Saffarin Madrasa

**Saffarin Madrasa** be a madrasa insyd Fes el-Bali, de old medina quarter of Fez, Morocco. Na dem build am insyd 1271 CE (670 AH) by de Marinid Sultan Abu Ya'qub Yusuf wey na ebe de first of chaw madrasas dem build by de Marinid dynasty during dema reign. E dey locate just south of de 9th-century Qarawiyyin Mosque for Saffarin Square (anaa *Place Seffarine*), wich dem name after de coppersmiths wey work insyd de square.

## History

### Role of madrasas insyd Fez
Na madrasas be a type of institution wich originate insyd northeastern Iran by de early 11th century wey na dem progressively adopt am further west. Dese establishments serve make e train Islamic scholars, particularly insyd Islamic law den jurisprudence (*fiqh*). Na de madrasa in de Sunni world be generally antithetical to more "heterodox" religious doctrines, wey dey include de doctrine dem espouse by de Almohad dynasty. As such, na e only take hold insyd Morocco under de Marinid dynasty wich succeed de Almohads. To de Marinids, madrasas play a part insyd make e dey bolster de political legitimacy of dema dynasty. Na dem use dis patronage make dem encourage de loyalty of Fes ein influential buh fiercely independent religious elites den sanso make dem portray demaselves to de general population as protectors den promoters of orthodox Sunni Islam. De madrasas sanso serve make e train de scholars den elites wey operate dema state ein bureaucracy.

De Saffarin Madrasa, along plus oda nearby madrasas like de al-Attarine den de Mesbahiyya, na dem buil dem in close proximity to de al-Qarawiyyin, de main center of learning insyd Fes den historically de most important intellectual center of Morocco. Na de madrasas play a supporting role to de Qarawiyyin; unlike de mosque, dem provide accommodations for students, particularly those wey dey cam from outsyd of Fes. Na chaw of dese students be poor, wey dey seek sufficient education make dem gain a higher position insyd dema home towns, wey de madrasas provide dem plus basic necessities such as lodging den bread.However, na de madrasas sanso be teaching institutions insyd dema own right wey dem offer dema own courses, plus sam Islamic scholars wey dey make dema reputation by teaching for certain madrasas.Dem sanso serve as centers of dema communities den hosted ceremonies.

### History of de Saffarin Madrasa

Na de Saffarin Madrasa be de first one of ein kind make de Marinids build. Na dem plete am insyd 1271 by commission of Sultan Abu Ya'qub Yusuf, wey na he sanso be notable for ein creation of Fes el-Jdid (de new citadel of Fez den capital of Morocco). Na dem dey samtimes dey bell de madrasa de *Madrasa Ya'qubiyya*, after ein name. Na de 14th century historian Al-Jazna'i dey recount dat wen dem build de madrasa na der be a controversy about de *[[qibla]]* alignment of ein prayer hall, wich na be different from dat of de nearby Qarawiyyin Mosque.

Over de centuries, na dem sanso cam know de madrasas insyd de area around de al-Qarawiyyin for each housing students from particular regions of Morocco. Those wey dey stay for de Saffarin Madrasa na dem generally be from nearby Zerhoun, from de northern region of Beni Zerwal, den from de southern region of Sous.

Insyd de 18th century de na dem build de Mohammadia Madrasa next de Saffarin Madrasa as an annex make e house more students. Edey cover an area of 752 square meters wey e sanso dey feature two levels of rooms dem center around a long courtyard.

## Architecture
### Layout

Den dey enter de madrasa via a bent passage wich dey lead directly to a large rectangular main courtyard (*sahn*), for de center of wich be a large rectangular water basin. Around dis courtyard be a multitude of rooms wich dey serve as sleeping quarters give de students, dem distribute across two stories. A small brick minaret dey stand next to de entrance.

### Decoration

De madrasa lost chaw of ein decoration, buh parts of am survive, especially insyd de prayer hall. De stucco decoration of de prayer hall, concentrate for de upper walls, na dem restore am during de most recent restoration of de building. E dey feature horizontal bands of ornate Arabic inscriptions, a frieze of geometric motifs, den a band of blind arches den windows dem fill plus oda arabesque anaa geometric motifs. Insyd de mihrab niche be a *muqarnas* cupola. De large pyramidal wooden ceiling of de room sanso be ornate. Dem arrange de joists of de ceiling make e form dema own geometric patterns den de central part of de ceiling dey culminates insyd a flat area plus a carved *muqarnas* cupola insyd de middle den four smaller ones for de corners. Na dem renew additional motifs dem paint for de wood top during de recent restoration.

### Comparison plus later madrasa architecture
Na de presence of a minaret no be a feature of oda madrasas (plus de exception of de Bou Inania Madrasa wich na e get de special status of a Friday mosque), as na dem reserve de prayer hall of a madrasa give ein students wey na dem no gbele give de public like a full mosque. Jonathan Bloom, wey dey remark dat de minaret no dey appear dem build am from de ground level, wey he suggest dat dem likely add am sam time after de original construction of de madrasa.

## References


## External links

* Photos of the madrasa's interior and its minaret in 2023 (Flickr)