By combining a descriptive meihod with a comparative one, this thesis attempts to understand the ideas of method of Muslim learning as illustrated in a medieval Muslim treatise, Ta'lim al-Muta'allim Tariq al-Ta'allum (Instruction of the Student: the Method of Learning), of Burhan al-Din al-Zarnuji (flourished circa 620/1223). It is apparent throughout the present study that the method of Muslim learning is not simply a technique by which a student seeks to deal, in an appropriate manner, with any academic assignment, but rather, an approach, the very heart of which rests on the problem of ethics, which brings a student into a situation where he maintains his commitment to God, his respect to his teacher, and his invigorated desire in the search for knowledge. The fundamental reason for such an approach to learning is that knowledge ('ilm) in Islam is placed in a religiously special position in that it is recognized as derived from God and given by Him for the nobility of human beings, so that the search for knowledge is a part of the Muslim's religious manifestations of submission to God ('ibadah li-Allah).

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This thesis is an attempt to study Ibn Jama'ah's approach to educational reform as illustrated in his Tadhkirat al-Sami' wa al-Mutakallim fi Adab al-'Alim wa al Muta'allim. Ibn Jama'ah (639-733 A.H. / 1241-1333 A.D.) was a distinguished Shafi'i Chief Judge and prominent scholar of Islamic studies during the Bahri Mamluk's Sultanate in Egypt and Syria. Ibn Jama'ah's theory of education reflects an emphasis on the Qur'an and hadith as primary sources of knowledge. Specifically, his suggestions for curriculum composition are designed to facilitate the evolution of a pious, religiously oriented generation of scholars. Ibn Jama'ah emphasizes the need for the teacher to foster motivation among his student body. Furthermore, he recommends that the teacher carefully gauge his students' abilities and limits. Another critical component of Ibn Jama'ah's educational program is the need for the teacher to realize the influence he has on his students; consequently, he must carry himself in a respectable and pious manner. He also addresses the various duties needed for a student to excell in his studies. In his evaluation of the teacher and student relationship, one can detect his affiliation with the Sufi khanqah tradition.

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