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| Africa North |
| Mubarak names successor to Tantawi |
| 2010-03-20 |
| [Al Arabiya Latest] Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Friday appointed a new head of al-Azhar, Sunni Islam's most prestigious institution, after the death of its top cleric last week, the official MENA agency reported. Mubarak, who is recovering from surgery in Germany, "has issued a presidential decree appointing Sheikh Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed al-Tayeb to head al-Azhar," MENA reported. Tayeb, the president of al-Azhar University since 2003, succeeds Grand Imam Mohammed Sayed Tantawi, who died of a heart attack in Saudi Arabia on March 10. Al-Azhar institution -- which groups a 10th century mosque, a university and several affiliated schools -- is Sunni Islam's highest seat of learning. Its role is to propagate Islamic teachings and culture around the world. When Tantawi died, a member of his office, Ashraf Hassan, had said that Mohammed Wasel, Tantawi's deputy, was expected to temporarily take over leading the institution until the Egyptian president appointed a new head for the body. Since 1961, the grand imam of al-Azhar has been appointed by presidential decree, opening up the post to criticism of being too close to the government. |
| Posted by:Fred |