The emergence and spread of madrasas in the Islamic world were initially associated with theologic motives, focusing particularly on strengthening Ashʿarī thought and combating movements such as Bāṭinism and Shīʿism. However, later studies emphasized the strong connections of madrasas not so much with theological doctrines but with schools of law (madhhabs) and the teaching of Islamic law (fiqh). The classical Islamic scholarship established a strong relationship between madrasas and schools of law by indicating that madrasas functioned not only as educational institutions but also as centers for transmitting the fiqh traditions of specific madhhabs. In this context, al-Nuʿaymī’s work al-Dāris fī tārīkh al-madāris, written during the Mamluk period, stands out as a significant source for understanding the history of madrasas, their madhhab affiliations, and their connection with the discipline of fiqh. It is a detailed reference source on the history and organization of waqf-based educational institutions in Damascus. The work classifies the Damascene educational institutions from the 5th (11th) century to the 10th (16th) century according to their functions and provides detailed data about them. However, the most striking part of the work is the extensive section where al-Nuʿaymī classifies the madrasas according to their fiqh affiliations.

In the article, madrasas established in Damascus during the Seljuk (1075–1104), Tughtiginid (1104–1154), Zangid (1154–1174), Ayyubid (1174–1260), and Mamluk (1260–1516) periods were examined in the context of madhhab affiliations. Although al-Dāris provides a vast pool of data on madrasas, the study evaluates only the information related to the madhhab identities of the madrasas. Additionally, to better understand the distribution of madrasas within the city, Damascus was divided into seven main regions. The location of each madrasa was identified and plotted on a map of Damascus. This method facilitated a clearer understanding of the geographical and socio-cultural placement of madrasas within the city and revealed general trends regarding the relationship between madrasas and madhhab affiliations.

In the research, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were used to analyse the spatial relationships of the madrasas. The data regarding the location and madhhab affiliation of the madrasas obtained from al-Dāris were mapped with the help of specialized software, allowing for the visualization of the spatial distributions of the madrasa locations and their relationships with one another. The analysis of the madrasas focuses on the social status of the endowers, the dynastic periods during which the madrasas were established, and their madhhab identities. By correlating the collected datasets, maps and graphs illustrating the madhhab identities of Damascene madrasas were produced. By this way, the study provides an important spatial analysis of the madhhab connections of Damascus madrasas.

Between the 5th and 10th (11th–16th) centuries, the number of madrasas established in Damascus was 126. The Shāfiʿī madhhab became the predominant school of law with a total of 56 madrasas, followed by the Hanafī madhhab, which had 47 madrasas. The Hanbalī madhhab was represented by 11 madrasas, while the Malikīs had only 3. Additionally, 6 madrasas were endowed for joint use by both the Shāfiʿī and Hanafī schools, and 1 madrasa was shared by all four madhhabs. Additionally, al-Nuʿaymī’s work mentions 3 institutions endowed specifically as medical madrasas. 

When looking at the locations of the madrasas, the district around the Umayyad Mosque emerged as the center of intellectual life in Damascus with 71 madrasas. This area was followed by the Sālihiyya district, which gained importance especially from the Zangid period onwards.

The research demonstrates that the scholarly activities in Damascus were supported by various political and social groups. In the article, madrasa endowers are classified into four main categories: members of the ruling dynasties, military elites (umarāʾ), scholars (ulamāʾ), and the notables (ashrāf). The military elites established the most madrasas in the city, followed by members of the ruling dynasties, scholars, and the notables respectively. It is noteworthy that the madrasas belonging to the Shāfiʿī and Hanafī madhhab received regular support from the ruling dynasties and military elites, whereas Hanbalī madrasas were deprived of such systematic patronage. This situation suggests that the Hanbalī madrasas were mostly endowed by individuals affiliated with this school of law. Rulers and military elites supported not only their own madhhabs but also other madhhabs for patronizing the entire Sunni scholarly community, considering the madhhab diversity of the territories they ruled. In this regard, the madhhab affiliations of the madrasas significantly correspond to the demographic distribution of madhhabs in the city. For instance, although the Zangids were a Hanafī dynasty, most of their madrasas were established for the Shāfiʿīs. Similarly, during the predominantly Shāfiʿī Ayyubids founded both Shāfiʿī and Hanafī madrasas, particularly through the efforts of their military elites. However, during the Mamluk period, it is notable that only one madrasa was established by the ruling dynasty, who made Cairo their political, military, and economic center instead of Damascus.