Literary Education and Wisdom Literature in Madrasa Curriculum

Abstract

Throughout the history of Muslim societies, madrasas have been among the most important institutions for literacy in scientific and literary fields, as well as for the training of religious experts. Literary and traditional texts, which are not compulsory in madrasas curricula but are studied as part of the education, offer insights into how universal religious sciences are received and applied in personal and social lives. This literary and traditional literature bestows upon madrasa graduates the dual identity of anthropologist and scholar. Both the literature and the methods of teaching in madrasas can make a significant contribution to the anthropological study of the Islamic world.