Al-Azhar Mosque and University

Cairo, Egypt

One of the oldest continuously operating universities in the world, founded by the Fatimid Caliphate and later transformed into the premier center of Sunni Islamic scholarship.

Historical Context

The Fatimid Caliphate established Cairo (al-Qahira) as its capital in 969 CE, and al-Azhar was one of the new city's first major structures. Under the Fatimids, it functioned as a center for Ismaili Shi'a learning. After Salah ad-Din overthrew the Fatimid dynasty in 1171, al-Azhar was gradually transformed into a Sunni institution. The Mamluks endowed it heavily and expanded its faculties. Under Ottoman and modern Egyptian governance, it has continued to serve as the Muslim world's most recognized center of Islamic learning.