holidays, normally during the holy month of Ramadan. It is not only other religions the boys are trained to hate, but also other forms of Islam. Attacks on Shi'ites in Pakistan are believed to have originated in anti-Shi'ite teaching at these schools.






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Created: December 15, 2003
Last updated: 4:31 PM 6/17/2004