And sadly, many people succumb to the nefarious influence of the media and believe that Islam confines women, confiscates their rights and limits their freedom.

Around Mint Tea , Maison NANA1807 wishes to focus on some great women of history, often forgotten nowadays.

Founder of the First University of the World

Fatima bint Muhammad Al-Fihri Al-Qurashi (in Arabic: فاطمة بنت محمد الفهرية القرشية) is an exceptional woman, who founded the oldest university, still existing, and having issued the first degree in the world - the University Al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco in 859.

Born at the beginning of the 9th century in Kairouan, in present-day Tunisia, Fatima bint Mohammed Al-Fihri is an Arab from the Quraysh tribe (in Arabic قريش ) .

It takes its name from the nickname of an ancestor common to its members, called Fihri Ibn Malik and nicknamed Quraysh, which literally means "the one who unites". This is the tribe into which our beloved Prophet Muhammad was born.

His family was part of a strong migration to Fez from Kairouan. His father Mohammed Al-Fihri, a successful merchant, built a fortune before his death.

Rich heiresses, Fatima and her sister Maryam have invested in charities, including the construction of the first Masjids (mosques) in the Maghreb.

Fatima Al-Fihri was well known for her piety and wisdom as well as for her extensive religious knowledge.

Acquiring a Masjid in 845 from King Yahya ibn Mohammed. It carried out the necessary renovations, then bought surrounding land doubling its size, and creating a building dedicated to education.

The construction of the whole was supervised directly by Fatima herself. Although the architecture seems extravagant, Fatima wanted a modest construction. Twenty years were necessary to complete the construction site of this first University.

Legend has it that Fatima Al-Fihri fasted continuously until the project was completed. When it was over, she went inside and prayed to Allah, thanking Him for His Love and Blessings.

A pioneer of the eco-design model, Fatima Al-Fihri insisted that all building materials be local. Stones and sand were mined from the land she bought nearby, and the bricks and tiles were made from the fired clay of the same earth.

The University of Al-Qarawiyyin has become the world's leading cultural, educational and religious center. Many students from all over the world embarked on the quest for knowledge at Al-Qarawiyyin in which various sciences were taught such as Islam, social sciences, humanities, geography, history, mathematics, philosophy, medicine, alchemy and chemistry, as well as astronomy.

While visiting the city of Fez, we invite you to discover this magnificent historical temple of Science and Knowledge - Al-Qarawiyyin , which is near Al-Andalus , the oldest Masjid in Africa built by his little sister Maryam.

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