Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayeb, born on January 6, 1946, is an Egyptian Islamic scholar currently serving as the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, Al-Azhar Al Sharif, and the former president of al-Azhar University. Appointed by then-Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak after the passing of Mohamed Sayed Tantawy in 2010, El-Tayeb hails from Kurna, Luxor Governorate, in Upper Egypt, and belongs to a Sunni Muslim family.
Education:
El-Tayeb studied Doctrine and Philosophy at Al-Azhar University, graduating in 1969. He went on to earn a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in Islamic philosophy in 1971 and 1977, respectively. He furthered his studies at the University of Paris for six months in 1977–1978. El-Tayeb held various academic and administrative positions at Al-Azhar University, Qena, Aswan, and the International Islamic University in Islamabad, Pakistan, during 1999–2000. Between 2002 and 2003, El-Tayeb served as the Grand Mufti of Egypt. He is a hereditary Sufi shaykh from Upper Egypt and has supported a global Sufi league. El-Tayeb presided over Al-Azhar University from 2003 until 2010.
Political Affiliation (Past):
Before becoming the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and president of Al-Azhar University, El-Tayeb was a member of Mubarak’s National Democratic Party’s Policies Committee. Initially resistant to resigning from the National Democratic Party, he eventually stepped down in April 2010.