Egypt’s Al-Azhar appoints first female adviser to Grand Imam

Sheikh Ahmed El Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, Egypt’s highest authority on Sunni Islam, has appointed his first female adviser.

Dr Nahla Al Saeedy confirmed her appointment as the Imam’s adviser on expatriate affairs in a Facebook post.

She becomes the first woman to hold an advisory position to the Grand Imam in Al Azhar’s 1,000-year history.

Ms Al Saeedy previously held two positions at Al Azhar; Dean of the College of Islamic Sciences for Expats and Head of the International Student Education Development Centre.

During a phone-in with the TV channel CBC, she described her appointment as a responsibility and an honour of which she was very proud.

“Through this decision, the sheikh underscored his appreciation of the role women play in Al Azhar’s work.

This appreciation is something Al Azhar’s women have grown accustomed to under the sheikh’s leadership,” she said.

She said her appointment comes as part of a 10-year strategy by Al Azhar, which is running in tandem with the Egyptian government’s Vision 2030 plan to update many of the country’s sectors to make them more effective, sustainable and reflective of the Sisi administration’s modernisation scheme.

Ms Al Saeedy said Al Azhar’s role in the country’s future would be instrumental as it is the main disseminator of Islam’s values and the correct use of the Arabic language in Egypt. (The National News)