University of al-Qarawiyyin

A woman named Fatima built a mosque long ago.

She used her own money to help her people.

This mosque became a place to learn.

Many people came there to study. They learned about many things.

It is a very old school. Some say it is the oldest in the world.

Students still go there today. They come from many lands.

It is a special place for learning.

It has a long and grand story.

The University of al-Qarawiyyin is in Fez, Morocco.

Many say it is the oldest university in the world. It started as a mosque. A woman named Fatima al-Fihri founded it. She did this between the years 857 and 859. She used her own money to build it. Her sister Mariam also built a mosque nearby.

Over time, the mosque became a place to learn. In the 1300s, it was a top center for study. Students learned many subjects. They studied math, medicine, and stars. They also studied religion and Arabic grammar.

The school has a great library. It holds very old books. One book is a certificate from the year 1207. Some think it is the oldest medical degree.

In 1963, it became part of the modern state system. Women first joined the school in the 1940s. Today, students still come from many places to study there.

The University of al-Qarawiyyin is a famous place for learning. It is located in the city of Fez, Morocco.

Many groups, like UNESCO and Guinness World Records, call it the oldest university in the world. It is also known as the oldest school that is still running today. This institution is very important to the history of education. It helps people understand how learning has changed over many centuries.

The school began as a mosque for people to pray in. A woman named Fatima al-Fihri is said to have started it. She lived a long time ago in the 9th century. Some stories say she built it between 857 and 859. She used money she inherited from her father, a merchant. Her sister Mariam is also said to have built a mosque nearby.

As years passed, the mosque became a center for teaching. In the 1300s, it reached a high point for many scholars. Students did not just study religion and law. They also studied math, medicine, and the stars. They learned about logic, geography, and grammar too. Some nearby buildings called madrasas were built to house students. These buildings helped people stay in the city while they studied.

The university has a library filled with very old books. A leader named Abu Inan Faris helped build this library in 1349. Many precious manuscripts are kept safe inside the walls. One special document is a certificate from the year 1207. Some scholars believe this is the oldest medical degree ever found. It was written on parchment made from a deer.

Today, the school is part of the modern Moroccan university system. It officially became part of this system in 1963. In 1965, the name was officially changed to the University of Al Quaraouiyine. Women first began to attend the school in the 1940s. This happened after women worked to change the rules. Now, students come from all over Morocco and West Africa.

The University of al-Qarawiyyin is a major center of higher learning located in Fez, Morocco.

It is recognized by organizations like UNESCO and Guinness World Records as the oldest continually operating higher learning institution in the world. While many scholars debate the definition of a "university," al-Qarawiyyin has functioned as a vital educational hub for over a millennium. The institution began as a mosque and eventually expanded into a massive complex of learning. It serves as a bridge between historical Islamic education and the modern Moroccan state university system.

For much of its history, the institution functioned as a madrasa. A madrasa is an Islamic school that provides specialized religious and legal instruction. The mechanism of learning often involved halaqa, or learning circles, where students gathered around teachers. This traditional method of instruction has continued to be used at the university even into the modern era. The curriculum focuses heavily on Islamic religious and legal sciences. Specifically, the university is known for its strengths in Maliki Sharia, which is a school of Islamic law. Students also study Classical Arabic grammar and linguistics. While religious studies are the primary focus, lessons on non-Islamic subjects are also offered to provide a broader education.

The history of the institution is tied to the migration of families from Tunisia to Morocco. The name al-Qarawiyyin means "University of the People from Kairouan." According to the source Rawd al-Qirtas, Fatima al-Fihri founded the mosque between 857 and 859 CE. Fatima was the daughter of a wealthy merchant named Mohammed al-Fihri. She reportedly used her entire inheritance to build a mosque for her community in Fez. Some historians question this story due to the symmetry of her sister Mariam also founding a mosque. A 20th-century discovery of a Kufic script inscription on cedar wood panels added complexity to this history. This inscription mentions a foundation by Dawud ibn Idris in 877 CE. Some scholars believe Fatima may be a legendary figure, while others argue the inscription was moved there later.

As the centuries passed, the mosque grew in both size and prestige. During the 10th century, the Idrisid dynasty fell, and Fez was contested by different powers. During this time, the Qarawiyyin Mosque gained the status of a Friday mosque. This meant it became the community's main mosque, and the Friday sermon was moved there. The Almoravid dynasty, which ruled from 1040 to 1147, significantly expanded the building. Later, the Marinid dynasty oversaw a major intellectual peak in the 13th and 14th centuries. During the Marinid period, the curriculum became very broad. Students studied medicine, mathematics, astronomy, geography, logic, rhetoric, and the Quran. However, subjects like alchemy or chemistry were not officially taught because they were considered unorthodox.

The Marinid period also saw the rise of auxiliary institutions called madrasas. These were formal buildings constructed near the main mosque to support the center of learning. Examples include the Saffarin Madrasa, built in 1271, and the al-Attarine Madrasa, built in 1323. These buildings served a specific social function by providing housing for students. Many of these students were poor and traveled from other towns to study. By providing a place to live, these madrasas allowed al-Qarawiyyin to remain the central intellectual heart of the city. This network of buildings created a dense environment of scholars and students in Fez.

A critical component of the university is its massive library, founded by Sultan Abu Inan Faris in 1349.

The library contains a vast collection of manuscripts from the Maghreb, al-Andalus, and the Middle East. Some of these works were gathered by Sultan Abu Yusuf Ya'qub, who obtained books from cities in Spain like Seville and Granada. The library holds incredibly rare items, such as a 9th-century Quran written on gazelle parchment. One of the most famous discoveries is an ijazah certificate from 1207 CE. This document was written on deer parchment and is claimed by some scholars to be the oldest surviving predecessor of a Medical Doctorate degree.

It was issued to a man named Abdellah Ben Saleh Al Koutami.

The university has undergone significant changes to integrate with the modern world. In 1963, it was incorporated into Morocco's modern state university system. Two years later, it was officially renamed the University of Al Quaraouiyine. The institution also became more inclusive during the 20th century. Women were first admitted to the university in the 1940s. This change occurred after the women's movement pressured the French colonial government. Today, the university continues to attract students from all over Morocco and Muslim West Africa. It remains a vital link between ancient traditions and contemporary higher education.