At that time, when the practice of science and learning was very prevalent, it was only then that the 'Jahiz' teacher criticized the class and described their faults and shortcomings. It is easy to imagine how miserable the situation was during the slow pace and recession of science.
In order to understand the plight of the teachers of that time, we are quoting Ibn Kathir's statement which he has quoted in the context of the biography of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Jafar ibn Pharaoh. He says he has been teaching at Shaykh Muhammad University for almost forty years. I have studied more than one subject with him. He used to teach the little boys the difficult characters. Such as ra ”etc. He had no savings. There was no housing or property. He used to buy food from the food shop and spend the night at the university. (36)
The plight of the teachers became clearer when we came to know that the monthly stipend of a madrasa student at that time was 10 dirhams. The stipend for upper class students was 20 dirhams and the salary of a teacher was 80 dirhams. (36) This was when the price of a kid was 250 dirhams. Perhaps this was the real example of the so-called golden message of the recessionary market of education in the age of decline.
1. Features of the era
(1) Important patterns of education in this age
Science centers: Education centers are moved from Baghdad, Basra, Kirfa and Medina to Damascus, Cairo, Qudras, Alexandria, Hamath, Halab, Aleppo, Hims, Usuyut and Fayyum. As a result, the number of title seekers increases. Namely: Dimashaki, Halabi, Kaheri, Fayumi, Iskandari, Makdesi, Hamabi, Suyuti and Himsi etc. In this era, Cairo is playing the role that Baghdad used to play. As a result, scholars and poets flocked to Cairo.
(2) Patronage of literature and science
The attention of the ruling class was withdrawn from the patronage of science and literature. Gone are the days when the author was rewarded with gold for the weight of his book. Very few sultans, emirs, ushers and caliphs attached importance to the acquisition of knowledge, to the establishment of friendship with the learned people or to the satisfaction of listening to poetry. How could they taste Arabic literature where they had no knowledge of Arabic? Of course, some of them were fond of history. As a result, some history books and encyclopedias were written under their patronage.
(3) Excellence in History and Social Sciences
Ibn Khaldun's book 'Mukadama' is the top book in this scripture. Ibn Khaldun realized the importance of philosophy of history. He says that the main task of a theologian of a particular scripture is not to write the flow of events but his job is to determine the place of scripture and its types. Subsequent authors will gradually add facts and information accordingly, so that at some point this scripture may be perfected. At that time, of course, political, institutional and military knowledge also spread.
(4) Destruction of libraries and houses
The number of large libraries declined. Because during the plunder of Baghdad, the Mughals and the Tatars burned the libraries and threw them into the river. Similarly, after the Spanish conquest, its inhabitants repeated the same thing. Many valuable books were also destroyed as a result of the clashes between the Islamic factions. For example, Mahmud Gayanabi burned the books of Mutazila. But the most catastrophic destruction was at the hands of the Tatars. They resorted to homicide, destroyed homes, burned books, and destroyed what they could not loot.
(5) In times of crisis, people seek refuge in religion
The Arabs spread to the west. The Spaniards recaptured Andalusia. The Mughals destroyed city after city and the Mughals, Tukis and barbarians divided the cities among themselves. However, some small kingdoms remained in the hands of the Arab sultans. As happened. In Yemen and Magrib. * Then people turn to religion in the hope of liberation. At this stage, there was backwardness in the field of science and some people fell into the trap of bad things and stories. As happened in the case of astronomy, astrology and chemistry.
(6) Establishment of educational institutions
Many educational institutions were established in Egypt and Syria during the reign of Mamluk sultans. This was during the period when the Mamluk sultans were under the influence of Mughal domination extending from the Indian subcontinent to Syria.
Volume 14 of Albidaya One Nihaya mentions more than 60 educational institutions. Its chiefs and the lion's share were in Syria, and the rest were in Quds, Halab, Ba'albak, Hims, Hamatu and Cairo.
Ibn Kathir did not pay much attention to the educational institutions in Cairo. This is because the book is an appendix to Ibn Asakir's book on the date of Damascus. Moreover, in the context of degeneration in various branches of life, the information of the excess of educational institutions does not seem to be consistent with this age which is marked as degenerate age. However, the fact that many great scholars fled to Syria and Egypt in the face of the destruction of the Mughals, seems to be true of the majority of educational institutions in the region. In addition, since the time of Nuruddin Jangir, educational institutions have been given a lot of property for educational institutions.