How were mosques used as centers of education in the medieval Islamic world?

In the medieval Islamic world, mosques served as vital hubs for education, evolving from simple places of worship into sophisticated centers of learning.12

Methods of Instruction

The primary mode of instruction within the mosque was the ḥalqah, or study circle. Scholars would sit on a dais or cushion, with students gathered in a semicircle before them, arranged by their level of advancement. Instruction emphasized lectures and the memorization of texts, with students meticulously recording their teacher's words in notebooks. For particularly large classes, such as those studying the Hadith, assistants were often employed to repeat the lecturer’s words so that all students could hear.1

Evolution and Formalization

• Early Education: Initially, scholars congregated in mosques to discuss the Qur'an and teach religious sciences to adults.1
• Institutional Growth: Many mosques became renowned centers of learning, attracting students from across the Islamic world. Over time, schools like the maktab (elementary school) and libraries were frequently attached to mosque complexes.12
• Transition to Madrasahs: The madrasah emerged as a formal institution of higher education, growing out of these earlier mosque-based lectures. While mosques remained centers for informal classes in law and doctrine, the madrasah provided a more structured environment, often supported by endowments (waqf) that funded faculty and, in some cases, student lodging and stipends.31