Here I examine the ancient institution of Madrassa that Ibn Battuta the great Moroccan traveller found in all places in the medieval Muslim world from Mali to Malaysia. In fact, its origin can be traced to the Prophet’s masjid in Madinah, where the blessed Messenger (peace be upon him) would teach the disciples and selected disciples were authorised to teach others. The four million strong Muslims in the UK have invested in this amazing institution since they know it’s the guarantor of the faith of future generations. Let’s see what this wonderful institution is all about.
“Each second we live in a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that never was before and will never be again. And what do we teach our children in school? We teach them that two and two make four and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we teach them what they are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the world there is no other child exactly like you. In the millions of years that have passed there has never been another child like you…you have the capacity for anything…we all must work to make this world worthy of its children” (Pablo Casals in ‘joys and sorrows’).
Islamic education is about teaching children who they are, how special they are, the khalifatullah, the Vicegerent of Allah, the chosen creation with a place in Paradise. The aims of the Quran school should be:
- To encourage children to love and obey Allah and build the sense of Allah consciousness.
- To follow the beautiful Sunnah of the blessed Messenger (peace be on him).
- To teach children to read the Quran with Tajweed.
- To nurture the moral values of kindness, patience, honesty, and generosity.
- To educate children on how to worship their Lord properly.
Over the past 45 years, I have been teaching and developing a curriculum called ‘Let’s learn Islam’. This curriculum aims to teach children the key skills that will help them to become good Muslims, it covers:
- Reading the Quran accurately
- Learning the beliefs of a Muslim
- Learning about the importance of good manners
- Developing Islamic morals
- Discovering the beautiful Sunnahs of the blessed Prophet
- Learning the rulings of prayer, cleanliness, fasting, zakah etc..
- Memorising key Arabic prayers
It is a response to the need of teachers and children in the Quran School, enabling teachers to help their students explore their beliefs and attitudes that will shape their worldview.
The Quran School Curriculum
Let’s learn Islam is a comprehensive syllabus for Islamic studies, it is compiled in a set of four beautiful textbooks and workbooks, a child-centred and attractive Qaida in four parts, a Tajweed book, a book for moral, social and spiritual development, a Salah diary to encourage children to pray regularly, an array of educational posters for the classroom/bedroom. To monitor the progress of the pupils, we have a simple personal learning record for each child that tracks their progress, which is sent to parents on a termly basis.
We aim to teach children the key skills to become good Muslims from reading the Quran accurately through learning their beliefs, manners, morals and the beautiful life example of the blessed Prophet (peace be on him). The teachings of morals and manners will help children to build healthy relationships at home, at school and with their neighbours.
How can your Masjid use this?
As adults, you can also benefit from this treasury of knowledge. We will be delighted to share our resources and vast experience with you to help you develop a high standard Quran school in your mosque. For more information about our curriculum, please click HERE.
