al-Qarawiyyin was started as a mosque-madrasa complex.

Science and spirituality were intricately entwined during this era. As an example, Dharmic concepts of sunya led to the conceptualization of zero and its use in mathematical operations which is foundational to many subsequent scientific advancements and necessary to our communication through this platform.

Part of what sets al-Qarawiyyin apart is that it offered degrees or certificates of scholarly achievement before other institutions.

This is why UNESCO’s World Heritage description of the Fez Medina explicitly calls al‑Qarawiyyin “the oldest university in the world,” and Guinness lists it as the “oldest existing, continually operating higher‑learning institution”.