Fatima al-Fihri, who was born in Tunisia, she came from a well-educated family. In the early 9th century, Fatima migrated with her father and sister from Qayrawan in Tunisia to Fez in Morocco. Upon the death of her father, Fatima inherited a large fortune.
Fatima al-Fihri used this wealth to establish the first university in 859 in the 9th century. Ibn Khaldun the famous historian was an alumni at this university.
The university still exists today, offering Islamic Studies, Legal Sciences and Comparative Jurisprudence, which subsequently became one of the leading spiritual and educational centers of the historic Muslim world.
The University of Al Quaraouiyine
It is the oldest continually operating educational institution in the world and is sometimes referred to as the world’s oldest university, by being the first institution to award degrees indicative of different levels of study. The mosque is also still in operation, and is one of the largest in North Africa.
Ustadha Zaynab Ansari in the Muslimah Media series talks about Fatima al-Fihri who established the first University of Al Quaraouiyine in Fez, Morocco
In this video: Great Muslim Women: Fatima al-Fihriyya Founder of the First University in the World (Qarawiyyin) Mufti Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf Mangera speaks in details about the contribution made by Fatima al-Fihri to Islamic Education.
