CULTURE AND EDUCATION

AND
IMAM GHAZALI VIEWS ON
EDUCATION
TARIQ ALI
Cell No : 03469196279
&
03347027177
E-mail: tariq_shah98@yahoo.com
BY TARIQ ALI

CULTURE

BELIEFS
The feeling of being certain that something exists or is true belief,
principle or way of acting which people in a particular society or
group have continued to follow for a long time, or all of these
beliefs, etc. in a particular society or group.
TRADITIONS

A belief, principle or way of acting which people in a particular

society or group have continued to follow for a long time, or all of
these beliefs, etc. in a particular society or group

CURRICULUM
DEVELOPMENT
5

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

was born in the city

of Tus, northern Persia (Iran), in the year
450ti/1058
Al-Ghazali, known in Europe as Algazel
Al-Ghazali studied in Jurjan and Naisapur
and became the head of the Nizamiya school in
Baghdad, where he was involved in the political
and religious issues of his time. He gave up his
position of influence to take up devotional retreat
in Damascus. From this important period of his life
came the masterpiece Ihya Ulum al-Deen, The
Revivification of the Religious Sciences. This, along
with his other distinguished works, Ayuhal Walad
and Bidayatul Hidayah made a great contribution
to the development of educational philosophy.
6

According to Al-Ghazali, "knowledge

exists potentially in the human soul
like the seed in the soil; by learning
the potential becomes actual."

He has divided knowledge into two parts:

Religious knowledge(Revealed religion),

And
2. Secular (or instrumental/Adopted Religion)

knowledge(Ilm al-liyah).
The former is acquired from the Quran and Sunnah. It is
the most dignified knowledge and it is without doubt.
The second type of knowledge is needed to
enhance the understanding of the former since it
was a revelation.

Imam

al-Ghazali subdivided the secular subjects into three

subcategories:

1.

Beneficial knowledge:

This encapsulates

those sciences that will benefit society and helps it to

progress, e.g. medical knowledge and mathematics. Accordingly,
the acquisition of these sciences and disciplines isFard al-Kifayyah,
i.e. if nobody acquires it, then the entire Muslim community of a
particular

locality

will

be

sinful.

2.

Neutral Knowledge:

This category encapsulates those disciplines that will not

really enhance ones beneficial knowledge but there is

nothing
wrong
if
they
are
studied,
e.g.
the
History/Ideology/Politics/Religions/Beliefs.

3.Harmful Knowledge:
This category comprises of those disciplines which are

harmful, such as Black Magic and Gambling. It is

therefore, haram to acquire such knowledge.