the latter already contained several other Ayyubid madrasas and mausoleums. This practice was very common for court women of the Ayyubid dynasty to found mausoleums, khanqahs, and madrasas in order to promote religious learning and as a means for enhancing their prestige and commemorating their names. Ibn Wasil wrote, "She was just to her subjects, very charitable and loving towards them. She removed various taxes in all the regions of Aleppo. She favored jurists, ascetics, scholars, and people of religion, and extended to them many charities.” This testimony is confirmed by Khatun's architectural patronage, which perpetuated her Sufic beliefs. Sufism was a politically intelligent choice for a ruler of Aleppo to support. When Saladin conquered Aleppo, one his first decrees required non-Muslims in Aleppo to distinguish themselves through sartorial laws. Scholars argue that this was an attempt “to reconcile Shi’ites and Sunnis to Ayyubid rule” while promoting a sense of equality between the two sects (Shi’ism and Sunnism) by a shared Muslim identity and shared difference from the non-Muslims. Aleppo was prone to sectarian violence. Sufism, however, emphasizes individual spirituality, female participation, and non-political Islam. The Khanqah al-Farafra The Khanqah al-Farafira, or as it was originally known, the ar-Ribat al-Nasir, was a space specifically created for female Sufic ascetics. This specific khanqah is important because it was intended as a place of residence for elderly, divorced, or widowed women who had no other place to go until their death or remarriage. Dayfa’s adoption of Sufism during this time was also important as it offered women possibilities for participation in their religious and social lives as well as leadership positions. This is the only surviving khanqah in Aleppo and perhaps, all of Syria, a testament to the high quality of materials she used. The al-Firdaws Madrasa The al-Firdaws Madrasa, also referred to as the School of Paradise, is a 13th century complex that Khatun established with her own personal resources. The complex consists of a madrasa, mausoleum, as well as other multi functional spaces. The mausoleum in particular was meant to house the bodies of the queen and her family which upheld traditional Ayyubid architectural standards of being located at a raised site with no dirty water or waste nearby. The madrasa was not only a school or a monumental tomb, it also advanced the science and knowledge of grave preservation-which was very important in Islamic culture. Specifically, the madrasa’s tombs