Journal of Educational Sciences > Volume 5, No. 2, 1993

The Contributions of Ibn Khaldun in Comparative Education / Mahroos A. I. Ghaban

This study aimed to highlight and analyze contributions of Ibn Khaldun in the field of comparative education, and to determine the extent of his precedence in this field through the comparison of his work with that of the comparative educationists. The result of the study showed that not only did he examine the subject and matters of comparative eduction but he also approached them, in some parts, in an unrivaled way. In studying educational phenomena, he did not limit himself to mere description. or comparison. but he tried to discover the rules behind them. Thus, he exceeded modern comparative educationists, such G. Bereday and B. Holmes. The study also showed that lbn Khaldun had a concrete awareness that there were different factors influencing and shaping educational phenomena. In coming up with that he also exceeded the modern comparative educationists who lately pointed out the importance of studying educational systems through such factors. Finally, the study came up with the conclusion that lbn Khaldun deserves, in many ways, to be considered as an outstanding comparative educationist, if not the establisher of the science of comparative education.