in the historic
medina of Tunis There is little information about teaching at the Zaytuna Mosque prior to the 14th century. At that time there were most probably courses being offered voluntarily by
ulama (Islamic legal scholars), but not in an organized manner. For centuries, Kairouan was the early centre of learning and intellectual pursuits in Tunisia and
North Africa in general. Starting from the 13th century, Tunis became the capital of Ifriqiya under
Almohad and
Hafsid rule. This shift in power helped al-Zaytuna to flourish and become one of the major centres of Islamic learning.
Ibn Khaldun, the first social historian in history, was one of its products. The flourishing university attracted students and men of learning from all parts of the known world at the time. Along with disciplines of
theology – such as
exegesis of the
Qur'an (
tafsir) – the university taught
fiqh (Islamic
jurisprudence),
Arabic grammar,
history,
science and
medicine. One of its famous libraries, al-Abdaliyah, included a large collection of rare manuscripts that attracted scholars from abroad. Following
Tunisia's Independence, the modern University of Zitouna was established on April 26, 1956. Reforms to the education system in 1958 and the creation of the
University of Tunis in 1960 reduced the importance of Zitouna. For years afterward, under the rule of both Bourguiba and his successor
Ben Ali, the educational institution was kept officially and physically distinct from the mosque itself. The Zitouna name was restored by
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 1987, after having been changed under Bourguiba. In 2012, after the
Tunisian revolution and in response to a court petition by a group of Tunisian citizens, the mosque's former educational offices were reopened and it was declared as an independent educational institution once again. == Faculties ==