Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of illustrations
- List of tables
- Acknowledgments
- Note on academic terminology and transliteration
- List of abbreviations
- Introduction
- Part I The private university, 1908–1919
- 1 Antecedents
- 2 Implementing the plan
- 3 Challenges and adjustments
- Part II The university and the liberal ideal, 1919–1950
- Part III In Nasser's shadow, 1950–1967
- Part IV The university since Nasser
- Conclusion and prospect
- Notes
- Select bibliography
- Index
1 - Antecedents
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 October 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of illustrations
- List of tables
- Acknowledgments
- Note on academic terminology and transliteration
- List of abbreviations
- Introduction
- Part I The private university, 1908–1919
- 1 Antecedents
- 2 Implementing the plan
- 3 Challenges and adjustments
- Part II The university and the liberal ideal, 1919–1950
- Part III In Nasser's shadow, 1950–1967
- Part IV The university since Nasser
- Conclusion and prospect
- Notes
- Select bibliography
- Index
Summary
Al-Azhar
On the eastern side of Cairo, al-Azhar has stood for nearly a thousand years. It has been a lofty beacon sending light in all directions and immortalizing the sciences of the Arabs and the civilization of Islam. Now here is the new university which will be built in this age on the western side of the city to spread the Arabic sciences together with Western learning. These twin brothers will cooperate henceforth in enlightening both banks of the blessed Nile, from the right and from the left, in the things which will restore the people of the valley to complete well-being and full glory.
University Rector and Minister of Justice Husayn Rushdi was speaking at the university's ground-breaking ceremonies for a new building on March 31, 1914; six days later he would add the prime ministry to his duties. Rushdi's vision of fraternity between the Egyptian University and al-Azhar was the ceremonial fluff expected on such occasions. In fact the “twin brothers” were already quarreling over their birthright.
The traditional kuttabs and the more advanced mosque schools led by al-Azhar had served well enough down through the centuries when literacy was expected of only a few. Unlike the European universities, which started as formal corporations of masters, al-Azhar proceeded mainly by custom without written regulations or elaborate hierarchy.
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- Chapter
- Information
- Cairo University and the Making of Modern Egypt , pp. 11 - 26Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1990
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