Libraries are considered the most important achievements of the Arab Islamic
civilizatation because of their important role in spreading science among Muslims, and
their impact on Europe that sunk into darkness. With the establishment of the Fatimi
d state
in Egypt in 358/969, the Fatimids tried to compete with Baghdad in the cultural field by
encouraging private and public libraries. Despite of the collapse of the Fatimid state, the
books of its libraries remained preserved in the libraries of civilizations that followed, such
as the Fadilia and Bimaraston Qaloun Schools .
