What it was
Al-Azhar began as a congregational mosque, built in 970–972 by the Fatimids in their new capital, Cairo; organized teaching there began within a few years, around 975. Though founded under a Shia (Ismaili) caliphate, it lost royal patronage for a time after Saladin ended Fatimid rule in 1171, then flourished under the Mamluks as a Sunni center. It is among the oldest continuously operating institutions of higher learning in the world.
Role
Al-Azhar became the premier seat of Sunni Islamic scholarship, teaching the Quranic sciences, law, theology, and Arabic to students from across the Muslim world. Its scholars, the ulama, were historically influential in Egyptian public life.
Fate
In 1961 an Egyptian law under Nasser reorganized the institution, adding modern secular faculties such as medicine and engineering. Today it comprises Al-Azhar University and a nationwide school network, and the Grand Imam of al-Azhar remains one of the most influential authorities in Sunni Islam.