The esteemed institutional and top religious authority in Sunni Islam, Sheikh al-Azhar Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayeb, will be visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) from November 14th to 18th.
During his stay in BiH, he will meet with the Grand Mufti of the Islamic Community in BiH, Husein effendi Kavazovic, where he will also receive a special honor.
A gathering with scholars from our country and the region is also planned, including muftis, chief imams, retired Grand Muftis and muftis, professors, and representatives of madrasas and Islamic Community faculties in BiH.
He is scheduled to meet with representatives of other religious communities and churches, as well as with high-ranking state officials, given his dual religious and state function in Egypt.
Meetings will be held with the Chairman of the Presidency of BiH, Denis Becirovic; the Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of BiH, Borjana Kristo; and the Chairman of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH (PABiH), Denis Zvizdic.
During his visit, Sheikh al-Azhar will also tour the Gazi Husrev-bey’s Library and come to “Jummah” (Friday prayer in Islam) at the Gazi Husrev-bey’s Mosque, where he will meet with worshippers after the prayer.
The Khatib for Friday prayer will be the Egyptian Mufti Dr. Nazir Mohamed Ayyad. Additionally, the itinerary includes a meeting with the rector and deans of the faculties of the University of Sarajevo (UNSA) and prominent intellectuals from BiH.
Sheikh al-Azhar Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayeb will also spend one day of his visit in Srebrenica.
Sheikh al-Azhar serves as the head imam of Egypt’s top religious institution, Al-Azhar University, which reached its thousand-year milestone in the 1970s. Officially, the position of Sheikh al-Azhar was established in 1679/1090 H., and Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayeb is the 44th person to hold this role.
Sheikh al-Azhar Prof. Dr. Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayeb was born in 1946 and received his education from the leading scholars of Al-Azhar, earning his PhD in 1977.
Throughout his academic and educational career, he has been a member of several significant bodies and institutions, and, beyond Al-Azhar, has taught at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Qatar University; Al Ain University in the United Arab Emirates; and the International Islamic University in Islamabad (IIUI), Pakistan.
He has participated in numerous international gatherings, held various leadership positions, and received important international awards for his work.
Thanks to his efforts to strengthen peace and promote dialogue and coexistence among members of different religions, he has been awarded honorary doctorates by six universities worldwide (Malaysia, Indonesia, Egypt, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan).
The Sheikh al-Azhar position is elected by the Council of Senior Scholars from among its members, based on a selection of at least three candidates, chosen by secret ballot at a meeting attended by at least two-thirds of its members. Then, one of the three is selected through another secret vote by the committee.
The position is held for life, as long as he retains the mental and other capabilities required to fulfill his responsibilities. By virtue of his role, the Sheikh al-Azhar presides over the Supreme Council of Al-Azhar and plays a decisive role in all matters related to religious affairs. The first Sheikh al-Azhar was Muhammad al-Kharashi, born in 1601, Klix.ba writes.
E.Dz.
