Fatima Al Fihri
WOMAN WARRIOR ON WEDNESDAY; Fatima Al Fihri
Fatima Al Fihri was born in Tunisia during the 9th century. As a child, her father, Muhammed, moved the family to Fed in search of better opportunities during a period of heavy migration. This turned out to be a blessing as her father became wealthy and successful.
Following her father’s death, Fatima inherited his wealth and founded the world’s first known university; The University of Al Quaraouiyine Morocco in 859 which paved the way for modern universities around the globe.
A trailblazer, who played a great role in the civilization and culture growth in her community. She championed the construction of the university, and fasted for two years, until the project was completed.
At the onset, Al Quaraouiyine started off as a mosque but it later grew into a place of learning and offered courses on religious instructions and the Qur’an. This gradually expanded into Arabic grammar, mathematics, medicine and astronomy, and later began conferring degrees on its graduates.
As a result of her commitment and effort, the university now houses one of the world’s oldest libraries containing over 4,000 manuscripts, including the famous historian Ibn Khaldun’s 14th century text Muqaddimah. The university has become a famous spiritual and educational centre visited by scholars and intellectuals from all over the world.
Al Quaraouiyine University has continued to progress, earning the reputation of the “Athens of Islam”, and the mosque has become the largest in Africa with a staggering capacity of a staggering 22,000 people. Her remarkable legacy of dedication and empowering endeavor is one that is a source of inspiration for all
