3 Maktab

[Renau Sheard]

Pupilswere not categorized by age or scholastic progress, and there was no gradation in the levels of instruction. The teacher called each child to him or her in turn for individual attention in reading and writing. The teacher also sent groups of children of the same age and level to one of the older and more advanced pupils, who would oversee their exercises and help them with their lessons. It was common for a pupil or group of pupils to recite lessons aloud in singsong fashion, though not in unison. The resulting noise often carried far beyond the maktab walls.

The maktab offered pupils no room for movement or physical play and activity. They spent their entire school day sitting on cushions, felt mats (jol), or pieces of sheepskin. Their attention was supposed to remain focused on their books or writing. Maktab hours lasted from early morning until sunset. Pupils brought their own lunch packets, called čāštabandī. Each pupil was required to offer a portion of his food to the āḵūnd or the servant of the maktab (bābā, if a man, or nana, if a woman). Sometimes, when a pupil had reached a certain level of scholastic achievement, especially in the study of the Koran, his or her family was obliged by tradition to offer the āḵūnd a gift.

Corporal punishment was common in the maktab. The āḵūnd or his assistant chastised the disobedient, the recalcitrant, and the unstudious by beating their hands with a cane or, in more severe cases, subjecting them to the bastinado (falak). He also used threats to bring disobedient pupils to heel. In Kermān, for instance, students were threatened with being thrown into the kata-ye mār o mūš (an imaginary place crawling with snakes and rats; Saʿīdī Sīrjanī, pp. 389-97).

Maktabs catering to commoners closed at noon to allow children to spend the rest of the day helping with the family trade or household chores. Reportedly even poorer laborers could send their children to a maktab. In most cases, however, maktab teachers were semi-literate, and only able to teach pupils how to recite the Koran, with no comprehension of its meaning, and to read simple Persian texts. Talented students, therefore, continued their education in the madrasa (for accounts of deplorable conditions of ordinary maktabs see Kasrawi, Mašrūṭa3, pp. 18-21; Saʿīdī Sirjānī, pp. 384-97; Sīāsī, pp. 5-10).

In today's rapidly changing world, the need for an Islamic value driven education for young Muslims is even more important. To address this need, Masjid Umar al-Farooq has devoted significant resources to open an evening Maktab to serve the needs of the current generation.

In the spirit of this hadith, we hope to provide dedicated students with a well-rounded education of the essentials of their din; and knowledge and practice in how to use the information and skills to maintain a steadfast connection Allah. These are the keys to help develop into stable, content, competent young adults.

Fees: Fees are payable only after acceptance to the Maktab and can be made each month or on a quarterly basis. If, for some reason, the full fee cannot be paid, please contact the administration at mak...@farooqmasjid.org.

Ummah Welfare Trust continues to support and strengthen these indispensable institutions. Through subsidies, renovations and sponsorship programmes, the charity has helped establish hundreds of madrassahs and maktabs in recent years, alhamdulillah.

Ummah Welfare Trust is a UK-based international relief and development charity established in 2001. Inspired by the Islamic teachings of empathy, generosity and selflessness. The charity aims to alleviate poverty and suffering across the world.

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