Al-Nizamiyya of Baghdad
Encyclopedia
Al-Nizamiyya of Baghdad
(Arabic,المدرسة النظامية ) was one the first Islamic universities, established in July of 1091 when Nizam al-Mulk
appointed the 33-year-old Al-Ghazali
as a professor of the school.
Offering free education, it has been described as the "largest university of the Medieval world".
Ibn Tumart
, founder of the Berber
Almohad dynasty, reputedly attended the school and studied under al-Ghazali. Nizam al-Mulk
's son-in-law Mughatil ibn Bakri
was also employed by the university. In 1096, when al-Ghazali left the University, it housed 3000 students . In 1116, Muhammad al-Shahrastani taught at the University. In the 1170s, statesman Beha Ud-Din taught at the University, before he moved on to teach in Mosul
.
Persian poet Sa'di
studied at the university from 1195 until 1226, when he set out on a thirty-year journey, he was also among those who witnessed first-hand accounts of its destruction by Mongol Ilkhanate
invaders led by Hulagu during the Sack of Baghdad in the year 1258.
Sa'di recalls clearly his days of studies at the Al-Nizamiyya of Baghdad: A fellow-student at Nizamiah displayed malevolence towards me, and I informed my tutor, saying: "Whenever I give more proper answers than he the envious fellow becomes offended."
The Professor replied: The envy of thy friend is not agreeable to thee, but I know not who told thee that back-biting was commendable. If he seek perdition through the path of envy, thou wilt join him by the path of slander."
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
(Arabic,المدرسة النظامية ) was one the first Islamic universities, established in July of 1091 when Nizam al-Mulk
Nizam al-Mulk
Abu Ali al-Hasan al-Tusi Nizam al-Mulk, better known as Khwaja Nizam al-Mulk Tusi ; born in 1018 – 14 October 1092) was a Persian scholar and vizier of the Seljuq Empire...
appointed the 33-year-old Al-Ghazali
Al-Ghazali
Abu Hāmed Mohammad ibn Mohammad al-Ghazzālī , known as Algazel to the western medieval world, born and died in Tus, in the Khorasan province of Persia was a Persian Muslim theologian, jurist, philosopher, and mystic....
as a professor of the school.
Offering free education, it has been described as the "largest university of the Medieval world".
Ibn Tumart
Ibn Tumart
Abu Abd Allah Muhammad Ibn Tumart was a Berber religious Muslim scholar, teacher and later a political leader from the Masmuda tribe federation. He founded the Berber Almohad dynasty. He is also known as El-Mahdi in reference to his prophesied redeeming...
, founder of the Berber
Berber people
Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...
Almohad dynasty, reputedly attended the school and studied under al-Ghazali. Nizam al-Mulk
Nizam al-Mulk
Abu Ali al-Hasan al-Tusi Nizam al-Mulk, better known as Khwaja Nizam al-Mulk Tusi ; born in 1018 – 14 October 1092) was a Persian scholar and vizier of the Seljuq Empire...
's son-in-law Mughatil ibn Bakri
Mughatil ibn Bakri
Mughatil ibn Atieh Bakri was allegedly a Medieval authority of the Al-Nizamiyya of Baghdad, and son in law of Nizam al-Mulk...
was also employed by the university. In 1096, when al-Ghazali left the University, it housed 3000 students . In 1116, Muhammad al-Shahrastani taught at the University. In the 1170s, statesman Beha Ud-Din taught at the University, before he moved on to teach in Mosul
Mosul
Mosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
.
Persian poet Sa'di
Saadi (poet)
Abū-Muḥammad Muṣliḥ al-Dīn bin Abdallāh Shīrāzī better known by his pen-name as Saʿdī or, simply, Saadi, was one of the major Persian poets of the medieval period. He is not only famous in Persian-speaking countries, but he has also been quoted in western sources...
studied at the university from 1195 until 1226, when he set out on a thirty-year journey, he was also among those who witnessed first-hand accounts of its destruction by Mongol Ilkhanate
Ilkhanate
The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate , was a Mongol khanate established in Azerbaijan and Persia in the 13th century, considered a part of the Mongol Empire...
invaders led by Hulagu during the Sack of Baghdad in the year 1258.
Sa'di recalls clearly his days of studies at the Al-Nizamiyya of Baghdad: A fellow-student at Nizamiah displayed malevolence towards me, and I informed my tutor, saying: "Whenever I give more proper answers than he the envious fellow becomes offended."
The Professor replied: The envy of thy friend is not agreeable to thee, but I know not who told thee that back-biting was commendable. If he seek perdition through the path of envy, thou wilt join him by the path of slander."