"Seek knowledge from the cradle to the Grave" - Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

In life, people will have different opinions regarding almost anything from the best candy to the use of cell phones in public school.  However, there are some things that simply must be accepted as truth.  The importance of knowledge in Islam reflects a point of truth, provided numerous evidence.  As the famous quote by Prophet Muhammad goes, “Seek knowledge even as far as China.”  This was directed to the believing men and women of the Islamic community and Muslims today still live by this hadith.  The hadith is otherwise known as “Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave.”  Either way, knowledge is an essential component of Islam as it is central to worship and goodliness.  Learning is seen as worship since the learning of Qur’an and hadith and “the law to which the revelation pointed” is commanded by God for his servants.  The knowledge that God commands of his servants regarding guidelines by which to live can be passed down from generation to generation.  Think about it this way, if Islam were an organism, it would consume knowledge and the hearts of the people.  Islam would reproduce through madrasa’s, interactions between people (including dawwah), etc.  
So, what exactly are madrasas?  Madrasa is a noun of place derived from the verb meaning “to study.”  Before madrasas, most studying, especially religious study, was done in the mosque.  The distinction between mosque and madrasa is a little of a blur and should “remind us that the transmission of knowledge for Muslims was an act of piety.  Simple.  But, what exactly is studied at madrasas?  This is where things get difficult to discuss.  There are some scholars who say that madrasas in Damascus lacked a curriculum and that learning was dependent on the teacher and/or the student.  Most scholars can agree that madrasas were a turning point in medieval culture history.  Still, to what extent did madrasas dominate education?
It seems that Chamberlain believes that although madrasas were a significant turning point in higher education during this period, there was nothing too special about it.  Learning had been going on prior to the formation of the madrasa in these circle groups and in the mosque.  The name of the madrasa also seemed to hold little weight in comparison with the name of the professor, or shaykh, which seemed to be most important.  Chamberlain discusses the differences between universities in Europe in relation to madrasas as he discusses a lack of curriculum within madrasas, an informal learning style, the lack of a “degree” from specific madrasas, etc.  Berkeley on the other hand seems to have a different outlook on madrasas and holds them to a higher significance than Chamberlain.  The tone of both Chamberlain and Berkley’s introduction are quite different from each other.  Chamberlain seems more critical of madrasas being something special while Berkley seems to find madrasas exceptionally important.
More specifically, Berkley seems to have a milder tone.  Speaking of the elite and their relationship with madrasas, he says that the madrasas were “established and endowed as a pious act by wealthy individuals.”  On the other hand, Chamberlain states that the ruling elite funded madrasas to benefit themselves. Was the funding of madrasas a pious act of the elite group or was it merely seeking self-gain?  Chamberlain seems to critique the aspects of the madrasa institution.
In my humble opinion, like both Berkley and Chamberlain and most scholars I believe that madrasas were important in the higher learning.  Most importantly though, I believe that madrasas reflect the importance of learning and knowledge in Islam.  Going back to Islam as an organism, madrasas are the descendent of Islam meaning that madrasas are of high standing.  What bothers me about Chamberlain is that he seems to be too busy comparing madrasas to universities elsewhere and it reflects a sense of discretization.  Does it matter if madrasas lacked a curriculum during this period?  Learning was still taking place.  Madrasas were new.  What is more important is that the Islamic community was placing an emphasis on learning as commanded by God.  The madrasas were specialized institutions of learning due to all that they embodied.  They were a step from learning in the mosque to something that was “bigger” and better able to serve the purpose of seeking knowledge.  Case closed.