Medrasa and Mosque

The medrasa is a koranic school where the students study only the Koran, basically memorizing the whole thing, This used to be the place one went to become an imam. The mosque is the holy site that a person goes to pray five times a day although one can pray privately as well. Friday is the one exception, when Muslims are expected to come to the mosque as the imam (leader) gives a teaching on that day.

In Morocco most of the medrasas have been replaced with government schools where students learn all subjects and an imam is only a community religious leader. In the past the imam was in charge of governing peoples' daily lives as well and may have had another job in order to make a living. Now the community supports them so they can concentrate on spiritual matters. Since all the medrasas had mosques within them those still function. Some medrasas can be visited, though most are closed and mosques (with the exception of the one in Casablanca) are also closed to non-Muslims.

Minaret of the Bou Inania Medrasa in Fes is the most beautifully decorated one built by the Merinids. The Merinids ruled Morocco between the Almohads and the Saadians from the 13th to 15th century. Their territory mirrors mostly the geographical area of Morocco today. They were great builders and supported urbanization.

The medrasa was constructed from 1350-1355, the only one that has a minaret and and a minbar (pulpit). It has a dual purpose, housing for students upstairs and learning space and prayer space downstairs.

Wooden screen at the main entrance with highly decorated columns on either side. These are some of the architectural elements that give this complex its Andalusian style.

Columns combining plaster, stone, and zellij style.

Two kinds of calligraphy, Arabic (above) and Kufic (below). The kufic is more decorative and hard to read as the letters can go up and down in addition to side to side. The three decorative bands always appear in the same order geometric tile work below, cursive script carved into the tiles at the center, and stucco pattern above.

One room on the side that may have been a library has a wooden domed ceiling.

The center courtyard has marble paving and a fountain in the center, another hallmark of Andalusian style architecture.

The mosque is the only part of the medrasa that is still functional. At the center is the mihrab from which the imam leads the prayer. It faces Mecca so that orients the congregation as to what direction to be facing. The mihrab (stairs leading up to a chair) is the place from which the imam will deliver words of teaching. As it was Friday the day we were there, they were preparing for a larger than normal congregation. Only Muslims can enter the space though in this case we could look in. The building will be closed to visitors during prayer time however.

Another medrasa in another part of Fes. Fes in particular was known for its great scholars so there were many medrasas. This one is still functioning so non-Muslims are not allowed to enter.

The Karaouiyine Mosque was established in 859 as a university and is the first university established in Morocco. It was named for the section of the medina where it is located, the neighborhood of refugees from Tunisia. It was founded by a woman, Fatima bit Mohammed el-Fihri, a religious woman who donated her worldly riches for its construction. It was open for men and women to study, now run by the government. Most of the space is given over the a very large mosque.

The zaouia of Moulay Idriss II contains the tomb of the founder of Fes. It was built at the beginning of the 18th century and restored in the 19th century. The wooden bar in this part of the medina marks off a holy section and this is one of the sites within that area.

The mosque you can glimpse through the archway gives you a sense of the space though once gain non-Muslims are not allowed to enter.

Single minarets are characteristic of Moroccan mosque architecture and they can be found in the largest cities as well as the tiniest of villages. This mosque marks the edge of the medina of Marrakesh in one corner. This minaret is 273 ft. tall with golden orbs on the top. The original mosque built by the Almohads in 1147 and then replaced by the end of the 12th century. Legend is that there were originally three orbs but one was added from the queen's jewelry melted down when it was discovered the wife of the king had drunk water during Ramadan (which starts this week in fact). Now there are four.

The mosque itself is the largest in Marrakesh. Notice the "water carriers" in their red costume waiting for people who want to have photographs taken with them (for a price).