How a Muslim Woman Founded the Oldest University in the World
The University of Al-Karaouine (or Al-Qarawiyyin) is a university located in Fez, Morocco. It is widely recognized as the oldest university or the oldest continuously operating higher learning institution in the world. It was founded as a mosque by Fatima al-Fihri, a noblewoman from Kairouan (in present-day Tunisia), in 859 CE. She dedicated her wealth and efforts to establish a place of worship and learning for the Muslim community in Fez, which was then a flourishing city and a center of trade and culture.
Fatima al-Fihri was born into a wealthy family that migrated from Kairouan to Fez in the early 9th century. Her father, Muhammad al-Fihri, was a successful merchant who had a good reputation and influence in the city. He died in 848 CE, leaving behind a large fortune for his two daughters, Fatima and Mariam. Both sisters decided to use their inheritance to build mosques and schools in Fez. Mariam built the Al-Andalus Mosque, while Fatima built the Al-Karaouine Mosque.
The construction of the Al-Karaouine Mosque took about two years, from 857 to 859 CE. Fatima al-Fihri supervised the work herself and did not miss a single day of prayer during that time. She also made sure that the mosque was built according to the highest standards of architecture and craftsmanship. The mosque had a spacious courtyard, a large prayer hall, a minaret, and a library. It was decorated with beautiful tiles, woodwork, and calligraphy. The mosque was named after Kairouan, the hometown of Fatima al-Fihri and her family, as a tribute to their origin and heritage.
The Al-Karaouine Mosque soon became one of the leading spiritual and educational centers of the Muslim world. It attracted scholars, students, and travelers from all over the Islamic lands and beyond. It offered courses on various subjects, such as the Quran, Hadith, Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), Arabic grammar, logic, mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and philosophy. Some of the famous teachers and students who studied or taught at the Al-Karaouine Mosque include Ibn Rushd (Averroes), Ibn Tufayl, Ibn Khaldun, Ibn Battuta, Maimonides, Al-Idrisi, Al-Biruni, and Leo Africanus. The mosque also had a rich library that contained thousands of manuscripts on various fields of knowledge.
The Al-Karaouine Mosque was officially recognized as a university by the Moroccan government in 1963. It was renamed as the University of Al-Karaouine and incorporated into the modern state university system. It still operates today as a public university that offers degrees in Islamic studies, Arabic language and literature, and Moroccan culture. It also preserves its historical role as a mosque and a place of worship for Muslims.
The University of Al-Karaouine is a remarkable example of how a woman’s vision and generosity can create a lasting legacy of culture, education, and civilization. It is also a testimony to the intellectual and spiritual achievements of the Muslim world in the Middle Ages. It is a source of pride and inspiration for Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
