Table of Contents
Mohammad Ghori: Pioneer of Madrasa Education
The Sultanate era played a significant role in the development of Madrasa Education in India. Sahabuddin Mohammad Ghori was in power from 1203 to 1206 and was the first Sultan. Along with other advancements, he made a significant contribution to the dissemination of education. He founded a madrasa in Ajmir to disseminate Islamic culture and knowledge. The historical source “Tajul Masir” refers to Mohammad Ghori’s establishment of madrasas in Ajmir. The individual in question was the initial Muslim monarch of India, responsible for establishing educational institutions and seminaries in Ajmir dedicated explicitly to advancing Muslim education.
Qutub-ud-Din Aibak: Mosques as Learning Hubs
Qutub-ud-Din Aibak, who ruled from 1206 to 1210, constructed multiple mosques that promoted both secular education and religious teachings.
Altatmush: Architect of Islamic Learning
Sultan Altatmush (1210-1236) founded madrasas in Badaun and Delhi. He established a “madrasa Moazia” that was reconstructed and equipped with doors made of sandalwood.
Nasir Uddin & Balban: Madrasa Expansionists
Sultan Nasir Uddin Mahmood (1246-1266) significantly contributed to the madrasas’ development. The minister, Bal Ban (1266-1287), founded a school called Madrasa-e-Nasiria in his honour.
Alauddin Khilji: Founder of Hauz-I-Khas Madrasa
Alauddin Khilji reigned from 1290 to 1320. In 1317, the Madrasa Maqbara-i-Alauddin Khilji was founded in Delhi, and a well called “Hauz-I-Khas” was constructed nearby to provide water for the madrasa.
Firoz Tughlaq: Patron of Scholarly Madrasas
Sultan Firoz Tughlaq (1351-1388) made significant efforts to promote education. In his court, he gathered distinguished intellectuals such as Zia Uddin Barni, Maulana Jalal Uddin Rumi, Qazi Abdul Qadir, and Azizuddin Khalid Khani, who authored works on Theology and Islamic Jurisprudence. He founded educational institutions known as madrasas throughout the country.
Madrasa-e-Firoz Shahi: A Scholarly Beacon
One of the notable structures was the “Madrasa-e-Firoz Shahi” located in Delhi, situated on the southern bank of the “Hauz-I-Khas”. Regarding this madrasa, Al Beruni (also known as Rehan Muhammad Ibn Ahmed), the renowned adventurer, remarks that it possessed a stunning beauty comparable to that of the Palace of Quisra, a magnificent structure from the Persian empire. It was a renowned establishment where education was provided at no cost. The accommodations for the instructors, hostels, and the Imam of the mosques were exceptionally extravagant. The madrasa’s floor was adorned with carpets imported from Yemen and Damascus. Maulana Jalal Uddin Rumi served as the principal of the madrasa. According to certain scholars, Sayeed Yusuf held the position of head. The instructors wore the traditional “Jubbah” from Syria and the “Turban” (pagri) from Misr as their attire. Sultan Mohammad Shah (1375-1397) extended invitations to numerous erudite individuals and famous scholars in order to provide education. ‘He organized provisions for sustenance and offered free education to the underprivileged and orphaned individuals’. In 1470, Khwaja Mehmud Ghawan, his minister from 1463 to 1481, founded a madrasa in Bidar. In addition, he established an impressive library of over 30,000 books. During Taimur-i-Lang’s invasion of India from 1382 to 1405, commonly referred to as Temur, the education system was significantly disrupted.
Sikandar Lodhi: Reviving Educational Legacy
When Sikander Lodhi (1489-1517) arrived after a few years, he made efforts to restore and establish the educational system in India. He was a distinguished scholar, and under his guidance, he founded numerous madrasas that expanded throughout India. Abdul Haque, a renowned Muhaddis, stated that Sikandar Lodhi enlisted educators from Arabia, Persia, and Central Asia to instruct at the madrasas. He founded madrasas at Mathura and Agra as well. ‘It is worth noting the Madrasa of Agra, where even non-Muslims acquired proficiency in Persian.’ He founded more madrasas in Jaunpur, Ahmedabad, Bihar Sharif, Gulbarga, Bidar, Mand, Daulatabad, and several regions of Bengal. One of the notable institutions was the Madrasa in Jaunpur. It is commonly referred to as the “Shiraz of India”. ‘He maintained a steady presence of seventeen erudite individuals in his exclusive chamber’.
Adil Shah: Bijapur’s Educational Patron
The Sultan of Bijapur, Adil Shah (1535-1557), founded numerous maktabs and madrasas and sent invitations to esteemed professors from Persia and Turkey. The sultans had a significant role in advancing Madrasa Education in India.
Conclusion:
The Sultanate era played an instrumental role in establishing and growing madrasa education in India. The Sultans, starting with Mohammad Ghori in Ajmir and followed by monarchs like Qutub-ud-Din Aibak, Altatmush, and Firoz Tughlaq, the sultans significantly contributed to the development and promotion of Islamic education and culture through the establishment of academic institutions. Their efforts enhanced India’s intellectual panorama and established an enduring heritage that influenced the nation’s educational framework for successive generations.
About the author
Jamil Hussain is a Ph.D. candidate in English Language Teaching at Aligarh Muslim University. He holds an M.Phil. and various postgraduate and undergraduate degrees. Mr. Hussain has presented at international conferences in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and contributed to numerous national events in India. His work includes seven publications in renowned journals, such as Scopus-indexed and UGC CARE-listed ones. He has completed British Council teacher training and taught 208 hours of spoken English with the Directorate of Education Delhi, Macmillan Education, and the British Council. His research focuses on "Teaching of English as a Second Language at Select Government Senior Secondary Schools of Barak Valley, Assam."
