Al-Azhar, or al-Jāmiʿ al-Azhar, dating from the Fāṭimid era, is the oldest extant educational-religious establishment in Egypt. It was built within a year of the founding of the city of Cairo. After the passage of a thousand years during which many political, social and cultural changes have taken place, the institution is still active in the fields of education and learning, and is considered one of the most vibrant and important Islamic universities in the world.