Assalamu Alaikum Ya Nesan!

University of Al Quaraouiyine (جامعة القرويين), situated in Fez, Morocco has been accepted by UNESCO and the Guinness World Records, as the oldest continually operating, degree awarding university in the world. It was founded by Fatima Al-Fihri, in 859 A.D, using the vast inheritance she received upon her father’s death.

Historically the university offered studies in grammar, rhetoric, logic, medicine, mathematics, astronomy alongside Qur'an and Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), but today the university offers degree courses only in Islamic Law, Arabic Studies and Theology. In order to gain entry into the university a prospective scholar should have memorized the Quran, as well as several other texts on Arabic and Maliki Law, and demonstrate a good knowledge of classical Arabic.

Fatima bint Muhammad Al-Fihriya Al-Qurashiya, was the daughter of Muhammad Al-Fihri, a wealthy merchant that migrated from Qayrawan, Tunisia to Fez, Morocco. She was part of a larger migration of people from Qayrawan that migrated to Fez to take advantage of the city’s economic prosperity during the early 9th century. When Muhammad Al-Fihri died he left his great fortune to his two daughters, Fatima and Mariam. Fatima dedicated a part of her wealth to founding the University of Al Quaraouiyine, and her sister Mariam dedicated a part of her inheritance towards the Al-Andalus Mosque, also in Fez.

The university received the patronage of many sultans of the region. The universities library was first built by the Marinid Sultan Abu Inan Faris in 1349, and contains many important manuscripts including volumes from the famous Al-Muwatta of Malik written on gazelle parchment, the Sirat Ibn Ishaq, a copy of the Qur'an given by Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur in 1602, and the original copy of Ibn Khaldun's book Al-'Ibar.

The university’s mosque has evolved over 1000 years with the first expansion undertaken in 956, by Umayyad Caliph of Córdoba, Abd-ar-Rahman III, and today it is the largest mosque in Africa, with a capacity for 22,000 worshippers. There is a special room in the mosque known as the Dar al-Muwaqqit, where the times of prayer are established.

Famous alumna of the university includes Abu Imran al-Fasi, Mohammed Ibn Rushayd, Moḥammed ibn al-Haj al-Abdari al-Fasi, Al-Idrissi, Ibn Al-Arabi, Ibn Khaldun, Ibn Khatib, Al-Bitruji (known as Alpetragius to the Greeks), Ibn Hirzihim, Al-Bannani, Al-Wazzan and Pope Sylvester II. Among its famous modern day alumna is Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din bin Abdil-Qadir Al-Hilali who translated Sahih Al-Buhari, and the Quran to the English language, the later in collaboration with the famous Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan.

May Allah open the path of knowledge to all!