House of Knowledge

{{Short description|Ancient university of the Fatimid Caliphate}}

{{single source|date=May 2017}}

{{about|the Fatimid medieval university in Egypt|the medieval Abbasid library|House of Wisdom}}

{{Ismailis}}

The House of Knowledge ({{Langx|ar|دار العلم|Dār al-ʿIlm}}) was an ancient university built by the Fatimid Caliphate in Cairo in 1004 CE. Originally a library, the House of Knowledge was converted to a state university by the Fatimid Imam-Caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah in the same year.{{cite web |url=https://theculturetrip.com/egypt/articles/cairo-s-lost-house-of-wisdom-the-great-cultural-legacy-of-egypt/ |title=Cairo's Lost House of Wisdom: The Great Cultural Legacy of Egypt |last=Bengoechea |first=Isabella |date=November 10, 2016 |website=Culture Trip |access-date=January 6, 2023}}

In keeping with the Islamic tradition of knowledge, the Fatimids collected books on a variety of subjects and their libraries attracted the attention of scholars from around the world. al-Hakim was a great patron of learning and provided paper, pens, ink and inkstands without charge to all those who wished to study there.{{cite book|last=Virani|first=Shafique N.|title=The Ismailis in the Middle Ages: A History of Survival, A Search for Salvation|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2007|location=New York|page=92|author-link=Shafique Virani}}