29 Ramadan: The Founding of Al-Qayrawan in North Africa
On 29 Ramadan 48 AH, Uqbah ibn Nafi ordered the founding of Al-Qayrawan, creating a vital military post and center of Islamic learning in North Africa.
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A Historic Ramadan Milestone
On 29 Ramadan 48 AH, ‘Uqbah ibn Nafi‘, then governor of the Maghreb, commanded the founding of the city of Al-Qayrawan (modern-day Kairouan, Tunisia). The city was established as a primary Islamic military outpost, serving as a strategic hub for the expansion and consolidation of Islam across North Africa.
Read Also: 28 Ramadan: The Light of Islam Shines in Andalusia
The Objectives Behind Founding Al-Qayrawan
The city was established to fulfill several vital purposes:
To serve as the primary Islamic military base for protecting the region and sustaining strategic movement.
To act as a center of Islamic knowledge and dawah, introducing the teachings of Islam to local populations, particularly the Berber tribes.
To provide a strategic solution for regional stability, ensuring long-term peace and preventing breaches of treaties.
In a concise address, ‘Uqbah ibn Nafi‘ emphasized the critical necessity of founding this permanent city:
“If a leader enters the lands of Africa, its inhabitants accept Islam. But whenever he departs, some among them revert to disbelief. Therefore, O Muslims, I command you to build a city here that will stand as an enduring honor for Islam until the end of time.”
al-Bayan al-Mughrib fi Akhbar al-Andalus wa al-Maghrib, Vol. 1, p. 19
Conclusion
The establishment of Al-Qayrawan on 29 Ramadan 48 AH was a decisive landmark in the history of Islam in North Africa. Far beyond its initial role as a military stronghold, the city flourished into a powerful center of Islamic scholarship and civilization for centuries.
