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Founded in 970, Al-Azhar is among the oldest universities in the world and the foremost seat of Sunni Islamic learning — a living mosque and school for over a thousand years.تأسّس عام 970، والأزهر من أقدم جامعات العالم وأرفع منارات العلم الإسلامي السنّي — مسجدٌ ومدرسةٌ حيّة منذ أكثر من ألف عام.
In the heart of Islamic Cairo stands Al-Azhar — one of the oldest universities in the world, and the most important seat of learning in Sunni Islam. Founded over a thousand years ago, it has been a mosque and a centre of scholarship without interruption ever since, drawing students from across the globe. Both a beautiful, layered monument and a living institution, Al-Azhar is among the most revered and historically significant places in the entire Islamic world.
في قلب القاهرة الإسلامية يقف الأزهر — أحد أقدم جامعات العالم، وأهمّ منارات العلم في الإسلام السنّي. تأسّس قبل أكثر من ألف عام، وظلّ منذ ذلك الحين مسجدًا ومركزًا للعلم دون انقطاع، يستقطب الطلاب من أنحاء العالم. وبوصفه أثرًا جميلًا متعدّد الطبقات ومؤسّسةً حيّة معًا، يُعدّ الأزهر من أكثر الأماكن تبجيلًا وأهمّيةً تاريخية في العالم الإسلامي كلّه.
A Thousand-Year University · جامعةٌ عمرها ألف عام
Learning across the centuries.علمٌ عبر القرون.
Al-Azhar was founded in 970, soon after the Fatimids built their new city of Al-Qahira. It quickly grew from a mosque into a great centre of teaching, and the university attached to it ranks among the oldest continuously operating in the world. Although founded by the Shia Fatimids, it later became, and remains, the foremost authority in Sunni Islamic scholarship — a place where students have studied religion, law, language, and science for over a millennium.
A Mosque Across the Ages · مسجدٌ عبر العصور
Built and rebuilt by many rulers.بناه وأعاد بناءه حكّامٌ كثيرون.
Over a thousand years, ruler after ruler added to Al-Azhar, making it a fascinating patchwork of architecture. Its several minarets date from different periods — Fatimid, Mamluk, and Ottoman — and its gates, halls, and courtyards reflect centuries of expansion and embellishment. At its centre lies a serene open courtyard surrounded by arcades, where students have gathered to learn since the Middle Ages. This layering of styles makes the mosque a living record of Cairo's long history.
Al-Azhar Today · الأزهر اليوم
Still teaching, still worshipping.ما زال يعلّم ويُصلّى فيه.
Al-Azhar remains both a working mosque and a great university, and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar is one of the most respected authorities in Sunni Islam worldwide. It sits in the bustling heart of Islamic Cairo, just across from the famous bazaar of Khan el-Khalili. Visitors are generally welcome to admire its tranquil courtyard and historic halls, with modest dress and shoes removed — a peaceful, deeply atmospheric refuge amid the lively old city.
Quick Facts · حقائق سريعة
Sources include standard histories of Cairo and Al-Azhar. Some dates are approximate.