With a reputation for being one of the largest mosques in Africa and one of the world’s oldest universities, the Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque in Fez, Morocco, is simply one attraction that can’t be missed. This beautiful mosque, which dates back to the 9th century, is also a noted place of worship.
Many see Al-Qarawiyyin as being the perfect example of how theMuslim faith combines thespiritual with the educational. Certainly Muslim saints and scholars have been congregating in the mosque’s ornamental courtyard for more than 1,000 years. Even the very foundations of this majestic monument have a story to tell. According to history, the mosque was founded by a princess by the name of Fatima Al-Fihri – the daughter of a wealthy Qayrawani immigrant. Both Fatima and her sister were highly educated and displayed noteworthy religious devotion. Upon her father’s death, Fatima inherited a large amount of money. Instead of spending this on enriching herself, she chose to enrich the people that surrounded her by using it to build a mosque suitable for her community. This is not only an example of how education and religion merge in this small corner of the globe, it sheds light on the esteemed role that woman can play in the Islamic community an aspect of Islam that is often misunderstood.
