List of Grand Imams of al-Azhar

The post of Grand Imam of al-Azhar, or shaykh of al-Azhar, has been filled by a member of the ulema, the religious scholars, of Egypt. The position of Grand Imam is among the most prominent roles in Islam and is often considered to be the highest authority in Islamic jurisprudence. The Grand Imam of al-Azhar is the most prominent official religious role in Egypt.[1][2] Prior to the establishment of the post under the Ottoman Empire, the holder of that position was named Mushrif then later a Nazir.[3] Between 1860 and 1864 a board of scholars served the role as Grand Imam.[4]

Several of the Grand Imams served multiple terms; each term is listed separately. The original sources give the year based on the Islamic calendar, so the conversion to Gregorian years by later Western sources may not be precise.[4]

List

Serving 1st term.
Serving 2nd term.
Portrait Grand Imam Began End Madhhab Notes
1 Muhammad al-Kharashi
(Arabic: محمد الخرشي)
1679 1690 Maliki al-Kharashi (1601–1690) was born in Abu Kharash, Beheira Governorate
2 Ibrahim al-Barmawi
(Arabic: إبراهيم البرماوي)
1690 1695 Shafii al-Barmawi (died 1695) was born in Barma, Gharbia Governorate
3 Muhammad al-Nasharti
(Arabic: محمد النشرتي)
1695 1709 Maliki al-Nasharti (died 1709) was born in Nashart, Kafr El Sheikh Governorate
4 Abd al-Baqi al-Qalini
(Arabic: عبد الباقي القليني)
1709 1709 Maliki al-Qalini was born in Qallin, Kafr El Sheikh Governorate
5 Muhammad Shanan
(Arabic: محمد شنن)
1709 1720 Maliki Shanan (1656–1720) was born in Al Gadeyah, Beheira Governorate
6 Ibrahim al-Fayyumi
(Arabic: إبراهيم الفيومي)
1720 1724 Maliki al-Fayyumi (1652–1724) was born in Faiyum, Faiyum Governorate
7 Abdullah al-Shubrawi
(Arabic: عبد الله الشبراوي)
1724 1758 Shafii al-Shubrawi (1681–1758) was born in Cairo, Cairo Governorate
8 Muhammad al-Hiffnawi
(Arabic: محمد بن سالم الحفني)
1758 1767 Shafii al-Hiffnawi (1688–1768) was born in Hiffna, Sharqia Governorate
9 Abd al-Rauf al-Sajini
(Arabic: عبد الرؤوف السجيني)
1767 1769 Shafii al-Sajini was born in Sagin Al Kom, Gharbia Governorate
10 Ahmed al-Damanhuri
(Arabic: أحمد الدمنهوري)
1769 1778 Shafii al-Damanhuri was born in Damanhur, Beheira Governorate
11 Ahmed al-Arusi
(Arabic: أحمد العروسي)
1778 1793 Shafii Ahmed al-Arusi (1720–1804) was born in Manyal Arous, Monufia Governorate. He was the father of #14 Muhammed al-Arusi, grandfather of #20 Mustafa al-Arusi.
12 Abdullah al-Sharqawi
(Arabic: عبد الله الشرقاوي)
1793 1812 Shafii al-Sharqawi (1737–1812) was born in At Tawilah, Sharqia Governorate
13 Muhammed al-Shanawani
(Arabic: محمد الشنواني)
1812 1818 Shafii al-Shanawani (died 1818) was born in Shanawan, Monufia Governorate
14 Muhammed al-Arusi
(Arabic: محمد العروسي)
1818 1829 Shafii Muhammed al-Arusi was the son of #11 Ahmed al-Arusi, father of #20 Mustafa al-Arusi.
15 Ahmed al-Damhuji
(Arabic: أحمد الدمهوجي)
1829 1830 Shafii al-Damhuji (1761–1831) was born in Damhuj, Monufia Governorate
16 Hasan al-Attar
(Arabic: حسن العطار)
1830 1834 Shafii al-Attar (1766–1835) was born in Cairo, Cairo Governorate. He was of Moroccan origin.
17 Hasan al-Quwaysini
(Arabic: حسن القويسني)
1834 1838 Shafii al-Quwaysini (died 1838) was born in Quesna, Monufia Governorate
18 Ahmed al-Sa'im al-Safti
(Arabic: أحمد السفطي)
1838 1847 Shafii al-Safti was born in Saft El Arfa, Beni Suef Governorate
19 Ibrahim al-Bajuri
(Arabic: إبراهيم الباجوري)
1847 1864 Shafii al-Bajuri (1784–1864) was born in El Bagour, Monufia Governorate
20 Mustafa al-Arusi
(Arabic: مصطفى العروسي)
1864 1870 Shafii Mustafa al-Arusi (1798–1876) was the son of #14 Muhammed al-Arusi, grandson of #11 Ahmed al-Arusi.
21 Muhammad al-Mahdi
(Arabic: محمد المهدي العباسي)
1870 1881 Hanafi al-Mahdi (1827–1897) was born in Alexandria, Alexandria Governorate
22 Shams al-Din Muhammad al-Imbabi
(Arabic: شمس الدين الأنبابي)
1881 1882 Shafii al-Imbabi (1824–1896) was born in Cairo, originally from Imbaba, Giza Governorate
23 Muhammad al-Mahdi
(Arabic: محمد المهدي العباسي)
1882 1886 Hanafi
24 Shams al-Din Muhammad al-Imbabi
(Arabic: شمس الدين الأنبابي)
1886 1895 Shafii
25 Hassunah al-Nawawi
(Arabic: حسونة النواوي)
1895 1899 Hanafi al-Nawawi (1839–1924) was born in Nawai, Asyut Governorate
26 Abd al-Rahman al-Qutb al-Nawawi
(Arabic: عبد الرحمن القطب النواوي)
1899 1899 Hanafi al-Nawawi (died 1909) was born in Nawai, Asyut Governorate
27 Salim al-Bishri
(Arabic: سليم البشري)
1899 1903 Maliki al-Bishri (1832–1916) was born in Mahallat Bishr, Beheira Governorate
28 Ali al-Biblawi
(Arabic: علي الببلاوي)
1903 1905 Maliki al-Biblawi (1835–1905) was born in Biblaw, Asyut Governorate
29 Abd al-Rahman al-Shirbini
(Arabic: عبد الرحمن الشربيني)
1905 1907 Shafii al-Shirbini (died 1908) was probably born in Sherbin, Dakahlia Governorate
30 Hassanuh al-Nawawi
(Arabic: حسونة النواوي)
1907 1909 Hanafi
31 Salim al-Bishri
(Arabic: سليم البشري)
1909 1917 Maliki
32 Muhammad al-Jizawi
(Arabic: محمد أبو الفضل الجيزاوي)
1917 1927 Maliki al-Jizawi (1874–1927) was born in El-Warraq, Giza Governorate
33 Mustafa Al-Maraghi
(Arabic: محمد مصطفى المراغي)
1927 1929 Hanafi al-Maraghi (1881–1945) was born in El Maragha, Sohag Governorate
34 Muhammad al-Zawahiri
(Arabic: محمد الأحمدي الظواهري)
1929 1935 Shafii al-Zawahiri (1878–1944) was born in Kafr Ash Sheikh Dhawahri, Sharqia Governorate. He was of Arab origin.
35 Mustafa Al-Maraghi
(Arabic: محمد مصطفى المراغي)
1935 1945 Hanafi
36 Mustafa Abd al-Rizq
(Arabic: مصطفى عبد الرازق)
1945 1947 Hanafi Abd al-Rizq (1885–1947) was born in Abu Jirj, Minya Governorate
37 Muhammad Ma'mun al-Shinnawi
(Arabic: محمد مأمون الشناوي)
1948 1950 Hanafi al-Shinnawi (1878–1950) was born in El Zarqa, Damietta Governorate
38 Abd al-Majid Salim
(Arabic: عبد المجيد سليم)
1950 1951 Hanafi Salim (1882–1954) was born in Meet Shahala, Monufia Governorate
39 Ibrahim Hamrush
(Arabic: إبراهيم حمروش)
1951 1952 Hanafi Hamrush (1880–1960) was born in Al Khawaled, Beheira Governorate
40 Abd al-Majid Sulaym
(Arabic: عبد المجيد سليم)
1952 1952 Hanafi
41 Muhammad al-Khadi Husayn
(Arabic: محمد الخضر حسين)
1952 1954 Maliki Husayn (1876–1958) was born in Nefta, Tozeur Governorate, Tunisia. He was of Algerian origin.
42 Abd al-Rahman Taj
(Arabic: عبد الرحمن تاج)
1954 1958 Hanafi Taj (1896–1975) was born in Asyut, Asyut Governorate
43 Mahmud Shaltut
(Arabic: محمود شلتوت)
1958 1963 Hanafi Shaltut (1893–1963) was born in Minyat Bani Mansur, Beheira Governorate
44 Hassan Mamoun
(Arabic: حسن مأمون)
1963 1969 Mamoun (1894–1973) was born in Cairo, Cairo Governorate
45 Muhammad al-Fahham
(Arabic: محمد الفحام)
1969 1973 al-Fahham (1894–1980) was born in Alexandria Governorate
46 Abdel Halim Mahmoud
(Arabic: عبد الحليم محمود)
1973 1978 Maliki Mahmoud (1910–1978) was born in Al Salam, Sharqia Governorate
47 Muhammad Abd al-Rahman Bisar
(Arabic: محمد عبد الرحمن بيصار)
1979 1982 Bisar (1910–1982) was born in As Salmiyyah, Kafr El Sheikh Governorate
48 Gad al-Haq
(Arabic: جاد الحق علي جاد الحق)
1982 1996 al-Haq (1917–1996) was born in Batra, Dakahlia Governorate
49 Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy
(Arabic: محمد سيد طنطاوي)
1996 2010 Shafii Tantawy (1928–2010) was born in Selim ash-Sharqiyah, Tima municipality, Sohag Governorate
50 Ahmed El-Tayeb
(Arabic: أحمد الطيب)
2010 present Maliki El-Tayeb (born 1946) was born in Kurna, Luxor Governorate

Footnotes

  1. Beattie 2000, p. 225
  2. Bennett 2005, p. 220
  3. Dodge 1961, p. 83
  4. Dodge 1961, pp. 193–194

References

  • 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
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