Contributions of Islam to Education

Contents & notes: what this topic covers

Under Contributions of Islam to Education, the JAMB Islamic Studies syllabus expects you to study:

• 20. Contributions of Islam to Education
• (i) The aims and objectives of Islamic Education
• (ii) The Glorious Qur’ān and Hadīth on Education (Q.96:1-5) (Q.39:9)
• (i) “The search for knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim” (Ibn Majah)
• (ii) “Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave”
• (iii) “The words of wisdom are a lost property of the believer … a better right to it…. “(Tirmidhi)
• (iii) Intellectual activities of Islam in West Africa (development of written history in Arabic and the establishment of Sankore University)
• (iv) Intellectual activities of Ahmad Baba of Timbuktu, Sheikh al-Maghili, Sheikh Usman Danfodio, Sultan Muhammad Bello and Ibn Battuta
• (vi) Islamic Education Institutions: House of Wisdom in Baghdad, al-Azhar University in Cairo and Nizamiyyah University in Baghdad.
• (vi) The lives and contributions of Ibn Sina, Al-Ghazali, Ibn Rushd, ar-Razi and Ibn Khaldun to education.
• RECOMMENDED TEXTS Abdul, M.O.A. (1976) Studies in Islam Series Book 3, Lagos: Abdul, M.O.A. (1982) Studies in Islam Series Book 2, Lagos: Abdul, M.O.A. (1988)The Classical Caliphate, Lagos: IPB Abdulrahman and Canham (n.d) The Ink of the Scholar, OUP Ali, A.Y. (1975) The Holy Qur’ān Text: Translation and Comm Ali, M.M. (n.d) The Religion of Islam, Lahore Doi, A. R. I. (1997) Shariah: The Islamic Law; Kuala Lumpur Hay Lal, M. (1982) The Life of Muhammad (SAW), Academic Pre Lemu, A. (1992) Methodology of Primary Islamic Studies, Lag Lemu, A. (1993) Islamic Studies for SSS, Book 1, Lagos: IPB Lemu, A. (1993) Islamic Studies for SSS, Books, Minna: IET Muhammad, S. Q. (2010) al-Burhanu fi tajwīdil Qur’ān Cairo: Opeloye, M.O. (1996) A Dictionary of Peoples and Places in Philips, A. A. B. (1997) Usool at-Tafseer, Kuala Lumpur: No Quadri, Y.A. et al (1990) Al-Iziyyah for the English Audien Rahim, A. (1992) Islamic History, Lagos: IPB Sambo, M.B. et al (1984) Islamic Religious Knowledge for WA Sambo, M.B. et al (1984) Islamic Religious Knowledge for WA Trimingham, J.S. (1993) A History of Islam in West Africa,

Study notes & guidance

Study Contributions of Islam to Education using a recommended Islamic Studies textbook that follows the JAMB syllabus. Work through the contents listed above one by one, make brief notes in your own words, and then practise as many questions on this topic as you can — in Islamic Studies, understanding and steady practice matter far more than memorising. Use the objectives below as a checklist: if you can do each one confidently, you have mastered this topic.

Objectives — candidates should be able to

After studying Contributions of Islam to Education, you should be able to:

1. (i) explain the aims and objectives of Islamic Education; (i) assess the position of the Glorious Qur’ān and Hadīth in education; (ii) examine the importance of seeking knowledge in Islam; (i) analyse the intellectual activities of Islam in West Africa. (i) assess the contributions of Sheikh al-Maghili, Sheikh Uthman Dan Fodio, Sultan Muhammad Bello and Ibn Battuta to education; (i) account for the development of intellectual centres in Baghdad and Cairo; (i) examine the contributions of Ibn Sina to the development of Medicine; (ii) assess al-Ghazali’s contribution to Islamic education; (iii) analyse Ibn Rushd’s contribution to philosophy and fiqh; (iv) assess ar-Razi’s contribution to philosophy; (v) analyse Ibn Khaldun’s contribution to modern sociology and method of writing history. Islamic Religious Studies IPB IPB entary Leicester: The Islamic Foundation : Noordeen ss os: IPB Shirkatul-Qudus the Qur’ān, Lagos: Academic Press ordeen ce, Ijebu Ode: Shebiotiuom Publication SC Book 1, Lagos: IPB SC Book 3, Lagos: IPB Oxford, OUP

These objectives are from the official JAMB syllabus. Use them as a checklist — if you can do each one confidently, you have mastered this topic.

Source: official JAMB UTME Islamic Studies syllabus (IBASS, jamb.gov.ng). Reproduced for study use. Last checked: 17 Sept 2026. Always confirm the current syllabus on the official portal.