TERMS ‘EDEB’ AND ‘TERBIJJET IN DEFINITION OF ISLAMIC EDUCATION AND UBRINGING

Abstract

Terms edeb and terbijjet have had different conotations throughout the history. In the early times, the term edeb used to have both social and ethical meaning. During the Ummayad period, the term edeb depicted only Arab literature and culture, while in the Abbasid period the same term encompassed the humanities and disciplines of all Muslims, as well as other civilizations, such as Indian or Greek. In the contemporary meaning, term edeb and its plural version ādāb are synonyms for literature only. Laterly, the term terbijjet has been used to denote an Islamic concept of education. Syed Muhammed Naquib al-Attas is of the opinion that, when it comes to Islamic education, this particular type of education cannot be called terbijjet, since the term is used to depict the Western concept of education, and, therefore, not in the same way the term edeb had been used in ancient times. The term ‘terbijjet’ meant in the sense of upbringing, as it is being used nowadays, cannot be found in any relevant Arabic dictionary, it conveys no meaning of knowledge, while, at the same time, semantically, carries a specific meanings in the context of minerals, plants and animals. Upbringing and education are, on the other hand, qualities of a human being, as the only living creature embued with intellect. Therefore, Te>dīb should be a precise and correct term to depict upbringing and education in the spirit of Islam, as this term encompasses all of the following: knowledge (‘ilm), teaching (ta‘līm) and terbijjet.