Al-Azhar Mosque - Cairo

The Mosque of Al-Azhar was established between 969 and 972 AD, founded by Jawhar Al-Siqilly, commander the Fatmides who ruled Egypt from 909 to 1171 AD. The name refers to Fatma Al-Zaharaa (daughter of Prophet Mohammed). It is located in Al-Hussein Square very close to the very popular Khan El Khalili Souk, and is considered to be the first Mosque in the new city of Al-Qahira (Arabic for Cairo).

The first sermon, or khutba, was delivered from its pulpit (called Minbar) on the 7th of the Islamic month of Ramadan of the Hijry Year 361 – which coincides to June 22, 972 AD. Since then it has become the most revered mosque in the Muslim World. In 988 AD a university was established on the premises, making Al-Azhar University - which still exists today - the oldest university in the world.

The mosque was the most important building in Fatimid Cairo and was built to a unique Fatimid style, containing 76 white marble columns ornamented in Islamic artistry. The original building covered an area of less than 6,000 square meters and consisted of a riwaq, a word meaning great hall or passageway, yet generally referring to hallways in mosques with arcaded gangways surrounding a central courtyard (Sahn). The Azhar's riwaq measures 1,632 square meters, while the mosque itself has five very fine minarets with small balconies and amazing carved columns.

Al-Azhar was rebuilt several times, especially renovated in the second half of the 18th century by "Abdel Rahman Katkhuda", an Ottoman Janissary commander. From the outset the Mosque of Al-Azhar was a center of studies in law and theology. The University of Al-Azhar specializes in Islamic studies to support the Muslim Religion and Islamic Culture, and is by all means the leading academic institute of Quranic studies.

Presently it hosts close to 100,000 students who take courses in nine specialized faculties, with a library containing more than 60,000 books and over 15,000 manuscripts.