It is located in the city of Fez in Morocco. The madrasa is also called Er-Rachidia Madrasa or Ras al-Cherratine Madrasa.

History
Construction of the madrasa began on 17 December 1670 CE under the reign of the Alaouite sultan Moulay al-Rashid.

The newly built madrasa replaced an older one, known as the Madrasa el-Lebbadin or Madrasa el-Ebridin, of unclear origin, which according to traditional sources was demolished because it had been desecrated by raucous students.

This reconstruction on the site of a former madrasa may explain why the current madrasa was able to be built on a regular rectangular floor plan despite being located at the heart of the already densely-built old city. The name Cherratine (esh-Sherātīn), meaning “rope-makers”, referred to the presence of a nearby market where rope-makers were established.

Like other madrasas in the city, it was used to host students and teachers from outside the city who came to study or work at the nearby University of al-Qarawiyyin.

By the 19th century or early 20th century the madrasa, the largest of the madrasas in its neighbourhood, was mostly dedicated to housing students from Algeria, the Rif region, the Tafilalt, and other eastern regions.

The madrasa has been classified as historic heritage monument in Morocco since 1917.