Jump to content

House of Knowledge

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.

The House of Knowledge (Arabic: دار العلم, romanizedDār al-ʿIlm) was an ancient university built by the Fatimid Caliphate in Cairo in 1004 CE. Originally a library, the House of Knowledge was converted to a state university by the Fatimid Imam-Caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah in the same year.[1]

In keeping with the Islamic tradition of knowledge, the Fatimids collected books on a variety of subjects and their libraries attracted the attention of scholars from around the world. al-Hakim was a great patron of learning and provided paper, pens, ink and inkstands without charge to all those who wished to study there.[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ Bengoechea, Isabella (November 10, 2016). "Cairo's Lost House of Wisdom: The Great Cultural Legacy of Egypt". Culture Trip. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  2. ^ Virani, Shafique N. (2007). The Ismailis in the Middle Ages: A History of Survival, A Search for Salvation. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 92.