The Foundation of al-Azhar Mosque/University – 970 CE

The great Mosque/University of al-Azhar in Cairo was founded by the same Fatimid general, Jawhar, who had started building the city itself the previous year. With the distinct feature of having three minarets, the mosque is thought to have been named after the Prophet’s daughter Fatima al-Zahra. Orignally built to serve only as a mosque for the new city, it gradually developed into a major centre of Islamic scholarship, providing education for students of all ages. As late as 1925, the subjects taught remained exclusively religious, based on the Quran, the Traditions and their interpretations

 [Taken from p271, A Chronology of Islamic History 570-1000CE, Ta-Ha Publishers Ltd, 2003]

 

Muslims persecuted in 13th century Spain

 

Pre-Islamic Arab Monotheism