Did you know the oldest university in the world was founded by a Muslim woman? Established in 857 CE in Fez, Morocco, the University of Al-Qarawiyyin is the legacy of eminent scholar, educator and sage Fatima Al Fihriyya.
Fatima was born around 800 CE in the Tunisian city of Kairouan, then part of the Aghlabid Emirate. Although her family had been poor, Fatima’s father became successful in business and left behind a fortune to her and her sister Maryam. Instead of enjoying the luxury their inheritance could have provided, two sisters decided to invest in their community.
Fatima’s family had been part of a large wave of migrants to the city of Fez. The migration led to overcrowding, and obtaining an education seemed out of reach for many of the newcomers. Fatima saw this problem and decided to solve it. She used her inheritance to establish the Al-Qarawiyyin mosque, which doubled as a madrasa, or school, for her community. Al-Qarawiyyin would come to be one of the premier centers of knowledge and education of Islam’s golden age, and would attract students from all corners of the Muslim world.
The story of Fatima Al Fihriyya and al-Qarawiyyin highlights the crucial role Muslim women have played in shaping world history. Fatima invested in education in order to promote advancement and justice for her community. That institution would go on to last for centuries as a source of enlightenment to the world. Inspired by her, we aim to build institutions for our community that will scale the heights and reach the stars.