Significant increase in education in the Muslim world
Knowledge is fundamental to the development of any nation and is a powerful tool for higher education, promoting common prosperity and strengthening society to meet the challenges of the times. This basic fact was well known to the Muslim Ummah during the Middle Ages, which was a golden age of Islamic history. The "quest for knowledge" was a well-known Islamic commandment for Muslims, and they practiced it for about eight hundred years.
Edward G. Brown (1862-1926) rightly observed that "when the Caliphs of Baghdad and Cordoba promoted education among their subjects to such an extent that every twelve year old boy and girl could read and write in Europe at that time. Dufferin rightly said, "It is Muslim science, Muslim art and Muslim literature that helped bring Europe out of the darkness of the Middle Ages" (Speech in India, 1890). That they lost knowledge after the 15th century and lost their dominance in world affairs? Even in the middle, the situation was not satisfactory. Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Syria, Turkey and Albania have literacy rates of 30%. Yab was. Only under the Soviet Union was the literacy rate significantly better in Muslim areas. This decline of literacy in the Muslim world has been described by George Sarton as "astonishing" the development of knowledge during the early Islam and the decline of this knowledge in the fifteenth century (History of Science).
During the last four or five centuries, Muslims around the world have shown great interest in every aspect of life other than education. Arts such as poetry, music, painting, ceramics, architecture, blacksmithing became important activities throughout the Islamic world. But there was little interest in the rapidly evolving modern education coming from Europe. Probably the most damaging act of theirs in the fifteenth century, under which the use of the printing press was declared un-religious, was a turning point for Europe. The printing press made possible a scientific revolution in all areas of scientific and industrial activity in Europe.
After a long sleep, Muslims around the world are beginning to realize that without modern knowledge and higher education, their exploitation at the hands of the West cannot be stopped. Fortunately, education has re-emerged in the Islamic world in the recent past. Muslim countries are taking strong steps to eradicate poverty and illiteracy, largely due to the economic power of oil.
Figures from the 2018 World Bank and UNSECO show that 24 Muslim-majority countries, including Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Azerbaijan, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, etc., have achieved an average literacy rate of over 90%. Literacy in Iran, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt and Morocco. 80% to 89% in brackets. Unfortunately, 15 countries, including Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nigeria, are still lagging behind (less than 65%). However, compared to the 1980 (average 30%) literacy figures, the 2018 data is satisfactory. According to John Miller's survey, six Muslim countries - Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan - have the highest literacy rates. . A report from Oxford University states that the global literacy rate (2017) is 82% (male 87%, female 77%).
Fortunately, in many Islamic countries, the gender gap in literacy (men and women) has also fallen sharply. In at least 21 countries, the difference is only 0 to 7 percent.
There is a need to pay serious attention to all areas of higher education in the Islamic world. King Mohammed VI of Morocco emphasized that "... the advancement of scientific knowledge must be achieved regardless of gender" (UNESCO Conference, 2000). Yes, it is true that scientific awakening is going on in the Muslim world. Many countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Qatar, Turkey, etc., have significantly increased their research costs. Western education is generally more than 40%, with the exception of a few countries such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, between 2% and 6%. Research costs in Muslim countries also need to be taken seriously. Only countries like Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Qatar have allocated significant funds for this purpose. According to reports, Qatar is proposing to increase its science budget from 1% to 3% of its GDP.
Many Muslim countries have already established higher education centers (universities) with an emphasis on modern sciences. According to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2018, 96 universities in Muslim countries have been included in the list of 1102 best universities in the world. This is definitely a positive step towards the need for higher education in the Islamic world, even though only 18 Muslim countries have been able to find a place in this list. It is hoped that other Muslim countries will find their names in future reports. Of the 96 universities on the list, 22 are from Turkey, followed by 18 from Iran. Pakistan, 10; Malaysia and Egypt 9 Saudi Arabia, 5; U.A.E and Indonesia 4 Jordan and Morocco 3; A Tunisia 2 and Algeria, Bangladesh, Kuwait, Lebanon, Nigeria, Oman and Qatar one each.
The following table presents a picture of the re-emergence of education in the Islamic world. The literacy rate has increased significantly in the last few decades and the literacy gap between men and women has also decreased. It is a ray of hope. Now there is a possibility of scientific progress in the Islamic world.
I wish the command to read (read) would take root in the minds of the entire nation of Islam and every man and woman would consider it necessary for them to acquire knowledge.
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