Timbuktu – The Wisdom City

Posted on Feb 05 in Discoveryby ApplePrint

Timbuktu is a city resides in Mali (West Africa). During its golden age, it was a transit point and a financial and trading center for trade across the Sahara. It was also an influential Islamic intellectual center, a cosmopolitan multicultural city of commerce and learning and the second-largest imperial court in the world. Timbuktu is also known for its manuscripts especially in the subjects of astronomy, music, botany, law, sciences, history, religion, trading, etc.

Salt comes from the north, gold from the south, and silver from the country of the white men, but the word of God and the treasures of wisdom are only to be found in Timbuktu. – an old Western African proverb

University of Sankore

Sankore’s achievement in higher education is important to Islamic civilization even though it was less known compared to Al-Azhar, Al-Qairawan, Al-Qarawiyyin and Qurtuba Universities.

It is also a pride among the whole black community around the world as it was a great intellectual institution of the black civilization of Mali, Ghana and Songhay particularly during 12th to 16th centuries.

University of Timbuktu often referred to, as the ‘University of Sankore’, as there are two other universities in Timbuktu, ‘Jingaray Ber’ and ‘Sidi Yahya’ universities. The University of Sankore is located in the north east district of Timbuktu and housed within the Sankore Mosque.

The Sankore Mosque was founded in 989 by the erudite chief judge of Timbuktu, Al-Qadi Aqib ibn Mahmud ibn Umar. He had built the inner court of the mosque in exact dimension of the Ka’abah in holy Makkah. A wealthy Mandika lady then financed Sankore University making it the leading center of education. The Sankore University prospered and became a very significant seat of learning in the Muslim world, especially under the reign of Mansa Musa (1307-1332) and Askia Dynasty (1493-1591).

Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timbuktu
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/learning_history/1492/1492_timbuktu.cfm
http://muslimheritage.com/

—————————-

The reason why I suddenly feel want to know more about Timbuktu is because Alvin, a friend of mine, assumed that you have to spend at least 40k to travel to Timbuktu. I didn’t even know where on earth is this place. Out of curiosity, did a little search and reading here and there, now I know where is it.

Oh, by the way Alvin has written a nice post that can trigger your inner thoughts. Worth reading – Different People Have Different Priority In Spending. Quite true.

Incoming search terms:

• ghana civilization
• University of Sankore
• salt mine timbuktu
• Al Qarawiyyin
• mosques in ghana mali songhai
• sankore university timbuktu
• wisdom words wallpaper hd
• picture of gold salt trade timbuktu
• old music manuscript
• wisdom of tinbuktu

One Comment

• satrap says:

  November 13, 2009 at 2:35 pm

  great article. honest and to the point writing like these are what drives readers to cam back to the same site over and over again. keep up the good work.

  Reply

Trackbacks / Pingbacks

Leave a Reply

Click here to cancel reply.

Name (required)

Mail (will not be published) (required)

Website

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail