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Arabic language defines three etymological meaning of education. First is Ta’lim from the root alima (to know, to be aware, to perceive, to learn) which is used to denote knowledge being sought or imprinted through instruction and teaching. Second is Tarbiyah from the root raba ( (to increase, to grow, to rear) implies a state of spiritual and ethical nurturing in accordance with the will of Allah. And the third is Ta’dib from the root aduba (to be cultured, refined, well mannered) suggests a person’s development of sound social behavior.

The universally accepted meaning of education today is growth, i.e. continuous reconstruction of experiences. It is the development of all those capacities in the individual which will enable him to control his environment and fulfill his possibilities. It sounds as an echo of the Hadith “acquire knowledge from the cradle to the grave”.

Many scholars have defined Education in their own ways:

According to Socrates, Education is a way that helps in searching the truth. According to Aristotle, Education is a process necessary for the creation of sound mind in the sound body. Imam Ghazali defines; Education is a process which enables an individual to distinguish between the true and the false, the good and bad, the right conduct and the evil doing.

English poet John Milton interprets it as a device to help a man to perform justly, skillfully and magnanimously for both private and public, peace and war. World book of encyclopedia denotes education as the process by which people acquire knowledge, skills, habits, values or attitudes.

In a nutshell, education is the systematic way of utilization of knowledge. It is an understanding to the meaning of the past and linking the potentials of the future.