The Role of the Educator and the Impact of the Profession of Discipline in Islamic Civilization: A Study of Orientalist Thought

Abstract

This research focuses on presenting the views of Orientalists regarding the profession of discipline (ta'dib) and the influence of educators (mu'addib) in Islamic civilization, particularly during the Umayyad era. It begins with a definition of discipline and the role of the educator both linguistically and in terms of terminology, followed by an exploration of the roots of this profession and its stages of development. The research also highlights the essential educational qualifications for becoming an educator, the criteria for selecting educators to teach the children of princes and caliphs, and their educational, political, and social impact on the students. Finally, it addresses the reasons for the disappearance of this phenomenon. The motivation for studying this topic stems from the significance of this phenomenon in Islamic civilization and the level of attention it received from Orientalists. The research is divided into several sections based on the scientific material, in which we clarify different aspects of this profession, its conditions, and its practitioners.