Al-Nizamiyya of Baghdad

Al-Nizamiyya of Baghdad (Arabic,المدرسة النظامية )was an early Islamic university, arguably the first ever [ [http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/634/bo2.htm Al-Ahram Weekly | Baghdad Supplement | They came to Baghdad : Its famous names ] ] , established in July of 1091 [http://www.ghazali.org/works/gz-repent.doc] , when Nizam al-Mulk appointed the 33-year-old Al-Ghazali as a professor of the school.

Offering free education [Black, A. "A History of Islamic Political Thought – From the Prophet to the Present". Cambridge: Edinburgh University Press, 2001.] , it has been hailed as the "largest university of the Medieval world". [http://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/index/1F7AAVLC25YV4PF2.pdf]

Ibn Tumart, founder of the Berber Almohad dynasty, reputedly attended the school and studied under al-Ghazali - although some have questioned whether his claims of being charged by al-Ghazali to avenge the burning of his books in Morocco may be an apocryphal tale. [http://www.yale.edu/religiousstudies/facultypages/Almohaden2005.pdf]

al-Mulk's son-in-law Mughatil ibn Bakri was also employed by the university.

Persian poet Sa'di studied at the university from 1195 until 1226, when he set out on a thirty-year journey.

In 1116, Muhammad al-Shahrastani taught at the University. [ [http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/ei2/Shahrastani.htm Shahrastani ] ]

In 1096, when al-Ghazali left the University, it housed 300 students. [ [http://www.ghazali.org/books/md/IIA-02trans.htm Fastupdate sheet ] ]

In the 1170s, statesman Beha ud-Din taught at the University, before he moved on to teach in Mosul.

ee also

*Mustansiriya School, another Baghdad university, founded in 1233

References