Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb have decided to appoint a new Mufti, succeeding Dr. Shawki Allam, the former Mufti. The new Mufti, Nazir Ayad, expressed his gratitude to the Egyptian President and the Sheikh of Al-Azhar for their trust and nomination for this role. Ayad emphasized the importance of cooperation and coordination between religious institutions in Egypt and those in the Islamic and Arab world, noting that this collaboration would enhance the integrity of religious discourse, support a moderate approach under the umbrella of Al-Azhar, and contribute to a fatwa discourse that considers the realities of people's lives.
President Sisi issued a presidential decree appointing Nazir Mohamed Ayad, the Secretary-General of the Islamic Research Academy, as the Mufti of the Republic for a period of four years based on the recommendation of Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb.
Nazir Ayad holds a Bachelor's degree in Fundamentals of Religion with a specialization in beliefs and philosophy, obtained in May 1995. He earned a Master's degree in the same field in 2000 and a PhD with first-class honors in 2003. He progressed through various academic positions, beginning as a teaching assistant, then a teacher, and later an assistant professor at the Faculty of Fundamentals of Religion at Mansoura University, before moving to the Faculty of Islamic and Arabic Studies for Girls in Kafr El-Sheikh.
Ayad has held several other positions, including membership in the World Organization of Al-Azhar Graduates, membership in the Trade Union Committee for Research Workers at Al-Azhar, membership in the Egyptian Family House, and involvement with the Environmental Protection and Drug Abuse Team at the Ministry of Youth.
It is noted that Nazir Ayad has served as the Secretary-General of the Islamic Research Academy since 2019 and is a professor of beliefs and philosophy. He has made significant scholarly contributions, enriching scientific journals with over thirty publications in various fields, including theology, philosophy, logic, sects, denominations, religions, Sufism, and other sciences and arts. He has also taught at several foreign universities in Libya and Saudi Arabia and supervised nearly 35 Master’s and PhD theses.
The new Mufti of the Republic has received numerous awards and certificates for his scientific achievements both in Egypt and abroad, having been honored by Al-Azhar University, October 6 University, as well as Al-Asmaria University in Libya, Taif University in Saudi Arabia, and the Egyptian Consulate in Jeddah.
