Ahmed al-Tayeb

Imam of Al-Azhar Mosque
Arabic: أحمد الطيب الإمام الأكبر شيخ الجامع الأزهر

Ahmed al-Tayeb is the Imam of Al-Azhar Mosque, appointed by former President Hosni Mubarak in 2010 after the death of his predecessor, Mohamed Tantawy.

After Mubarak’s ouster in February 2011, Al-Azhar youth protested for the institution’s independence from the government and demanded al-Tayeb’s resignation. Protesters demanded the removal of all appointed positions in favor of electing an Imam and other figures. 

In response, Tayeb handed in his resignation to Field Marshall Hussein Tantawi, head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which had been tasked with managing the country after Mubarak’s resignation. Tantawi refused Tayeb’s resignation, calling for patience and citing the changes facing the country; it was the second time Tayeb’s resignation was denied by the government.