The Child and Child Education in the Works of Abdullah b. Fodio

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 9 Sayı: 2, 236 - 255, 30.09.2025

Ifeoluwa Siddiq Oyelamı

Öz

This article examines the conception of the child and the principles of child education in the works of Abdullah b. Fodio (d. 1245/1829), one of the foremost intellectual figures of the Sokoto Caliphate, which corresponds to present-day northern Nigeria. While Islamic education in Africa has received considerable scholarly attention, less focus has been directed toward individual thinkers from Bilād al-Sūdān who articulated distinctive educational philosophies. Employing a qualitative, library-based methodology and a descriptive-analytical approach, this study engages in a close reading of Ibn Fodio’s writings to explore his views on the nature of the child, the rights owed to children, the responsibilities of parents and teachers, and the appropriate methods of instruction and discipline. It further examines his conception of formal education as a structured process with a distinct curriculum. The analysis reveals that Ibn Fodio’s educational vision was firmly rooted in the classical Islamic pedagogy. He envisaged child education as developing across three distinct stages—early childhood, the age of discernment, and maturity—each requiring tailored approaches and content. Moreover, he emphasised the balance between affection and corrective discipline, warning against excessive harshness while advocating compassion. Notably, his endorsement of reinforcement, both positive and corrective, bears resemblance to modern social learning theories. The study also looks into Ibn Fodio’s perspectives on the balance between play and work, as well as gender bias in education. By appraising these insights, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of educational theory in precolonial West Africa and recovers the voice of a Muslim African scholar whose ideas retain enduring relevance to contemporary debates on child development and moral education.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Islamic Education , Child Education , Social Learning , Bilād al-Sūdān , Abdullah b. Fodio , Sokoto Caliphate , Moral Education

Abdullah b. Fûdî’nin Eserlerinde Çocuk ve Çocuk Eğitimi

Öz

Bu makale, günümüz Kuzey Nijerya’sına tekabül eden Sokoto Devleti’nin önde gelen alimlerden biri olan Abdullah b. Fûdî’nin (ö. 1245/1829), eserlerinde çocuk kavramını ve çocuk eğitiminin ilkelerini incelemektedir. Afrika’daki İslam eğitimi, araştırmacıların büyük ilgisini çekmiş olmakla birlikte, Biladü’s-Sudân’dan çıkan ve kendine özgü eğitim felsefelerini ortaya koyan bireysel düşünürler üzerinde daha az durulmuştur. Dolaysıyla niteliksel, kütüphane temelli (library-based) bir metodoloji ve betimsel-analitik bir yaklaşım kullanan bu çalışma, İbn Fûdî’nin yazılarını yakından inceleyerek çocuğun doğası, çocuklara tanınan haklar, ebeveynlerin ve öğretmenlerin sorumlulukları ile uygun öğretim ve disiplin yöntemleri hakkındaki görüşlerini araştırmaktadır. Ayrıca onun, resmi eğitimi belirli bir müfredata sahip yapılandırılmış bir süreç olarak ele alışını da incelemektedir. Analiz, İbn Fûdû’nin eğitim vizyonunun klasik İslam pedagojisine sıkı sıkıya bağlı olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. O, çocuk eğitimini üç aşamada gelişen bir süreç olarak tasavvur etmiştir: erken çocukluk, muhakeme çağı ve olgunluk. Her aşama, kendine özgü yöntemler ve içerikler gerektirmektedir. Ayrıca sevgi ve düzeltici disiplin arasındaki dengeyi vurgulamış; aşırı sertliğe karşı uyarıda bulunurken şefkatli olmayı savunmuştur. Özellikle hem olumlu hem de düzeltici pekiştirmeyi desteklemesi, modern sosyal öğrenme teorileriyle benzerlik göstermektedir. Çalışma ayrıca İbn Fûdî’nin oyun ve çalışma arasındaki dengeye ilişkin görüşlerini ve eğitimde cinsiyet temelli önyargıya yaklaşımını da ele almaktadır. Bu görüşleri değerlendirerek, sömürge öncesi Batı Afrika’daki eğitim teorisinin daha da anlaşılmasına katkıda bulunmakta ve fikirleri çocuk gelişimi ile ahlak eğitimi konusundaki güncel tartışmalar açısından hâlâ geçerli olan Müslüman bir Afrikalı âlimin sesini yeniden görünür kılmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

İslam eğitimi , Çocuk eğitimi , Sosyal öğrenme , Biladü’s-Sudân , Abdullah b. Fodio , Sokoto Devleti , Ahlak Eğitimi

الطفل وتعليم الطفل في مؤلفات عبد الله بن فودي

Öz

تتناول هذه المقالة مفهوم الطفل ومبادئ تربيته في مؤلفات عبد الله بن فودي (ت 1245هـ/1829م) أحد أبرز المفكرين في دولة صكوتو الواقعة في شمال نيجيريا الحالية، ورغم أن التربية الإسلامية في إفريقيا قد حظيت باهتمام واسع من الباحثين فإن إسهامات المفكرين الأفراد في بلاد السودان السودان الذين صاغوا فلسفات تربوية مميزة لم تنل القدر نفسه من الدراسة .وبناء على ذالك تعتمد هذه الدراسة منهجية نوعية قائمة على المصادر المكتبية، ونهجًا وصفيًا تحليليًا لقراءة متأنية لكتابات ابن فودي نستكشف من خلالها تصوره لطبيعة الطفل والحقوق المترتبة له ومسؤوليات الوالدين والمعلمين والأساليب المناسبة للتعليم والتأديب. كما تسلط الضوء على رؤيته للتعليم النظامي بوصفه عملية منظمة ذات منهج مميز، ومن خلال هذا التحليل يتبين أن التصور التعليمي لدى ابن فودي متجذر بعمق في تقاليد التربية الإسلامية الكلاسيكية فقد رسم ملامح نمو الطفل عبر ثلاث مراحل متميزة :الطفولة المبكرة، وعمر التمييز، ومرحلة التي ما قبل البلوغ .ويتطلب كل منها مناهج ومضامين خاصة. كما شدد على أهمية التوازن بين المودة والرأفة إلى جانب التأديب بما لا يصل إلى القسوة ، والجدير بالذكر أن تأييده لاستخدام التعزيز الإيجابي والتصحيحي يقارب يتماشى بشكل كبير مع نظريات التعلم الاجتماعي الحديثة .كما تناقش الدراسة أيضًا آرائه حول العلاقة بين اللعب والعمل فضلًا عن موقفه من التفاوت بين الجنسين في التعليم. ومن خلال هذه المعالجة تساهم الدراسة في فهم راسخ للنظرية التربوية في غرب إفريقيا قبل الاستعمار، وتُعيد إبراز صوت باحثٍ إفريقي مسلم ما تزال أفكاره تحتفظ بقيمة دائمة في النقاشات المعاصرة حول نمو الطفل والتربية الأخلاقية.

Anahtar Kelimeler

التربية الإسلامية , تعليم الأطفال , التعلم الاجتماعي , بلاد السودان , عبد الله بن فودي , دولة صكتو , التربية الأخلاقية

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