EL-MADRASA is the place where is sheltered a long forgotten treasure: “Philosophy”, which means the LOVE FOR WISDOM. In fact, it is a School of Philosophy as there always have been along history: institutions that pushed for the improvement of the human being and society, like the Houses of Life of our ancestors the Ancient Egyptians, like the Academia of Plato or like the House of Wisdom of Al-Maamun. There always have been such institutions because there always have been LOVERS OF WISDOM.

But what is Wisdom? Wisdom is not the same as knowledge. We all “know” for instance how to help an old person cross the street, but does it automatically mean we do it?  There is obviously a big difference between “knowing” something, and “doing what we know”. Wisdom is the latter, or in other words: it is “KNOWLEDGE IN ACTION“.

This is why we do not see a difference between culture (knowledge) and volunteering (action): they are the two faces of the same coin. To know without acting accordingly will lead to idleness; to act without knowing accordingly will lead to brutality. And we see already too much idleness and brutality around us… This is why EL-MADRASA is engaged both culturally (through its courses, workshops, lectures, etc.) and socially (through its services to the community as NGO and through its volunteer team AHMOSE).

You will notice that we didn’t name this section “about us”. We actually believe it is about YOU and us, all together, joining forces to rescue and promote what is valuable, refined, noble and great. If you have been looking for EL-MADRASA, be sure that EL-MADRASA has also been looking for you! Come, and here you will find some answers and many, many friends with whom to share your questions about LIFE and your quest for MEANING and TRUTH.

About the name: the reason for choosing the name “EL-MADRASA” is that we believe education does not end with degrees or diplomas. Life is actually a great teacher, so “schooling” does not end with childhood. Or, like a philosopher said once, “all adults were children first, but few remember it”. We believe everyone has a child inside who constantly needs to receive education, i.e. “to go to School”.

“Serafis” on the other hand is the former name of EL-MADRASA: it was a symbol of Alexandria during the Greco-Roman time, representing the harmony of knowledge, of the human being and of society.

About the logo: the ten-points triangle, also called “Tetractys”, was a symbol used by the Pythagoreans, who established one of the greatest schools of Philosophy in history. It represents the betterment of the human being and society through a pyramidal understanding, exactly like the concept of the obelisk in Ancient Egypt. We use it also as a tribute to Pythagoras and all the philosophers he inspired until this day.