MAKTAB – CONTINUITY IN TEACHING, UPBRINGING AND INNOVATIONS

Abstract

UDK 28-472-053.2

This work was presented at the counselling session with muftis and main imams organised by the Directorate for Religious Affairs and held in Sarajevo on 29th August 2018. The article elaborates the Maktab class as a continuous, organised Islamic teaching in our region. It also gives an outline of the social circumstances within which this process was taking place. Some examples of the manner in which our ulema legally regulated the Maktab class as an initial and a fundamental institution for teaching young generations are also presented here. Since 1882, when it was established as specially structured religious organisation (Riyaset) within Austro-Hungarian Empire, for over a century of its continuous existence and work, the Islamic Community preserved institutionalised functioning of maktab and persisted on searching for adequate solutions for different challenges that it faced during this time. Regardless of all the difficulties and impediments, the Islamic Community always found the ways to an adequate solution that corresponded to the requirements of the time and the needs of the faithful. This institutionalised approach involved: responsibility and care for the received endowment (emanet), exploring and setting different levels of teaching and learning, educating and preparing the teaching staff, adopting the Statute, Rule books, Curriculum and creating a variety of teaching contents.