Al-Azhar Grand Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyeb will call on the government asking for the post of grand sheikh to be decided by elections rather than by appointment, according to informed sources.
Observers note that former President Hosni Mubarak’s regime in the past exploited Al-Azhar as a tool to mould public opinion.
A source close to al-Tayyeb said he will also request that candidates should run for a fixed term in office, instead of staying in office until death.
Grand sheikhs were elected through the senior scientists authority until the year 1961.
Al-Azhar is considered the most prestigious Islamic institute not just in Egypt but in the whole Muslim Sunni world. The position of grand sheikh was first created in 1690–Hijri year 1101. So far, 43 sheikhs have held the post.
After the 1952 revolution, it was decided that the Al-Azhar role should be diminished. In 1961, new legislation was created to limit most of the grand sheikh’s powers, and subsequently the senior scientists authority was abolished.
