Fez…City of History and Civilization

I thank the many readers of my articles who requested me to write about my city of origin, the historic city of Fez. The request comes to change the subject of my frequent writings about the current world order and its strategy and development.

As I was thinking about the way of writing those articles, I read three books about the city of Fez, which were illustrated by beautiful pictures and distinguished objects that were perfectly written and published by Othman Benjelloun, who graciously sent me them at home.

The name of Mr. Othman Benjelloun remains associated with development, goodness, building schools, and charitable institutions in Morocco and Africa, as he made culture, education, and sustainable development the goal of his life. The Bank of AFRICA Foundation for Education and the Environment, which was established by Benjelloun, has built hundreds of schools in the rural areas as part of an ambitious program aimed at building a thousand schools.

I don't think that there is work, for which a person can be thanked more than contributing to investments for the country's sustainable development.

[caption id="attachment_219835" align="alignnone" width="800"] Mr. Othman Benjelloun, his wife Dr. Leila and their daughter Dounia Benjelloun[/caption]

History alone can ever remember the name of Othman who was able to dedicate his life to the service of the nation by establishing numerous charitable buildings that greatly contributed to enhancing the development of the nation.

He has always enjoyed the honor of all people who knew him and benefitted from his noble deeds.

Mr. Benjelloun's family had played a vital role throughout his life, especially his wife Dr. Leila and their daughter Dounia Benjelloun, who have spared no effort to carry out many charitable works and apply principles of cooperation and social solidarity recognized by Islam and the values ​​of Moroccan society while emphasizing on the proverb that says: "Behind Every Great Man There Is A Great Woman."

These books talk about everything that should be known about the city of Fez, which was established at the end of the eighth century AD, following the coming of Idris I of Morocco in 789 AD. The city of Fez enjoys an important strategic location as it is at crossroads of trade routes between East and West, especially that link Sijilmasa with northern Morocco.

The city’s inhabitants also formed a mixture of the Berbers of the Middle Atlas, Cyrene, Andalusians and Jews who contributed to its urban, economic and cultural development.

While we are talking about the city of Fez, in those days that coincide with International Women's Day, we should remember the oldest university in the world, the University of Al-Qarawiyyin, which was built by a woman.

A man called, Muhammad bin Abdullah Al-Fihri of Al-Qayrawani, who was among the immigrants who came from Ifriqiya (Tunisia), to Fez since the beginning of the third century AH. He has died shortly after his arrival, leaving great wealth for his two daughters: Fatima and Maryam, who did a big business that has remained us till today on the high status of Muslim women.

Here, there was a need for a large mosque, and the choice of Umm al-Banin Fatima was on the area in which it was built in the year of 859 to be given the name of Al-Qayrawani Mosque or (Al-Qarawiyyin) as it is pronounced.

The scholars of Fez played a great role in shaping the knowledge of many Mosaic, Christian, and Islamic scholars: such as Darras bin Ismail 357 AH 968 CE, Silvestre 359 AH 970 CE, Abu Imran al-Fasi 430 AH 1039 CE, Ibn Bajah 533 AH 1139 CE, Ibn al-Arabi 543 AH 1149 CE, Ibn Maimun al-Rabbi 567 AH 1172 CE, Ibn Tufail 581 AH 1185 CE, Ibn Rushd 595 AH 1198 CE = Ibn Zuhr 596 than 1226 AD 770 AH-1368 CE, Ibn Khaldun 808 AH 1406 CE and others who were famous over the centuries and in all regions.

There are many famous mosques in the Arab countries, however; these mosques did not always remain centers of education, as was the case with Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque in Fez, which has always known as a platform for knowledge over very long years.

Even when the Almoravid Dynasty announced Marrakesh as the state's capital in 462 AH (1170 CE), Al-Qarawiyyin remained a center of "scientific inspiration"