Today, the 1083rd anniversary of the founding of the Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo is being celebrated. It was built by Jawhar al-Siqilli, a military commander during the reign of the Fatimid Caliph al-Muizz Li Din Allah. The mosque’s construction began in the year 359 AH, corresponding to April 4, and took almost 27 months to complete, opening for prayer on June 21, 972 AD. The name Al-Azhar Mosque refers to Fatima Al-Zahra, daughter of Prophet Muhammad and wife of Ali bin Abi Talib, to whom the Fatimids were likely affiliated.
Al-Azhar is Egypt’s largest Islamic scholarly body, aimed at preserving, studying, and publishing Islamic heritage. The mosque has witnessed the attention of Muslim caliphs, sultans, and rulers in its architecture and restoration. The latest restoration work ended in 2018, after lasting almost 3 years, leaving the mosque’s current area at approximately 12,000 square meters.
Ahmed Al-Sawy, editor-in-chief of Sawt Al-Azhar newspaper, emphasizes the significance of the Al-Azhar Mosque in the Islamic world’s spiritual and scientific hierarchy due to its pluralistic curriculum. Al-Azhar is not a monolithic body, but teaches all schools of jurisprudence, and values moderation, coexistence, and knowledge of various legal sciences.
The mosque gained traction as a university by attracting a diverse range of students and scholars, who studied doctrinal, legal, Arabic, mental sciences, history, and other subjects. Al-Azhar’s authority was not affected by political events and maintained its position in the national and Arab realm, resisting colonialism and facing injustices while also playing a crucial role in the selection of rulers.
- Hazem Shaheen
- BBC News Arabic
The age of Al-Azhar Mosque has exceeded a thousand years since its foundation, as it has become an important destination for Islamic science
Today, Wednesday, marks the anniversary of the 1083 AH anniversary of the founding of the Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo. The mosque was built by Jawhar al-Siqilli, the most prominent military commander during the reign of the Fatimid Caliph al-Muizz Li Din Allah, as its construction began on the twenty-fourth of Jumada al-Awwal in the year 359 AH corresponding to the fourth of April. In the year 970 AD, and its construction took nearly 27 months, to be opened for prayer on Friday, the seventh of Ramadan 361 AH corresponding to June 21, 972 AD.
And it was called the Al-Azhar Mosque, in reference to Mrs. Fatima Al-Zahra, daughter of the Prophet Muhammad and wife of Ali bin Abi Talib, to whom the Fatimids are most likely affiliated.
According to Law No. 103 of 1961 on the reorganization of Al-Azhar and the bodies it covers in Egypt, Al-Azhar is the largest Islamic scholarly body in the country that is concerned with preserving, studying and publishing Islamic heritage.
Al-Azhar Mosque Building
Throughout the ages, from its inception until the present time, Al-Azhar Mosque has received the attention of Muslim caliphs, sultans, princes and rulers in its architecture in terms of expansion, construction and restoration, the latest of which was the comprehensive restoration work that ended in 1439 AH / 2018 AD, which lasted for almost three years, and its current area is approximately 12 thousand square meters. .
The mosque consists of eight doors, on the western side that exits to Al-Azhar Square with two doors, Bab Al-Muzaineen, and the Abbasid Gate, which was established by the Ministry of Religious Endowments during the reign of Khedive Abbas Helmy II, and on the southern side, the Mughrabi Gate, the Sa`idah Gate, and the Shawwam Gate, and on the northern side, the Jawhariya Gate, and in the The eastern side is the Gate of the Two Holy Mosques and the Gate of Soup.
The mosque is also divided into two arcades: the great arcade, which is the old one, as it follows the courtyard and extends from Bab al-Shawam to the arcade of al-Sharaqwa, and the new arcade, which follows the old one and rises from it by two degrees. The new portico contains two mihrabs, while the old portico contains one mihrab known as the old qiblah.
image copyright Archyde.com
Al-Azhar Mosque is characterized by its preservation of ancient Islamic architecture
How was Al-Azhar able to consolidate its religious status over all these years?
Ahmed Al-Sawy, editor-in-chief of Sawt Al-Azhar newspaper, said that Al-Azhar was able to consolidate its presence and its spiritual and scientific status in the Islamic world by attracting many students of science from all over the world.
Al-Sawy adds that Al-Azhar’s continuity throughout these years is due to its reliance on the “pluralistic Azhar curriculum,” meaning that it is not a monolithic doctrinal institution, but is concerned with teaching all schools of jurisprudence, in addition to its character of “moderation, coexistence, and knowledge of various legal sciences.”
How did the mosque turn into a university?
And the editor-in-chief of the Sawt Al-Azhar newspaper, Ahmed Al-Sawy, confirms that the goal of establishing Al-Azhar was not only for worship, but for spreading knowledge and the Fatimid doctrine, and after the demise of the Fatimid state at the hands of the Ayyubids, they were able, with this step, to transfer Egypt from the Shiite sect to the Sunni sect, thus ending the relationship of the mosque. Al-Azhar Shiite school.
Al-Sawy adds: “The idea of Sheikh Al-Amoud appeared after this period, when the sheikhs of the four Sunni sects were sitting in the mosque and surrounded by students and students of knowledge, then Al-Azhar galleries appeared that organized the foreign students on the basis of their countries, after which the stage of transforming the mosque into a university began.”
Under the Mamluk rule, the Al-Azhar Mosque dominated the religious and scientific leadership together, and it became the main center for Sunni studies in Egypt and the Islamic world, especially after the fall of Baghdad and the division of Islamic rule in Andalusia and North Africa.
The sciences that were taught at the Al-Azhar Mosque abounded at that time, and varied between the study of the branches of doctrinal, legal, Arabic and mental sciences, as well as the study of history and the evaluation of countries and other sciences. Lessons were arranged in it, which enriched the scientific movement in the mosque, according to the official website of Al-Azhar University affiliated with the mosque.
image copyright Archyde.com
Al-Azhar has become a destination for many politicians visiting Egypt, as there is an office dedicated to receiving them
Al-Sawy says: “The status of Al-Azhar has made it a major voice for all issues of the Islamic world,” in addition to hosting the office of the “Grand Imam” for many political leaders who visit Egypt from around the world, noting at the same time that the Al-Azhar Authority was not affected by political events.
Al-Sawy explained that Al-Azhar was present in the political positions at the local and Arab levels in resisting the colonialists and facing grievances, as he said, stressing that the sheikhs of Al-Azhar have an important role in choosing rulers. .
Overall, Al-Azhar Mosque has played a significant role in Islamic history and continues to do so today. Its establishment as a university and its dedication to teaching all schools of jurisprudence has helped it maintain its position as a leading center for Islamic studies. Its influence in the Islamic world and role in political resistance underscores its importance as a major voice for Islamic issues. As Al-Azhar Mosque celebrates another anniversary, its rich history and continued dedication to preserving and studying Islamic heritage remind us of its timeless significance.