THE sudden death of Mohamed Sayyed Tantawi, the Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar (the highest Muslim Sunni authority in Egypt), has renewed the debate about whether his successor should be elected or appointed by the president. According to Law 103/1961, the most powerful religious office is to be filled by a sheikh appointed by republican decree. Sheikh Tantawi died in Saudi Arabia last week after taking part in a ceremony to present religious prizes. According to the Muslim tradition ��" and after obtaining the approval of his family ��" the late Sheikh was laid to rest next to the companions of Prophet Mohamed in the holy burial area of el- Beqaa in the Holy city of Medina. This powerful office will remain vacant until the Presidency makes up its mind about the heavyweight nominees, led by Ahmed el-Tayyeb, President of Al-Azhar University, and Sheikh Ali Goumaa, the Mufti of the Republic. Unconfirmed reports also suggest that Mahmoud Hamdi Zaqzouq, the Minister of Waqfs (Religious Endowment), could also be in the running for this prestigious post. A longstanding and conservative tradition, according to which the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar was elected, was ended in 1961 by late President Gamal Abdul-Nasser. It is said that the republican appointment of the Grand Imam would guarantee the Sheikh's loyalty to the Government, while an elected Grand Imam would always bow his head to his supporters. The death of Sheikh Tantawi has also given rise to harsh criticism about the alleged decline since the 1960s in the prestige and influence of Al-Azhar, the bastion of Sunni teachings and rules in Egypt. For over 40 years now, the institution's top officials have been accused of struggling to win the Government's favour by exploiting their knowledge of Islam to issue religious rulings corresponding to the Government's economic, political and social policies. Describing it as strong intervention in Al-Azhar's affairs, critics of the appointed Grand Imam claim that Law 103 has weakened this religious institution. Although members of the big community of sheikhs and professors belonging to Al-Azhar reluctantly accept republican nominations for their top sheikh, they have, for four decades now, been dreaming of reviving the old tradition. Their concerns were appreciated only two years ago when MP Ali Laban, a representative of the banned Muslim Brotherhood group, was prodded by his organisation to campaign in Parliament for the elimination of the law. The Brothers cruelly alleged that the late Sheikh wanted to curry favour with the Government. The Brotherhood's bid was frustrated by Parliamentary Speaker Fathi Sorour, in collaboration with the majority ruling party. Hours after the death of Sheikh Tantawi, the Brotherhood tried again. Laban told the press that Parliament had agreed in principle to debate his bill, which was referred to Parliament's Ombudsman ��" a preparatory step taken before the bill should be read by MPs. But Laban discounted the optimism entertained by conservatives and fundamentalists that the ruling party would appreciate his amendments. “It seems that the Government is deeply concerned that these amendments will compel it to loosen its grip on Al-Azhar and its sheikhs. “Why does the Government allow the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church to be elected by its synod? It is unfortunate and unacceptable that the highest Muslim institution is denied a similar right,” he protested. The deputy stirred up a large-scale debate in Al-Azhar and beyond when he claimed that Sheikh Tantawi had lent his support to the deputy's proposal. “The late Grand Imam appreciated the traditional system and wanted it to be revived,” Laban alleged.
