Sahrij Madrasa

**Sahrij Madrasa** anaa **Madrasa al-Sahrij** (sam times sanso be **Sihrij Madrasa**) (Arabic: مدرسة الصهريج, romanized: *madrasat as-sahrij*) be a madrasa insyd Fez, Morocco. De madrasa dey locate insyd Fes el Bali, de old medina quarter of de city. De madrasa dey date back to de 14th century during de golden age of Fez under Marinid rule. De madrasa dey locate near Al Andalus Mosque wey e sanso connect to anoda, smaller, madrasa dem build for de same time, de Sba'iyyin Madrasa.

## History

### Historical background den function

Na Abu al-Hassan commission de madrasa insyd 1321, wey for dat time a prince den heir apparent to ein poppie, Sultan Abu Sa'id Uthman II. A foundation inscription dem carve onto an onyx plaque insyd de prayer hall dey record say na dem plete construction insyd Rabi' I 1323 wey teaching begin for dis time. Abu al-Hasan reportedly build de madrasa insyd honour of ein poppie. He go on cam turn sultan insyd 1331 wey na he be a prolific patron of mosques den madrasas insyd Fes.

According to ein foundation inscription, na dem originally know de madrasa as *al-Madrasa al-Kubra* (de "Greater Madrasa") secof na ebe larger dan de oda madrasas of de same era. E sanso mark a significant evolution insyd de richness of ein decoration, den dey feature sam of de earliest *zellij* (mosaic tilework) make dem find insyd any Moroccan madrasa. Na dem report say de madrasa ein construction cost 100,000 gold pieces. Later dem cam know am as de *Madrasa as-Sahrij* for de iconic s*ahrij* (water basin) insyd de center of ein courtyard (*sahn*). Abu al-Hassan sanso build anoda smaller madrasa wey dey adjoin am, dem commission am insyd 1323 wey ebe initially known as de *al-Madrasa es-Sughra* (de "Lesser/Smaller Madrasa"). Later dem cam know dat madrasa as de *Madrasa as-Sba'iyyin* (roughly: "Madrasa of those wey teach de Seven Recitations of de Qur'an"), de name wey e still get today, presumably secof de madrasa ein specialization insyd dis subject. Together, dese two madrasas provide both lodging den teaching give students wey dey study for de nearby Andalus Mosque, much as de Seffarine den al-Attarine Madrasas serve students for de al-Qarawiyyin Mosque across de river. Na dem sanso accompany de madrasas by anoda *funduq* anaa hospice, buh na e since disappear.

Na dem assign de madrasa a *faqih* (judge den expert insyd Islamic jurisprudence) den a number of oda positions such as lecturers den Qur'an reciters, na all of whom dem provide plus accommodations den salaries. Na dem fund de madrasa ein upkeep den operations insyd large part by charitable endowments dem designate under a *habous* anaa *waqf* (a trust under Islamic law). For addition to ein function as an educational institution, Marinid madrasas like dis one sanso fi serve as centers of community life, wey dey function as a mosque, guesthouse, den venue for local ceremonies.

### Restorations
Na dem restore de madrasa chaw times, wey dey include during de Saadian period (16th-early 17th century) den again between 1917 den 1924 by de *Service des Beaux-Arts* under de French Protectorate. Na de madrasa complex eventually fall into neglect. Na der be initial efforts make dem repair den protect an insyd de 2000s, wey dey include from de World Monuments Fund, buh de madrasa suffer from further vandalism, wey dey include serious damage dem do to de adjoining Sba'iyyin Madrasa insyd 2009 secof looting. Na dem recently restore two madrasas by de local heritage agency ADER-Fès wey dem reopen am insyd 2017, as part of a wider program of rehabilitation for Fes el-Bali wich start insyd 2013. Upon de restoration ein completion, na dem earmark de Sahrij Madrasa make e house students of de Qarawiyyin University den make e serve de university ein courses for Arabic calligraphy.

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