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University of al-Qarawiyyin
al-ka-ra-WEE-yeen
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A mosque and madrasa founded in Fez, Morocco, in 859 CE, traditionally credited to Fatima al-Fihri, that grew over the following centuries into a major centre of Islamic learning teaching logic, grammar, medicine, astronomy and mathematics alongside religious sciences. UNESCO and Guinness World Records recognise it as the oldest continuously operating degree-granting institution of higher learning in the world.
Facts
Founded YearFounded as a mosque in 857-859 CE; reorganized as a modern state university under Moroccan law in 1963. UNESCO and Guinness World Records recognize the 857-859 founding for its claim to be the oldest continually operating institution of higher learning. Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
Both cited independently as among the oldest continuously operating degree-granting institutions in the world; al-Qarawiyyin (859) is recognised by UNESCO and Guinness World Records as the oldest, Al-Azhar (970) as Egypt's oldest and one of the oldest worldwide. Associative comparison, not a derivation or founding link.
Founded By
The traditional and UNESCO-recognised account credits Fatima al-Fihri as founder. Some modern historians note her individualised biography is attested only in sources written centuries after her lifetime and treat the personal details with caution; see the linked open question.
Sources
1. Wikipedia
Wikimedia FoundationUniversity of al-Qarawiyyin, lead sectionQuote, University of al-Qarawiyyin, lead section
It was founded as a mosque by Fatima al-Fihri in 857-859 and subsequently became one of the leading spiritual and educational centers of the Islamic Golden Age.
1. Wikipedia
Wikimedia Foundationen.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_al-Qarawiyyin, recognition sectionQuote, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_al-Qarawiyyin, recognition section
UNESCO and the Guinness World Records, have cited al-Qarawiyyin as the oldest university or oldest continually operating higher learning institution in the world.
1. Wikipedia
Wikimedia Foundationen.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_al-Qarawiyyin, founding sectionQuote, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_al-Qarawiyyin, founding section
al-Qarawiyyin was founded as a mosque in 857 or 859 by Fatima al-Fihri.
1. Wikipedia
Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Al-Azhar University, Al-Azhar University article, lead section, oldest degree-granting university claimQuote, Associated With: Al-Azhar University, Al-Azhar University article, lead section, oldest degree-granting university claim
Founded in 970, and associated with the Al-Azhar Al-Sharif religious institution in Islamic Cairo, it is Egypt's oldest degree-granting university, and one of the oldest universities in the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the oldest continuously operating degree-granting university?
The University of al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco, founded in 859 CE.
The University of al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco, founded in 859 CE by Fatima al-Fihri, is recognized by UNESCO and Guinness World Records as the oldest existing, continually operating degree-granting institution of higher learning in the world. It began as a mosque and center of learning attached to the Qarawiyyin Mosque and became a state university within Morocco's modern university system in 1963.
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