Madrasa al-Firdaus: Restoring Light to a Sacred SpaceBuilt in 1235–1236, Madrasa al-Firdaus is one of Aleppo’s most significant Ayyubid-era institutions. Designed as a madrasa-mosque complex, it integrated education, worship, and remembrance for nearly eight centuries.Through the Ayyubid, Mamluk, and Ottoman periods, Madrasa al-Firdaus served as an active center of learning, supported by endowments and sustained by generations of scholars and students.After its scholarly life was interrupted by years of conflict, Madrasa al-Firdaus has now been restored and reopened. With formal authorization from the Syrian Ministry of Awqaf, Darul Irfan is once again activating this historic space through structured, high-level educational programming, returning the madrasa to its original purpose.What We Are Building in AleppoDarul Irfan’s Aleppo initiative is a comprehensive, sustained scholarly project designed to establish a transgenerational institution dedicated to the preservation and advancement of the Islamic sciences.Current and ongoing programming includes:Thirty weekly lessons (1.5 hours each) spanning the core Islamic sciencesFull curriculum development, including teaching materials, assessments, and academic resourcesCritical manuscript editing (taḥqīq) to preserve and make accessible Islamic textsSeven full-time fellows enrolled in the Building Scholars Fellowship Program, receiving daily instruction and active mentorship from local scholarsA reference library supporting advanced study and scholarly researchRegular intensives and workshops in manuscript sciences and methods of textual verificationThis initiative lays the groundwork for sustained scholarship in Aleppo, rooted in place, discipline, and the transmission of knowledge across generations.Sustaining the Revival: A Call for Monthly SupportReviving Madrasa al-Firdaus requires more than the restoration of stone. It requires the continuous presence of scholars, students, researchers, and caretakers who animate the space with learning, worship, and transmission.To ensure that this historic madrasa remains active and growing, Darul Irfan is seeking monthly commitments totaling $11,500. This support secures the people, programs, and infrastructure necessary for uninterrupted scholarly work and institutional continuity.Your support sustains:- Qualified scholars and academic leadership responsible for instruction and guidance- Full-time fellowship students committed to advanced study and scholarly formation- Ongoing teaching, research, and manuscript preservation efforts- Essential administration and institutional stewardship- Media and technical staff who document and extend access to this knowledge- The daily operations that keep the madrasa open, functional, and in service- Specialized training and academic programs Monthly operating support ensures that Madrasa al-Firdaus functions not as a restored monument, but as a living institution, honoring an eight-hundred-year trust of knowledge transmission.Monthly Operating Support OverviewTotal Required Support$11,500 per month$138,000 annually*Darul Irfan in partnered with the Darul Marifah Foundation to accept donations on its behalf.