Al-Azhar Mosque is an iconic structure in Cairo, Egypt. It was commissioned by Jawhar al-Siqilli in 970, shortly after the Fatimid Caliphate established the city as its new capital. With 35 scholars hired in 989, it slowly developed into one of the oldest continuously running universities in the world. As the second holiest site for Sunni Muslims after Mecca, Al-Azhar remains highly revered and influential in Egyptian society to this day. The mosque's name is thought to come from az-Zahra (meaning 'the shining one'), an epithet given to Muhammad's daughter, Fatimah. Over the centuries, various rulers have also provided expansions and renovations to Al-Azhar that shaped its unique architecture today.