Moral education in the makātib of Britain: a review of curriculum materials

This article reviews a series of ten books entitled Tas-heelul akhlāq wal aadaab [Morals and manners made easy] that were produced by the Jamiatul Ulama (Council of Religious Scholars) in Transvaal in South Africa. They are designed for children between the ages of six and fifteen and are increasingly in use in the makātib (supplementary Muslim schools) in the UK and other western countries. The article begins by examining the context in which the textbooks are used and proceeds to provide a critical discussion of the religious and ethical principles on which they are based, the presentation of the content and the recommended strategies for learning.