This is a list of Islamic seminaries throughout history, including the operational, historical, defunct or converted ones. This list includes mainly madrasas in the Western context, which refers to a specific type of religious school or college for the study of the Islamic religion and Islamic educations, though this may not be the only subject studied. It also includes sectarian or regional variants which have distinct characteristics and traditions, though they serves identical purposes as seminary, namely Hawza of Shi'a Islam, Nizamiyya in the medieval Persia, Darul Uloom which has roots in South Asia, Qawmi in Bangladesh, pesantren in Indonesia, and pondok in Malaysia and Southern Thailand. This list does not include institutions which are not religious seminaries, but have an Islamic identity or charter, or devoted to sciences and arts usually associated with Islamic culture and history, namely Islamic University.
List of Islamic seminaries
The listings are in alphabetical order by country.
Bangladesh Tamirul Millat Kamil Madrasah , Dhaka Al-Jamiah Al-Islamiah Obaidia Nanupur, Chittagong Al-Jamiah Al-Islamiah Patiya, Chittagong Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam, Chittagong Al-Jamiatul Islamiah Azizul Uloom Babunagar, Chittagong Al-Markazul Islami As-Salafi, Nawdapara Islamic Research Center Bangladesh, Bashundhara Jamia Darul Ma'arif Al-Islamia, Chittagong Jamia Qurania Arabia Lalbagh, Dhaka Jamia Shari'ah Malibag, Dhaka, Dhaka Jamia Tawakkulia Renga Madrasah, Sylhet Jamiah Islamiah Yunusia Brahmanbaria, Brahmanbaria Jamiatul Uloom Al-Islamia Lalkhan Bazar, Chittagong Satpur Kamil Madrasah, Bishwanath, Sylhet.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Gazi Husrev Bey's Madrasa, Sarajevo Behram-Begova Medresa Tuzla, Tuzla Faculty of Islamic Studies of the University of Sarajevo
Cyprus Great Madrasah, Nicosia
Egypt Al-Azhar Madrasa, Cairo Emir Qurqumas Complex, Cairo Madrasa of Jamal al-Din, Cairo Madrassa of Al-Nasir Muhammad, Cairo Qalawun complex, Cairo Salihiyya Madrasa, Cairo Madrasa of Sarghatmish, Cairo Mosque and Khanqah of Shaykhu, Cairo Sultan Al-Ghuri Complex, Cairo Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan, Cairo
India
Jamia Salafia, Varanasi Darul Uloom Deoband, Deoband Darul Uloom Waqf, Deoband Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama, Lucknow Al Jamiatul Ashrafia, Uttar Pradesh, India Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah, Surat Al-Jame-atul-Islamia, Raunahi Arusiyyah Madrasah, Tamil Nadu Baqiyat Salihat Arabic College, Tamil Nadu Coordination of Islamic Colleges Darul Uloom Banskandi, Cachar district, Assam Jamia Al Barkaat Aligarh, Aligarh Darul Uloom Mau, Mau Jamia Miftahul Uloom, Mau Jamia Amjadia Rizvia, Ghosi Jamiatur Raza, Bareilly Jamia Islamia Talimuddin Jamia Darussalam, Tamil Nadu Jamia Nizamia, Hyderabad Markazu Saqafathi Sunniyya, Kerala Manzar-e-Islam, Bareilly Mazahir Uloom, Saharanpur Jamea Tul Hidaya, Jaipur
Indonesia
Pondok Pesantren Gading Mangu Perak Jombang, Jombang Pondok Pesantren Al Manshurin Metro Lampung, Metro Pondok Pesantren Millenium Alfina, Nganjuk Pondok Pesantren Minhaajurrosyidiin Jakarta, Jakarta Pondok Pesantren Walibarokah Burengan Banjaran Kediri, Kediri Pondok Pesantren Waria Al-Fatah, Yogyakarta Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor, Ponorogo Pondok Ngruki, Sukoharjo Ma'had Al-Zaytun, Indramayu
Iran Qom Seminary, Qom Isfahan Seminary, Isfahan Sadr Madrasa, Isfahan Nimavar school, Isfahan Chaharbagh School, Isfahan Shahid Motahari University, Tehran Jamiah Darul Uloom Zahedan, Zahedan
Iraq Mustansiriya Madrasa, Baghdad Nizamiyya of Baghdad, Baghdad Hawza of Najaf, Najaf
Ireland Al-Mustafa Islamic Cultural Centre Ireland
Mali Djinguereber Madrasa, Timbuktu Sidi Yahya Madrasa, Timbuktu Sankore Madrasah, Timbuktu
Morocco Al-Attarine Madrasa, Fes Ben Youssef Madrasa, Marrakesh Bou Inania Madrasa, Fes Bou Inania Madrasa, Meknes Al Quaraouiyine Madrasa, Fes
Pakistan
Aleemiyah Institute of Islamic Studies Dar Uloom Amjadia Karachi Jamia Naeemia Lahore Jamia Nizamia Ghousia Wazirabad Jamia-tul-Madina Ashraf ul Madaris, Okara Darul Uloom Haqqania, Akora Khattak Darul 'Uloom Karachi, Karachi Jamia Binoria, Karachi Jamia Faridia, Islamabad Jamia Hafsa, Islamabad Jamia Uloom-ul-Islamia, Karachi
Palestine Mahkamah Madrasa, Gaza City
Saudi Arabia Ghiyasia Madrasa, Mecca Ghiyasia Madrasa, Medina
Singapore
Madrasah Al-Irsyad Al-Islamiah Madrasah Aljunied Al-Islamiah Madrasah Al-Maarif Al-Islamiah Madrasah Alsagoff Al-Arabiah Madrasah Al-Arabiah Al-Islamiah
Spain Madrasah of Granada, Granada
Syria Al-Adiliyah Madrasa, Damascus Al-Ahmadiyah Madrasa, Aleppo Al-Fathiyah Madrasa, Damascus Al-Firdaws Madrasa, Aleppo Al-Halawiyah Madrasa, Aleppo Al-Kameliyah Madrasa, Aleppo Al-Mujahidiyah Madrasa, Damascus Al-Muqaddamiyah Madrasa, Aleppo Nur al-Din Madrasa, Damascus Al-Qilijiyah Madrasa, Damascus Al-Rukniyah Madrasa, Damascus Al-Sahiba Madrasa, Damascus Al-Salimiyah Madrasa, Damascus Al-Shadbakhtiyah Madrasa, Aleppo Al-Shamiyah al-Kubra Madrasa, Damascus Al-Sharafiyah Madrasa, Aleppo Al-Sibaiyah Madrasa, Damascus Al-Sultaniyah Madrasa, Aleppo Al-Turantaiyah Madrasa, Aleppo Al-Uthmaniyah Madrasa, Aleppo Al-Zahiriyah Library, Damascus Al-Zahiriyah Madrasa, Aleppo
Sudan
, Berber , Hamishkoreib
Tunisia
Madrasa Al Habibia Al Kubra, Tunis Madrasa Al Habibia Al Sughra, Tunis Madrasa Al Husseiniya Al Kubra, Tunis Madrasa Al Husseiniya Al Sughra, Tunis Madrasa Al Jassoussia, Tunis Madrasa Khaldounia, Tunis Madrasa Asfouria, Tunis Madrasa Andaloussiya, Tunis Madrasa Caid Mourad, Tunis Madrasa Ibn Tafargine, Tunis Madrasa Bir Lahjar, Tunis Madrasa El Jedid, Tunis Madrasa Ech Chamaiya, Tunis Madrasa El Achouria, Tunis Madrasa El Bachia, Tunis Madrasa El Bechiria, Tunis Madrasa El Kacemia, Tunis Madrasa El Maghribia, Tunis Madrasa El Mountaciriya, Tunis Madrasa El Mettichia, Tunis Madrasa El Tawfikia, Tunis Madrasa El Unqiya, Tunis Madrasa El Yusefiya, Tunis Madrasa Ennakhla, Tunis Madrasa Ez-Zitouna, Tunis Madrasa Hamzia, Tunis Madrasa Hamzia, Tunis Madrasa Mouradiyya, Tunis Madrasa Salhia, Tunis Madrasa Slimania, Tunis Madrasa Saheb Ettabaâ, Tunis Madrasa of Zawiya El Bokria, Tunis
Turkey Büyük Aga Medrese, Amasya Caferağa Medresseh, Istanbul Gök Medrese, Tokat Gök Medrese, Sivas Hatuniye Külliyesi, Tokat Hatuniye Medresesi, Karaman Ince Minaret Medrese, Konya Karatay Madrasa, Konya Kasımiye Medrese, Mardin Kubat Pasha Madrasa, Tarsus Medrese of Mehmet Şakir Paşa, Mustafapaşa Pervane Medrese, Sinop Sahn-ı Seman Medrese, Istanbul Seyyid Battal Gazi Complex, Seyitgazi Şifaiye Medrese, Sivas Sırçalı Medrese, Konya Yakutiye Medrese, Erzurum Vacidiye Medrese, Kütahya
United Kingdom Jamia Al-Karam Darul Uloom, Birmingham Darul Uloom, Bolton Darul Uloom, London Jamiatul Ilm Wal Huda, Blackburn Darul Uloom, Bury Jamea Al Kauthar, Lancaster
United States Darul Uloom Al-Madania, Buffalo Zaytuna College, California
Ukraine Zıncırlı medrese, Crimea
Uzbekistan Abulkasym Madrassah, Tashkent Dorut Tilavat, Bukhara Mir-i Arab Madrassah, Bukhara Sherdar Madrasa, Samarkand Tilakari Madrasa, Samarkand Said Otaliq Madrasa, Denov Ulugh Beg Madrasa, Samarkand
Yemen Amiriya Madrasa, Rada Dar al-Mustafa, Tarim
List of oldest Islamic seminaries
Year Current Location Name Other notes737 Tunis, Tunisia University of Ez-Zitouna For centuries, Kairouan was the early centre of learning and intellectual pursuits in Tunisia and North Africa in general. Starting from the 13th century, Tunis became the capital of Ifriqiya under Almohad and Hafsid rule. This shift in power helped Ez-Zitouna to flourish and become one of the major centres of Islamic learning, and Ibn Khaldun, the first social historian in history was one of its products. The flourishing university attracted students and men of learning from all parts of the known world at the time. Along with theology (mainly the Qur'an), the university taught jurisprudence, history, grammar, science and medicine. When it comes to books and libraries, Ez-Zituna libraries were the richest among North African counterparts. It had several collections totaling tens of thousands of books. One of its libraries, el-Abdaliyah, included a large collection of rare and unique manuscripts. The manuscripts covered almost all subjects and sciences, including grammar, logic, documentations, etiquette of research, cosmology, arithmetic, geometry, minerals, vocational training, etc. 859 Fes, Morocco University of Al Quaraouiyine Founded by Fatima al-Fihri, originally as a mosque. In addition to being a place for worship, the mosque soon developed into a place for religious instruction and political discussion, gradually extending its education to a broad range of subjects, particularly the natural sciences. Al-Karaouine played, in medieval times, a leading role in the cultural exchange and transfer of knowledge between Muslims and Europeans. Pioneer scholars such as Ibn Maimun (Maimonides) (1135–1204), Al-Idrissi (d.1166 AD), Ibn al-Arabi (1165–1240 AD), Ibn Khaldun (1332–1395 AD), Ibn al-Khatib, Al-Bitruji (Alpetragius), Ibn Hirzihim, and Al-Wazzan were all connected with the university either as students or lecturers. Among Christian scholars visiting Al-Karaouine were the Belgian Nicolas Cleynaerts and the Dutchman Golius. Among the subjects taught, alongside the Qur'an and Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), are grammar, rhetoric, logic, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, history, geography and music. It is considered the oldest university in the world by some scholars,Kettani, M. Ali. Engineering Education in the Arab World. Middle East Journal, 1974, 28(4):441. and the oldest continuously operating degree-granting institution in the world by the Guinness Book of Records,The Guinness Book of Records, Published 1998, , p. 242 although some dispute this claim.Some sources claim that University of Bologna is the oldest in the world. 970-972 Cairo, Egypt Al-Azhar University Founded by Jawhar al-Siqilli of the Fatimid Caliphate, this university served as a center for Arabic literature and Sunni Islamic learning. The college (Jami'ah) had faculties in Islamic law and jurisprudence, Arabic grammar, astronomy, Islamic philosophy, and logic. Al-Azhar is considered by some as the world's second oldest surviving degree-granting institute. According to the Encyclopedia of Islam, Al-Azhar was a religious university, a madrasa and center of higher learning.Jomier, J. "al- Azhar (al-Ḏj̲āmiʿ al-Azhar)." Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Edited by: P. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs. Brill, 2010, retrieved 20 March 2010: