Places where children are taught

In Islamic history, the mosque has been a multifunctional institution far beyond being just a place for prayer. During the time of the Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet's Mosque hosted not only prayers but also council meetings, receptions of envoys, judicial proceedings, and above all, circles of knowledge. Teaching children the Qur'an and basic religious knowledge was an activity that the Prophet Muhammad personally encouraged and valued, starting very early in the Prophet's Mosque. The first types of schools, called kuttab, were mostly established in a section of or near the mosque. Among the columns of the Prophet's Mosque or in specially designated areas, children learned to read the Qur'an, write, and acquire basic knowledge of prayer; in these circles, the one-on-one relationship between teacher and student was emphasized. This tradition continued during the Ottoman period; many madrasas and kuttabs were built around the Prophet's Mosque. Today, the Saudi Arabian government continues to implement Qur'an education programs for children and adults within the Prophet's Mosque. [Source: TDV Islamic Encyclopedia, "Mosque" article, islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/mescid; "Küttâb" article, islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/kuttab]