Education is closely linked with worship in Islam and distinguishing between a Mosque and a Madrasa (literally school) is often difficult because early mosques, beginning with the Prophet's house in Medina, were used for either purpose. When the Madrasa became established as an institution, it is believed to have originated in Seljuk Khorasan and it closely resembled the four-iwan mosque in plan.  

The ancient city of Bukhara, already flourishing when the Arabs conquered it in 709, is famous as a seat of learning. Its Madrasa include the Mir-i Arab, built about 1535, when Bukhara was entering its most glorious period as capital of an extensive Uzbek state. It was one of only two Madrasa allowed to function in the Soviet Union (the other was in Tashkent). Founded by a Yemeni sheikh, for whom it is named, it was built (possibly under the Sheikh's direction since he is described as an architect) on the four-iwan plan, with 100 cells for students studying Islamic literature, law and Arabic.

It is not open to tourists, who can admire from a distance the calligraphy and mosaic around the drums supporting its two blue domes but are said to be missing some of the finest ceramic decoration in Bukhara. Among other schools of Bukhara are the 15th-century Madrasa of Ulugh Beg and, standing opposite it, the later Madrasa of Abdal- Aziz Khan, begun in 1645, which resembles it in plan though it is much larger.

Apart from its great size, its most notable feature is the great pishtaq (gateway), which is beautifully decorated with mosaic, plaster relief work and painting. Immediately south of the Mir-i Arab Madrasa is the 19th-century Madrasa of Amir Alim Khan, which breaks with architectural traditional and seems to have been primarily used as a library.