Credit: https://thetempest.co/2021/03/03/history/fatima-al-fihri-founder-of-the-worlds-first-university/
Fatima Bint Mohammad Al Fihriya is the founder of the first university. Born around 800 AD in Tunisia, Fatima and her sister Maryam had great knowledge of the Quran and Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh), after their father’s death each of them used their inheritance to build a mosque. Their objective was to provide a space and resources for the influx of immigrants in Fes, Morocco where they had also migrated. She built the Al Qarawiyyeen mosque and educational institution for her local community, following that she supervised the rebuilding project to double the size of the mosque. By 859 AD the mosque had expanded and been established as the world’s first degree-awarding university which provided a large variety of subjects including natural sciences, language and astronomy. It is rumored that the man known for introducing Arabic numerals used today to Europe Pope Sylvester II studied here as well as several poets and mathematicians from all over the region. The university is renowned for having a great number of libraries, was the first religious institute and the oldest university still operating according to UNESCO and Guinness World Records. Why was she an important figure in history?
I think it is important for this to be a wider known fact that the oldest university that exists today was founded by a Muslim Arab woman especially because of misconceptions that women in Islam are oppressed and don’t have rights. The strength and determination of Fatima bint Fihriya towards educational advancement motivated by her faith and belief shows that this is not the case and instead we are empowered by Islam.
Sources:
Oldest higher-learning institution | guinness world records. (n.d.). Retrieved August 4, 2022, from https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/oldest-university
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