The Scholarly Dimension
The three centuries—the sixth, seventh, and eighth Hijri centuries—were, as Shaykh Abū Zahrah observes:
"They were distinguished by an abundance of learning, not by an abundance of thought. Information was extraordinarily plentiful, its acquisition was widespread, and people devoted themselves to it with great diligence. Yet the free, unprejudiced examination of its sources and channels—an unbiased weighing of sound opinions against unsound ones, free from intellectual partisanship and sectarian bias—did not reach a level commensurate with that vast and enriching heritage handed down from generation to generation. They received it and safeguarded it, but they did not accord it its true worth through impartial, penetrating scrutiny, or through a comprehensive outlook that refrains from viewing matters solely from one angle to the exclusion of others. Then Ibn Taymiyyah entered the scene, reflected upon this legacy, and considered it from every perspective." (1)
It will be useful to list some of the madrasahs that were particularly active during that period. Alongside the great encyclopedic works, the scattered libraries of the Muslim world—especially those of Egypt and greater Syria—and the scholars who dedicated their lives to explaining, clarifying, and tracing inherited books back to their original sources, these institutions greatly facilitated the pursuit and acquisition of knowledge.
Among the well-known madrasahs frequented by students in Egypt were:
1 – The Kāmilīyah Madrasah, named after al-Malik al-Kāmil. Founded in 622 AH, it is regarded as the second most important center for hadith after the Great ʿĀdilīyah Madrasah in Damascus.
2 – The Ẓāhirīyah Madrasah, attributed to al-Ẓāhir Baybars. Construction began in 660 AH and was completed in 662 AH. Baybars established within it a library containing the principal works of every branch of learning, and a number of scholars taught there.
3 – The Manṣūrīyah Madrasah, named after al-Malik al-Manṣūr Qalāwūn. It offered four courses for the adherents of the four schools of jurisprudence, as well as a course in medicine, and the instructors