A Brief History of Al-Azhar
Al-Azhar under Fatimid Rule
The Origins
It was initially established as a congregational mosque for Fatimid Cairo. The original plan of the mosque at the time of its construction consisted of three iwans surrounding the courtyard. The eastern iwan had five arcades, while the southern and northern iwans each had three. The western wall had no arcades, and the main entrance was located in the center.
Who first built Al-Azhar?
Al-Azhar was built by Jawhar al-Siqilli in 358 AH/969 CE.
Around 400 AH/1009 CE,
Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah renovated Al-Azhar and endowed it with waqf (charitable trusts). Later, other philanthropists followed suit, and it came to rely on substantial endowments.
In 427 AH/1035 CE,
Al-Azhar Mosque was renovated during the caliphate of Al-Mustansir Billah Ma'ad ibn al-Zahir to strengthen the religion of God.
In 495 AH/1101 CE,
Al-Mustansir Billah Ma'ad ibn al-Zahir's grandson, Al-Amir bi-Ahkam Allah, who became caliph, followed in his footsteps and undertook a comprehensive renovation of Al-Azhar.
In 524 AH/1129 CE,
Al-Hafiz li-Din Allah renovated several buildings at Al-Azhar and added to it.
When Al-Hafiz li-Din Allah took over, he renovated and expanded many buildings at Al-Azhar.
When the Fatimid dynasty fell,
Al-Azhar's area was 13,000 cubits, less than half its current size. Today, it is 26,333 cubits, or about 12,000 square meters. This was the state of Al-Azhar's architecture during the Fatimid era until their state was overthrown in Egypt by Sultan Saladin in 567 AH/1171 CE. Saladin then suspended Friday prayers there and closed the mosque.
Al-Azhar under Mamluk Rule
When Sultan al-Zahir Baybars assumed power in Egypt
Friday prayers were reinstated at Al-Azhar. Prince Izz al-Din Aydamir, one of the princes of Baybars' state, collected the jewelry and some of the Al-Azhar endowments that had been misappropriated, reclaiming them from those who had seized them. He then renovated the mosque's roofs and paving. Prince Badr al-Din Bilbak al-Khazindar al-Zahiri played a commendable role in this renovation, establishing a large portico with endowed farms and properties. He stipulated that the proceeds be spent on those who would dedicate themselves to this portico to reciting the Holy Quran, teaching the books of the Prophet's Sunnah, and instructing in the jurisprudence of Imam al-Shafi'i. This portico was the first teaching facility at Al-Azhar and marked the beginning of its transformation into an internationally renowned university.
The Taybarsiyya: In 709 AH/1709 CE,
Prince Ala' al-Din Taybars completed the construction of his school attached to Al-Azhar. He established a course for Shafi'i jurists there, lavishing its marble and gilding its ceiling, and furnishing it with intricately patterned carpets. The mihrabs (prayer niches) were built, and a library was established in the school.
Al-Aqbughawiyya: In 740 AH/1339 CE,
Prince Aqbugha Ala' al-Din al-Wahidi completed the construction of his school attached to Al-Azhar and connected to the Taybarsiyya School. He added a minaret, which is one of the five minarets of Al-Azhar today.
As for Prince Tawashi Sa'd al-Din Bashir al-Jamdar, in 761 AH/1360 CE,
he renovated Al-Azhar Mosque and maintained its architecture. He built a public fountain for fresh water at its southern gate, above which was a kuttab (Quranic school) to teach the children of poor Muslims. He also organized lessons for Hanafi scholars in Al-Azhar Mosque and established a kitchen for the poor residents near Al-Azhar to provide them with daily meals. He endowed this with substantial endowments.
In 844 AH/1440 CE
Jawhar al-Qafqaba'i al-Habashi built the Jawhariyya School near the small northern gate of Al-Azhar, opposite the Zawiya of the Blind. Then, the Mamluk Sultan Qaitbay undertook a comprehensive renovation of Al-Azhar. He established the Gate of the Barbers, a minaret that still stands, a fountain, a public drinking fountain, and a washroom.
In the year 906 AH/1500 CE
Sultan Qansuh al-Ghawri built his double-headed minaret inside the Gate of the Barbers, and he also allocated 670 dinars for the Al-Azhar kitchen during Ramadan.
Al-Azhar under Ottoman rule
When the Mamluk state ended with the entry of the Ottoman Sultan Selim I into Egypt; The Ottomans took a keen interest in Al-Azhar, and two significant events occurred there during that era.
The first event: In 1161, AH/1748 CE,
several sundials were installed to determine prayer times, one of which was placed in a corner of the Al-Azhar courtyard to the left of the entrance.
The second event: The expansions and renovations undertaken by Prince Abd al-Rahman Katkhuda at Al-Azhar in 1167 AH/1753 CE,
including: the expansion of the Qibla portico, the renovation of the Bab al-Muzayyinin (Gate of the Barbers) and Bab al-Sa'ida (Gate of the Upper Egyptians), the Aqbughawiyya and Taybarsiyya schools, and the establishment of
A school for teaching poor Muslims
He also expanded the area of the Levantine portico, renovated the Meccan and Takruri porticoes,
as well as the Sudanese portico,
The Maghrebi portico,
the Jabarti portico (which was for students from Abyssinia, Eritrea, and Somalia), and
the Bornu portico (which housed students from Senegal, Nigeria, and Guinea). Ghana
Chad Pavilion
Nubia Pavilion
Yemen Pavilion
Indonesia Pavilion
India Pavilion
The Two Holy Mosques Pavilion
Afghanistan Pavilion
Secondly, the Institutions of Al-Azhar
Al-Azhar, in its current form, includes the following institutions:
1- The Supreme Council of Al-Azhar
The Supreme Council of Al-Azhar is one of the institutions of Al-Azhar. It is responsible for planning and formulating the general policy for all matters that achieve the objectives upon which Al-Azhar is founded. It also sets the educational policy followed by Al-Azhar University, its institutes, and its academic departments, among other responsibilities. It is headed by the Grand Imam, the Sheikh of Al-Azhar.
2- The Islamic Research Academy
The Islamic Research Academy is the highest body for Islamic research at Al-Azhar. It conducts studies in all matters related to this research, works to renew Islamic culture and purify it from extraneous elements and impurities, and clarifies its pure and authentic essence. It expands the scope of knowledge of Islamic studies to every level and in every environment, provides opinions on emerging doctrinal or social issues related to Islamic creed, and bears the responsibility of calling to the path of God with wisdom and good counsel.
3- The department of Islamic Culture and Research
The Islamic Research Academy is the supreme body for Islamic research at Al-Azhar. It conducts studies in all areas related to Islamic research, works to renew Islamic culture and purify it of extraneous elements and impurities, and clarifies its pure and authentic essence. It expands the scope of Islamic knowledge to all levels and in all environments, provides opinions on emerging doctrinal or social issues related to faith, and bears the responsibility of calling to the path of God with wisdom and good counsel.
4- Al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University began in its modern form in 1930 with the Al-Azhar Reform Law, which established two faculties: Arabic Language and Sharia. After the 1961 Al-Azhar Development Law, Al-Azhar University came to consist of the following faculties: The Faculty of Theology, the Faculty of Sharia, the Faculty of Transactions and Administration, the Faculty of Islamic Girls, the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Medicine, and the Faculty of Agriculture. The Egyptian government allocated a new campus for Al-Azhar University in Nasr City, Cairo, where the university expanded. It also opened branches in most Egyptian governorates, the largest being the Al-Azhar University branch in Assiut. Al-Azhar University is considered the largest university in Egypt and the Arab world.
The Faculties of Al-Azhar University in Egypt
Faculty of Theology
Faculty of Sharia and Law
Faculty of Islamic Call
Faculty of Islamic and Arabic Studies
Faculty of Arabic Language
Faculty of Medicine
Faculty of Dentistry
Faculty of Pharmacy
Faculty of Engineering
Faculty of Science
Faculty of Agriculture
Faculty of Commerce
Faculty of Languages and Translation
The specializations at Al-Azhar University in Egypt Available to International Students:
Internal Medicine
General Surgery
Pediatrics
Orthodontics
Oral Surgery
Prosthodontics
Clinical Pharmacy
Industrial Pharmacy
Clinical Nursing
Community Health Nursing
Operating Room Nursing
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
Plant Production
Comparative Jurisprudence
Islamic Law
Da'wah (Islamic Call) Islamic Studies
Quranic Sciences
Theology and Philosophy
Exegesis
Hadith
Arabic Language
Arabic Language and Literature
Grammar and Morphology
General Education
Early Childhood Education
Physical Education
Accounting
Business Administration
French Translation
English Language
5 - The Islamic Research Academy
The Islamic Research Academy was established in 1961. This institution replaced the Council of Senior Scholars, which held great prestige and was respected by Muslims worldwide. The Academy's establishment was based on the Al-Azhar Development Law passed by the Egyptian People's Assembly in 1961. The Academy is a jurisprudential body specializing in examining major issues facing Muslim society and issuing definitive opinions on them. During the tenure of Sheikh Jad al-Haq Ali Jad al-Haq, the Academy played a prominent role in opposing the measures the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, held in 1994, attempted to pass, such as abortion, homosexuality, same-sex marriage, and other issues. The Academy also monitors publications that oppose Islam and follows up on the issues of Muslim minorities around the world. It comprises 35 scholars and 12 committees. Despite the significant role the Academy plays, the majority of Al-Azhar scholars still hope for the return of the Council of Senior Scholars, which was established in 1931.
6 - Al-Azhar Library
Al-Azhar had libraries throughout its halls. In the nineteenth century, Europeans sought to... However, Sheikh Muhammad Abduh became aware of this and sought to consolidate the libraries of the arcades into a public Azharite library. These books were recorded in two comprehensive registers, totaling 18,564 volumes. The Aqbaghawiya School, attached to Al-Azhar, served as the library's headquarters until 1994, when it was moved to a new location now known as the Azharite Library. This building was constructed according to international architectural standards for libraries, and a modern management system was implemented.
The importance of the Al-Azhar Library stems from its collection of rare Islamic manuscripts, unparalleled in any other library in the world. Its importance was further enhanced by the private libraries donated to it, including: the library of Suleiman Pasha Abaza, which was donated to Al-Azhar by his heirs in 1889; the library of Halim Pasha, which was donated to Al-Azhar in 1912; and the library of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al-Rafi’i, which was endowed to Al-Azhar in 1927. The Al-Azhar Library also contains Islamic art treasures, including Qur’an boxes, Mamluk and Ottoman Qur’ans, astronomical instruments, and antique pens.
7 - The Fatwa Committee
The regulations for issuing fatwas by the committee, dated July 3, 1991, were based on a decision by the then Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Jad Al-Haq Ali Jad Al-Haq (may God have mercy on him). The fatwa system of the committee is as follows:
A - The fatwa must conform to the Quran, the Sunnah, the consensus of scholars, or sound analogical reasoning that aligns with the general principles of the religion and is suitable for the benefit of Muslims, unless the questioner requests a ruling from a specific school of Islamic jurisprudence.
The adherence to the resolutions and recommendations issued by the Islamic Research Academy Conference or the Academy Council.
B - Decision No. (405) of 1991 was issued establishing fatwa committees in each governorate within the Al-Azhar region, appointing members from among the most senior scholars of the governorate, most of whom had already retired.
C- The Fatwa Committee was then assigned to the Preaching and Guidance Department. The main Fatwa Committee in Cairo, at Al-Azhar Mosque, had a chairman and members from the Preaching and Guidance Department. Each of the subcommittees in the governorates had a chairman—who was the Director General of Preaching—a secretary, a secretary, and members from the preachers of the Al-Azhar preaching district. The declaration of Islam was added to the main Fatwa Committee's responsibilities.
D- In 2015, the Fatwa Committee at Al-Azhar Mosque was restructured and expanded with sixty professors and scholars from Al-Azhar.
E- In 2019, Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, issued a decree forming a committee to oversee the Fatwa Committee at Al-Azhar Mosque.
8 - Al-Azhar Institutes
These are institutes established to prepare young students for admission to Al-Azhar University.
Since 1930,
these institutes took on a modern, organized form when the Al-Azhar Reform Law was issued by Sheikh Al-Zawahiri, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar. The most prominent of these institutes at that time were:
The Al-Azhar Institute in Cairo
The Alexandria Institute
The Zagazig Institute
The Asyut Institute
The Damietta Institute
However, two institutes remain the best throughout Al-Azhar's history: the Tanta and Desouk Institutes. Many of Al-Azhar's most prominent scholars in recent years studied and graduated from them, including Dr. Muhammad Hussein Al-Dhahabi, Sheikh Muhammad Metwally Al-Shaarawi, Dr. Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, Dr. Ali Al-Sayis, Dr. Muhammad Amara, Dr. Muhammad Abdul-Munim Al-Nimr, Sheikh Abdul-Rahman Bissar, and many others. In the 1970s, with the encouragement of Dr. Abdul-Halim Mahmoud, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Al-Azhar institutes spread throughout Egypt, in villages and cities. Al-Azhar also undertook the construction and maintenance of Al-Azhar institutes outside Egypt, during the tenure of Sheikh Jad Al-Haq Ali Jad. Al-Azhar University has given great attention to preserving the traditional Quranic schools (kuttabs) in Egypt, which were on the verge of disappearing.
9- Al-Azhar Scholarships for International Students
Al-Azhar scholarships offer international students the opportunity to study in a comprehensive educational environment that combines scientific knowledge with human values. These scholarships are among the most important advantages the university offers international students, allowing them to obtain an advanced education without significant financial burdens.
Al-Azhar University boasts a distinguished faculty of professors and academics with extensive experience in various scientific and religious fields, ensuring the delivery of strong academic content and outstanding academic support to students.
Al-Azhar University awards accredited degrees that are recognized both locally and internationally, enabling graduates to occupy prestigious positions in various fields, both locally and internationally.
The university welcomes students from diverse nationalities, creating a varied learning environment that fosters the exchange of cultures and experiences and helps develop intellectual and human awareness among students.
10 - The Arcades
An arcade is one of the four sections of a mosque with arches and porticoes (a roof covering a building or a passageway to protect from the sun or rain). The four arcades surround the central open courtyard.
The academic arcades at Al-Azhar Mosque were launched several years ago by a generous initiative of His Eminence the Grand Imam, Professor Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Sheikh of Al-Azhar, to revive the Al-Azhar arcades. To play its historical role in presenting and facilitating the explanation of Islamic and Arabic sciences, according to the disciplined, moderate Azharite approach, for all students of knowledge of all ages. Furthermore, the General Administration of Al-Azhar Mosque, through its various departments and divisions, assists in thwarting those who spread rumors and promote destructive and extremist ideologies.
The Holy Qur'an Department
The Tajweed and Recitation Department
The Department of Islamic and Arabic Sciences
The Addresses
Information, Documentation and Decision Support Center - Office of the Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar
Al-Azhar Mosque - Study - Salah Salem Street - Cairo
The Website
The names and addresses of Al-Azhar institutes in Egypt (arranged by governorate)
Everything you need to know about the different Al-Azhar portico, and how to enroll in them
To register at Al-Azhar University for international students
