List of grand imams of al-Azhar

Last updated March 19, 2024

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]

List

	Serving 1st term.
	Serving 2nd term.

№	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.
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

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

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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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[1] Beattie 2000 , p. 225

[2] Bennett 2005 , p. 220

[dodge83-3] Dodge 1961 , p. 83

[dodge_appA-4] 1 2 Dodge 1961 , pp. 193–194

[1]

[2]

[3]

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List of grand imams of al-Azhar

Contents

List

Footnotes

Related Research Articles

References