Did you know that the oldest university in the world is located in Morocco and was founded more than 1,000 years ago? Located in the city of Fez, Morocco, Al Qarawiyyin University holds the title of the oldest university in the world.
The university, which is located in a city that was once considered a metropolis, was founded by Fatima bint Muhammad Al Fihriya Al Qurashiya or better known as Fatima Al Fihri. What was his background and why did he found the university at that time? Come on, get to know more about the figure of Fatima Al Fihri, the founder of the oldest university in the world!
Fatima Al Fihri Background
Quoted from Manchester University Press, the figure of Fatima was born in 800 AD and was the daughter of Mohammed Bnou Abdullah Al Fihri, a wealthy merchant during the reign of Idris II.
Fatima is not from Morocco, but Tunisia. Then, in the 9th century, his family migrated to Morocco with other Arabs. Since childhood, Fatima was raised in a religious family and values education regardless of gender.
After his father's death, he invested the wealth that was inherited to him to build mosques and educational institutions. The construction project of a mosque and educational institution aimed at its community began in the month of Ramadan in 859 AD.
Gradually also, the establishment of the mosque developed into a university known as Al Qarawiyyin which is the birthplace of Fatima, namely Qayrawan in Tunisia.
The figure of Fatima Al-Fihri is highly respected today, especially in the Fez region. An award was made in Tunisia in 2017 to honor his services. The awards aim to increase women's access to training and professional responsibilities, as well as provide scholarships for students in Europe and North Africa.
Al Qarawiyyin University Facts
Al Qarawiyyin University is the most ancient university in the world that is still operating today. In addition, the University, located in the city of Fez, also has the oldest library in the world containing more than 4,000 manuscripts, including works by famous historians such as Ibn Khaldun and Muqaddimah in the 14th century.
At the beginning of its establishment, teaching focused on religion and the Koran. But over time, teaching expanded to include music, Sufism, Arabic grammar, astronomy and medicine.
Quoted from Muslima Obsession, many prominent scholars were educated at Qarawiyyin University, one of which was Pope Sylvester II, who introduced Arabic numerals that are currently used.
Not only that, UNESCO and Guinness World Records officially recognize that this oldest university is the first university to award the title in the world.
A Milestone for Women's Awakening and Inspiration to Build a University
As a milestone, the university that was founded by this woman also gave birth to other great women who never gave up on getting an education. For example, Lubna, the mathematician and poet who was once a slave.
There is also Maryam Al Asturlabi, a famous astronomer, until in the 14th century, there was Zaynab Bint Ahmad who became the teacher of a very famous traveler, Ibn Battuta.
The establishment of Al Qarawiyyin University became an inspiration for other countries such as the establishment of Al-Azhar University in Egypt 100 years later, the University of Bologna in Italy which was built around 1088 AD, and Oxford University in England in 1096 AD. Then, 7 centuries later, Cambridge University was built. in 1722 AD.
Fatima's concern and ideas in the field of women's education and awakening have inspired and succeeded in changing the world. He is also known as a learner, even in his last years, Fatima Al Fihri is still eager to study by attending lectures.