Al Quaraouiyine, a temple of renewed knowledge
A meeting rich in historical lessons. This is what the Fondation Maroc du Patrimoine recently initiated with an inaugural conference, entitled “Al Quaraouiyine University: Twelve centuries of scientific influence”. Indeed, the Foundation invited a distinguished speaker, Amal Jallal, to tell the story of one of the world’s oldest universities, Al Quaraouiyine. Appointed president of the university in October 2015, Jallal spoke about the university’s role as a result of its scientific influence, based on its openness and the diversity of its teaching system.
Twelve centuries of scientific influence
The university president recalled some of the historic moments that bear witness to the greatness of this institution, which dates back almost 12 centuries. For the lecturer, Al Quaraouiyine is not only a scientific institution, but it has also become one of the spiritual capital’s historic monuments. Despite the prevailing vagueness about its founding date, many historians agree that it was in 859, thanks to Fatima Fehriya, daughter of a wealthy merchant from Bani Fahr who wished to create a grand mosque.
Over time, and with the succession of Morocco’s royal dynasties, this monument was transformed into a great university welcoming students from all over the world, particularly after the University had undergone numerous expansions from the Idrissid to the Alaouite dynasties. Built a hundred years before Al-Azhar University, Al Quaraouiyine has seen many prestigious figures from the fields of medicine, philosophy, jurisprudence, sociology and Sufism pass through its doors, These include Abdessalam Ben Mchiche, Abou Mediene, Ibn Rochd, Ibn Maymoun, Ibn Khaldoune, Ibn Baja, Ibn Arabi, Lissane-Eddine Ibn Al Khatib, as well as Pope Sylvester II, who attended the school. “Thanks to the opening of the Al Quaraouiyine University, the city of Fez has become an essential stopover for scholars from Andalusia, the Mashreq and Africa on their way to Fez, or from Fez to these regions” , said Jallal. He continued, saying: “The University has also remained open to welcome academics and students from a variety of backgrounds, and has continued to award its diplomas to graduates without interruption from its inception to the present day”. And thanks to the Quaraouiyine and its surrounding schools, the spiritual capital has had a great influence on the Islamic West and even on the Mashreq. Better still, the Idrissid city has become a cultural bridge between Andalusia and the Mashreq on the one hand, and between Andalusia and Africa on the other.
Cultural bridge between Andalusia and Mashreq
Today, thanks to the interest of the Sovereigns who have reigned in Morocco in this great scientific and cultural edifice, Al Quaraouiyine continues to exist, to teach, and shine. “His Majesty King Mohammed VI is working to restore this university to its former glory and the leading role it has played since its foundation, and to establish it as a benchmark scientific institution providing high-quality specialized training in the sciences of religion, the history of thought and Islamic civilization”, said Jallal. “Al Quaraouiyine University holds a little-known world record. Certified by the Guinness Book of Records, it is recognized as the oldest university institution still in operation in the world”, he concluded.
The oldest university
AL Quaraouiyine’s longevity surpasses that of its European counterparts. The University of Bologna, founded in 1088, occupies second place in this ranking. It is followed by the universities of Paris (1160), Oxford (1167), and Cambridge (1209), all founded several centuries after the establishment of the Moroccan institution. Al Quaraouiyine’s unique status testifies to the rich cultural and educational heritage of the Maghreb. The central role played by this region in the transmission and development of knowledge over the centuries is recognized worldwide. Its intellectual influence has attracted renowned thinkers, some of whom have left their mark on Arab philosophy. These include Averroès (Ibn Rochd) and Avempace (Ibn Baja), iconic figures of medieval thought. Ibn Khaldun, a pioneering historian and sociologist, also walked the grounds of this age-old institution. Thanks to the Sovereign’s interest, the university continues to pursue its educational mission, combining tradition and modernity. The presence of the University in the global academic landscape underlines the remarkable continuity of higher education in Morocco, from medieval times up until the present time.
Youness SAAD ALAMI
