List of grand imams of al-Azhar

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

№	Portrait	Grand Imam	Began	End	Madhhab	Notes
1		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 Muhammed al-Arusi, grandfather of #20 Mustafa al-Arusi.
12		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 Ahmed al-Arusi, father of #20 Mustafa al-Arusi.
15		Arabic : أحمد الدمهوجي)	1829	1830	Shafii	al-Damhuji (1761–1831) was born in Damhuj, Monufia Governorate
16		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		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 Muhammed al-Arusi, grandson of #11 Ahmed al-Arusi.
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		Arabic : محمد أبو الفضل الجيزاوي)	1917	1927	Maliki	al-Jizawi (1874–1927) was born in El-Warraq, Giza Governorate
33		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		Arabic : محمد مصطفى المراغي)	1935	1945	Hanafi
36		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.
42		Arabic : عبد الرحمن تاج)	1954	1958	Hanafi	Taj (1896–1975) was born in Asyut, Asyut Governorate
43		Arabic : محمود شلتوت)	1958	1963	Hanafi	Shaltut (1893–1963) was born in Minyat Bani Mansur, Beheira Governorate
44		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		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		Arabic : جاد الحق علي جاد الحق)	1982	1996		al-Haq (1917–1996) was born in Batra, Dakahlia Governorate
49		Arabic : محمد سيد طنطاوي)	1996	2010	Shafii	Tantawy (1928–2010) was born in Selim ash-Sharqiyah, Tima municipality, Sohag Governorate
50		Arabic : أحمد الطيب)	2010	present	Maliki	El-Tayeb (born 1946) was born in Kurna, Luxor Governorate

Footnotes

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