Al-Azhar Mosque and the Urban Society of the 15^th Century Cairo

Residents, Sanctity, and Intervention by the Sultanate

Abstract

Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo has been known as the most famous educational and religious institution in Egypt since the period of Ottoman rule (1517–1805). However, only a few studies have dealt with the mosque during the Mamluk period, despite the many available historical sources and the importance of its history.

In this article, I examine the characteristics of the residents of al-Azhar Mosque, people’s perception of the mosque, and the relationship between the residents and the sultanate during the Mamluk period, in particular during the 15^th century.

This article concludes that:

1. From the 14^th century to the 15^th century the total number of residents of al-Azhar Mosque increased. This increase can be attributed to the support provided by the Waqf for the residents and to the emergence of the riwāq. In the 14^th century, the residents were mainly non-Egyptian ascetic recluses. But in the 15^th century, Egyptian students who sought the opportunity of a better education in Cairo and non-Egyptian scholars also appear in sources as residents.

2. Al-Azhar Mosque was regarded as a sacred place in Cairo at that time, and this may have been due to the customs and memories of the Fatimid period. This perception of sanctity may have been linked to the use of the term mujāwir (“resident of a sacred place”) for the residents of al-Azhar Mosque, and its character as an asyl.

3. From the second half of the 14^th century, the administrators of al-Azhar Mosque were leading amīrs. From the descriptions of the administration of the mosque, it appears that they had some obligations which cannot be seen at other institutions. In addition, the presence of the large number of residents seems to have been a source of anxiety for the sultanate from various perspectives: it sometimes tried to restrict or eliminate them and to justify its actions on religious grounds.