ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY IN UGANDA

FACULTY: EDUCATION
COURSE: POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN EDUCATION
COURSE UNIT: HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF MUSLIM
EDUCATION
SEMESTER: TWO
ACADEMIC YEAR: 2023/2024

LECTURER’S NAME: DR. AMINA HASSAN

GROUP 2

NAME REG NO
MULYENKEJJE JOB 123-044033-31558
EUDU MARTIN 123- 044033-30267
KISAMBIRA DENIS 123-044033-31996
NEKESA SARAH 123- 044033-31503
WEANGA SIMON 123- 044033-

QUESTION
The role of the Alexandria (Egypt) in the development of Muslim education
The Alexandria role in the development of Muslim education

Alexandria has played a pivotal role in the Mediterranean trade ever since the city was founded in C. 332
BC by Alexander (known as both the Macedonian and the great.). The second largest Egyptian city, after
Cairo, and one of the largest ports on the Mediterranean coast, Alexandria was a major Centre of
civilization in the ancient world, controlling commerce between Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean,
and has continued throughout its long history to act as a vital crossing point for merchants and their
trade on the maritime route between Asia and Europe.

Alexandria remained a port of vital importance throughout the middle Ages. Conquered by Muslim Arab
armies in 642 AD, the city benefited from this new exposure to the trade networks of the early Islamic
caliphate, which was expanding into Central Asia and across northern Africa.

The city of Alexandria played a crucial role in the development of Muslim education through its
contribution to the preservation, translation and dissemination of knowledge from the ancient
civilization, including Greece, Egypt, Persia, and India. Alexandria’s status as a major center of learning
and cross- cultural exchange during the Hellenistic and Roman periods as well as its later significance as
a hub of Islamic scholarship had a significant impact on the development of Muslim education.

Some of the key contributions of Alexandria to Muslim education include:

Preservation and translation of knowledge

Alexandria was home to one of the most renowned ancient libraries, the great library of Alexandria,
housed a vast collection of the texts from different cultures and civilizations. The scholars and
translators in Alexandria were instrumental in preserving and translating work from Greek, Persian,
Indian, and other cultural and intellectual traditions into Arabic. This facilitated the transmission of
knowledge to the Muslim world, where these translated texts became foundational sources for
education and scholarship.

Transmission of scientific and philosophical works

The translation movement in Alexandria, particularly during the early Islamic period, played a vital role
in transmitting scientific, philosophical and literary works to the Muslim world. Greek philosophical
texts, including those of Aristotle, Plato, and other ancient Greek thinkers, were translated and studied
by Muslim scholars in Alexandria, contributing to the development of Islamic philosophy and
educational curricula.
Influence on Islamic intellectual development.

The translated work from Alexandria, including those on medicine, mathematics, astronomy, philosophy
and other disciplines, had a profound impact on the intellectual development of the Islamic world.
Alexandria role as a repository of knowledge and a center of learning provided Muslim scholars access
to the wide range of intellectual traditions enriching Islamic scholarship and educational practices.

Development of Islamic institutions of learning

The knowledge transmitted from Alexandria and other centers of learning contributed to the foundation
of Islamic educational institutions such as the madrasas, universities and other centers of scholarly
exchange. The intellectual legacy of Alexandria, particularly in fields such as philosophy, medicine, and
the natural sciences, informed curriculum and scholarly activities in these institutions, shaping the
trajectory of Muslim education.

References
Behrens, D. (2006). The islamic History of lighthouse of Alexanderia. maqaranas, 14.

sabry, D. (1967). The history of Alexandria during islamic period. Alexanderia.