In this three-year thesis I explored the world of Islamic civilization of North Africa - from a religious, legislative and cultural point of view - with particular attention to the Moroccan area. The University of Al-Qarawiyyin,...
moreIn this three-year thesis I explored the world of Islamic civilization of North Africa - from a religious, legislative and cultural point of view - with particular attention to the Moroccan area. The University of Al-Qarawiyyin, mistakenly defined as "madrasa", was named from the UNESCO as the oldest university in the world (bibliographic note 149, p. 72), in the sense of a modern structure as we know it today, different from the Koranic schools or the madrasas of the Seljuk age. The university was founded by a woman, Fatima al-Fihriyya who, with the help of her sister Maryam, founded the first center for modern studies and research. The history of the medina is told, from its foundation to the present day, with the restoration of the university library and the fundamental role it has as the religious and cultural center of the city. Al-Qarawiyyin University is also considered an exceptional example of waqf (islamic pious foundation), from the 9th century to the present perpetually dedicated to the same purpose: education and the spread of knowledge.
