Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued a republican decree appointing the Secretary-General of the Islamic Research Academy, Nazir Mohamed Ayyad, as Grand Mufti of Egypt for a period of four years based on the nomination of Al-Azhar Grand Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyeb, according to a statement from the Al-Azhar Sheikhdom on Sunday.
Here are 10 things to know about Nazir Ayyad, the new Grand Mufti.
- 1- Worked as Secretary General of the Islamic Research Academy, Professor of Theology and Philosophy, and Deputy Dean of the College of Islamic and Arabic Studies for Girls in Kafr el-Sheikh.
- 2- Ayyad obtained a BA in Fundamentals of Religion in Theology and Philosophy in May 1995.
- 3- He continued his academic journey to obtain a Master’s degree in Fundamentals of Religion, specializing in Theology and Philosophy in 2000.
- 4- Received a PhD with first class honors in 2003.
- 5- Ayyad rose in the academic hierarchy where he worked as a teaching assistant, assistant lecturer, then a lecturer and eventually assistant professor at the Faculty of Fundamentals of Religion, Mansoura University.
- 6- He moved from there to the Faculty of Islamic and Arabic Studies for Girls in Kafr al-Sheikh, a branch of the university, to work as an assistant professor in the Department of Theology and Philosophy, then obtained a professorship in 2016.
- 7- Ayyad also had many other tasks and activities, including his membership in the World Organization of Al-Azhar Graduates, his membership in the Trade Union Committee for Scientific Research Workers at Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, his membership in the Egyptian Family House, and the Environmental Protection and Anti-Addiction Team at the Ministry of Youth.
- 8- He enriched scientific journals with many publications, exceeding thirty, within theology, philosophy and logic, sects, doctrines and religions, Sufism and more.
- 9- Ayyad also attended many scientific conferences and seminars inside and outside Egypt, and taught at some foreign universities, in Libya and Saudi Arabia, and discussed and supervised nearly 35 master’s and doctoral theses.
- 10- He received many awards and certificates in the scientific field inside and outside Egypt, where he was honored by Al-Azhar University, October 6 University, Al-Asmariya University in Libya, Taif University in Saudi Arabia, and the Egyptian Consulate in Jeddah.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
