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 | (Arabic: إبراهيم البرماوي) |
1690 | 1695 | Shafii | al-Barmawi (died 1695) was born in Barma, Gharbia Governorate | |
3 | (Arabic: محمد النشرتي) |
1695 | 1709 | Maliki | al-Nasharti (died 1709) was born in Nashart, Kafr El Sheikh Governorate | |
4 | (Arabic: عبد الباقي القليني) |
1709 | 1709 | Maliki | al-Qalini was born in Qallin, Kafr El Sheikh Governorate | |
5 | (Arabic: محمد شنن) |
1709 | 1720 | Maliki | Shanan (1656–1720) was born in Al Gadeyah, Beheira Governorate | |
6 | (Arabic: إبراهيم الفيومي) |
1720 | 1724 | Maliki | al-Fayyumi (1652–1724) was born in Faiyum, Faiyum Governorate | |
7 | (Arabic: عبد الله الشبراوي) |
1724 | 1758 | Shafii | al-Shubrawi (1681–1758) was born in Cairo, Cairo Governorate | |
8 | (Arabic: محمد بن سالم الحفني) |
1758 | 1767 | Shafii | al-Hiffnawi (1688–1768) was born in Hiffna, Sharqia Governorate | |
9 | (Arabic: عبد الرؤوف السجيني) |
1767 | 1769 | Shafii | al-Sajini was born in Sagin Al Kom, Gharbia Governorate | |
10 | (Arabic: أحمد الدمنهوري) |
1769 | 1778 | Shafii | al-Damanhuri was born in Damanhur, Beheira Governorate | |
11 | (Arabic: أحمد العروسي) |
1778 | 1793 | Shafii | Ahmed al-Arusi (1720–1804) was born in Manyal Arous, Monufia Governorate. He was the father of #14 , grandfather of #20 . | |
12 | Abdullah al-Sharqawi (Arabic: عبد الله الشرقاوي) |
1793 | 1812 | Shafii | al-Sharqawi (1737–1812) was born in At Tawilah, Sharqia Governorate | |
13 | (Arabic: محمد الشنواني) |
1812 | 1818 | Shafii | al-Shanawani (died 1818) was born in Shanawan, Monufia Governorate | |
14 | (Arabic: محمد العروسي) |
1818 | 1829 | Shafii | Muhammed al-Arusi was the son of #11 , father of #20 . | |
15 | (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 | (Arabic: حسن القويسني) |
1834 | 1838 | Shafii | al-Quwaysini (died 1838) was born in Quesna, Monufia Governorate | |
18 | (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 | (Arabic: مصطفى العروسي) |
1864 | 1870 | Shafii | Mustafa al-Arusi (1798–1876) was the son of #14 , grandson of #11 . | |
21 | (Arabic: محمد المهدي العباسي) |
1870 | 1881 | Hanafi | al-Mahdi (1827–1897) was born in Alexandria, Alexandria Governorate | |
22 | (Arabic: شمس الدين الأنبابي) |
1881 | 1882 | Shafii | al-Imbabi (1824–1896) was born in Cairo, originally from Imbaba, Giza Governorate | |
23 | (Arabic: محمد المهدي العباسي) |
1882 | 1886 | Hanafi | ||
24 | (Arabic: شمس الدين الأنبابي) |
1886 | 1895 | Shafii | ||
25 | (Arabic: حسونة النواوي) |
1895 | 1899 | Hanafi | al-Nawawi (1839–1924) was born in Nawai, Asyut Governorate | |
26 | (Arabic: عبد الرحمن القطب النواوي) |
1899 | 1899 | Hanafi | al-Nawawi (died 1909) was born in Nawai, Asyut Governorate | |
27 | (Arabic: سليم البشري) |
1899 | 1903 | Maliki | al-Bishri (1832–1916) was born in Mahallat Bishr, Beheira Governorate | |
28 | (Arabic: علي الببلاوي) |
1903 | 1905 | Maliki | al-Biblawi (1835–1905) was born in Biblaw, Asyut Governorate | |
29 | (Arabic: عبد الرحمن الشربيني) |
1905 | 1907 | Shafii | al-Shirbini (died 1908) was probably born in Sherbin, Dakahlia Governorate | |
30 | (Arabic: حسونة النواوي) |
1907 | 1909 | Hanafi | ||
31 | (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 | (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 | (Arabic: محمد مأمون الشناوي) |
1948 | 1950 | Hanafi | al-Shinnawi (1878–1950) was born in El Zarqa, Damietta Governorate | |
38 | (Arabic: عبد المجيد سليم) |
1950 | 1951 | Hanafi | Salim (1882–1954) was born in Meet Shahala, Monufia Governorate | |
39 | (Arabic: إبراهيم حمروش) |
1951 | 1952 | Hanafi | Hamrush (1880–1960) was born in Al Khawaled, Beheira Governorate | |
40 | (Arabic: عبد المجيد سليم) |
1952 | 1952 | Hanafi | ||
41 | (Arabic: محمد الخضر حسين) |
1952 | 1954 | Maliki | Husayn (1876–1958) was born in Nefta, Tozeur Governorate, Tunisia. He was of Algerian origin. | |
42 | (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 | (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 | (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[]
- ^ Beattie 2000, p. 225
- ^ Bennett 2005, p. 220
- ^ Dodge 1961, p. 83
- ^ a b 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
- Al-Azhar University
- Lists of Islamic religious leaders
- Lists of office-holders in Egypt
- Muslim scholars of Islamic jurisprudence