Grand Imam of al-Azhar
The Grand Imam of al-Azhar (Arabic: الإمام الأكبر), also known as Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar (Arabic: شيخ الأزهر الشريف), currently the Ahmed el-Tayeb, is a prestigious Sunni Islam title and a prominent official title in Egypt. [1] He is considered by some Muslims to be the highest authority in Sunni Islamic thought and Islamic jurisprudence [2] and holds a great influence on followers of the theological Ash'ari and Maturidi traditions worldwide. The Grand Imam supervises the al-Azhar Mosque, and by extension al-Azhar University, and is responsible for official religious matters along with the Grand Mufti of Egypt.
History of the title
The title of the Grand Imam of al-Azhar was officially established in 1961. In the 14th century the head of al-Azhar was granted the title of Mushrif of al-Azhar, then later Nazir of Al-Azhar[3] and, during the Ottoman Empire, the Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar. Today the holder of the title also carries the title of the Grand Sheikh.
Holders of the title
| Grand Imam | Began | End | Madhhab |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muhammad al-Kharashi | 1679 | 1690 | Maliki |
| Ibrahim al-barmawi | 1690 | 1694 | Shafii |
| Muhammad al-Nasharti | 1694 | 1708 | Maliki |
| Abd al-Baqi al-Qalini | 1708 | ? | Maliki |
| Muhammad Shanan | ? | 1721 | Maliki |
| Ibrahim al-Fayyumi | 1721 | 1725 | Maliki |
| Abdullah al-Shubrawi | 1725 | 1758 | Shafii |
| Muhammad al-Hiffnawi | 1758 | 1767 | Shafii |
| Abd al-Rauf al-Sajini | 1767 | 1768 | Shafii |
| Ahmed al-Damanhuri | 1768 | 1778 | Shafii |
| Ahmed al-Arusi | 1778 | 1793 | Shafii |
| Abdullah al-Sharqawi | 1793 | 1812 | Shafii |
| Muhammed al-Shanawani | 1812 | 1818 | Shafii |
| Muhammed al-Arusi | 1818 | 1829 | Shafii |
| Ahmed al-Damhuji | 1829 | 1830 | Shafii |
| Hasan al-Attar | 1830 | 1834 | Shafii |
| Hasan al-Quwaysini | 1834 | 1838 | Shafii |
| Ahmed al-Sa'im al-Safti | 1838 | 1847 | Shafii |
| Ibrahim al-Bajuri | 1847 | 1860 | Shafii |
| Mustafa al-Arusi | 1864 | 1870 | Shafii |
| Muhammad al-Mahdi | 1870 | 1882 | Hanafi |
| Shams al-Din Muhammad al-Imbabi | 1882 | 1895 | Shafii |
| Hassunah al-Nawawi | 1895 | 1900 | Hanafi |
| Abd al-Rahman al-Qutb al-Nawawi | 1900 | 1900 | Hanafi |
| Salim al-Bishri | 1900 | 1904 | Maliki |
| Ali al-Biblawi | 1904 | 1905 | Maliki |
| Abd al-Rahman al-Shirbini | 1905 | 1909 | Shafii |
| Hassanuh al-Nawawi | 1909 | 1909 | Hanafi |
| Salim al-Bishri | 1909 | 1917 | Maliki |
| Muhammad al-Jizawi | 1917 | 1927 | Maliki |
| Muhammad al-Maraghi | 1927 | 1929 | Hanafi |
| Muhammad al-Zawahiri | 1929 | 1935 | Shafii |
| Mustafa al-Maraghi | 1935 | 1945 | Hanafi |
| Mustafa Abd al-Rizq | 1945 | 1947 | Hanafi |
| Muhammad Ma'mun al-Shinnawi | 1948 | 1950 | Hanafi |
| Abd al-Majid Salim | 1950 | 1951 | Hanafi |
| Ibrahim Hamrush | 1951 | 1952 | Hanafi |
| Abd al-Majid Salim | 1952 | 1952 | Hanafi |
| Muhammad al-Khadi Husayn | 1952 | 1954 | Maliki |
| Abd al-Rahman Taj | 1954 | 1958 | Hanafi |
| Mahmud Shaltut | 1958 | 1963 | Hanafi |
| Hassan Mamoun | 1963 | 1969 | |
| Muhammad al-Fahham | 1969 | 1973 | |
| Abdel Halim Mahmoud | 1973 | 1978 | |
| Muhammad Abd al-Rahman Bisar | 1979 | 1982 | |
| Gad al-Haq | 1982 | 1996 | |
| Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy | 1996 | 2010 | Shafii |
| Ahmed El-Tayeb | 2010 | Maliki | |
References
- ↑ Beattie 2000, p. 225
- ↑ Bennett 2005, p. 220
- ↑ Dodge 1961, p. 83
- Dodge, Bayard (1961), Al-Azhar: A Millennium of Muslim learning, Middle East Institute
- Beattie, Kirk J. (2000), Egypt during the Sadat years, Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN 978-0-312-23246-7
- Bennett, Clinton (2005), Muslims and modernity: an introduction to the issues and debates, Continuum International Publishing Group, ISBN 978-0-8264-5481-2