Latest imam of al-Azhar..two from right

The position of the Grand Imam of al-Azhar (Shaykh al-Azhar) was introduced in the fifteenth century during the Ottoman rule over Egypt. It is not exactly known when it was introduced, but the Azharite historian al-Jabarti mentions the year (1690) when Shaykh al-Kharashi passed away and names him as the Shaykh of al-Azhar. This is the oldest known reference to the first Grand Shaykh of the mosque. Before that date the princes or Mamelukes ruling Egypt managed the institution. Since its establishment, the position of the Grand Shaykh was filled by an Azharite elected by the Shaykhs teaching in the mosque. The following list shows the chronologically ascending order of the Grand Shaykhs of al-Azhar.

[ ?       - 1690 ]                    Shaykh Muhammad al-Kharashi
[ 1690 - 1694 ]                     Shaykh Ibrahim al-Baramawi
[ 1694 - 1708 ]                     Shaykh Muhammad al-Nasharti
[ 1708 - 1711 ]                     Shaykh Abd al-Baqi al-Qillini
[ 1711 - 1720 ]                     Shaykh Muhammad Shannan
[ 1720 - 1724 ]                     Shaykh Ibrahim al-Fayyumi
[ 1724 - 1757 ]                     Shaykh Abd-Allah al-Shabrawi
[ 1757 - 1767 ]                     Shaykh Muhammad al-Hifni
[ 1767 - 1768 ]                     Shaykh Abd al-Ra'uf al-Sijjini
[ 1768 - 1776 ]                     Shaykh Ahmad al-Damanhuri
[ 1778 - 1793 ]                     Shaykh Ahmad al-Arousi
[ 1793 - 1812 ]                     Shaykh Abd-Allah al-Sharqawi
[ 1812 - 1818 ]                     Shaykh Muhammad al-Shanawani
[ 1818 - 1829 ]                     Shaykh Muhammad al-Arousi
[ 1829 - 1830 ]                     Shaykh Ahmad al-Damhugi
[ 1830 - 1834 ]                     Shaykh Hassan al-Attar
[ 1834 - 1838 ]                     Shaykh Hassan al-Quwaisni
[ 1838 - 1847 ]                     Shaykh Ahmad Abd al-Jawwad
[ 1847 - 1860 ]                     Shaykh Ibrahim al-Bayguri
[ 1864 - 1870 ]                     Shaykh Mustafa al-Arousi
[ 1870 - 1882 ]                     Shaykh Muhammad al-Abbasi
[ 1882 - 1882 ]                     Shaykh Muhammad al-Inbabi
[ 1882 - 1886 ]                     Shaykh Muhammad al-Abbasi
[ 1886 - 1895 ]                     Shaykh Muhammad al-Inbabi
[ 1896 - 1900 ]                     Shaykh Hassouna al-Nawawi
[ 1900 - 1900 ]                     Shaykh Abd al-Rahman al-Nawawi
[ 1900 - 1904 ]                     Shaykh Selim al-Bishri
[ 1904 - 1905 ]                     Shaykh Ali al-Biblawi
[ 1905 - 1909 ]                     Shaykh Abd al-Rahman al-Shirbini
[ 1909 - 1909 ]                     Shaykh Hassouna al-Nawawi
[ 1909 - 1916 ]                     Shaykh Selim al-Bishri
[ 1916 - 1927 ]                     Shaykh Muhammad Abu al-Fadl al-Gizawi
[ 1928 - 1929 ]                     Shaykh Muhammad Mustafa al-Maraghi
[ 1929 - 1935 ]                     Shaykh Muhammad al-Ahmadi al-Zawahri
[ 1935 - 1945 ]                     Shaykh Muhammad Mustafa al-Maraghi
[ 1945 - 1947 ]                     Shaykh Mustafa Abd al-Raziq
[ 1948 - 1950 ]                     Shaykh Muhammad Ma'moon al-Shinnawi
[ 1950 - 1951 ]                     Shaykh Abd al-Majid Selim
[ 1951 - 1952 ]                     Shaykh Ibrahim Hamrush
[ 1952 - 1952 ]                     Shaykh Abd al-Majid Selim
[ 1952 - 1954 ]                     Shaykh Muhammad al-Khidr Husayn
[ 1954 - 1958 ]                     Shaykh Abd al-Rahman Taj
[ 1958 - 1963 ]                     Shaykh Mahmud Shaltut
[ 1963 - 1969 ]                     Shaykh Hassan Ma'moon
[ 1969 - 1973 ]                     Shaykh Muhammad Muhammad al-Fahham
[ 1973 - 1978 ]                     Shaykh Abd al-Halim Mahmud
[ 1979 - 1982 ]                     Shaykh Muhammad Abd al-Rahman Bisar
[ 1982 - 1996 ]                     Shaykh Jadul-Haqq Ali Jadul-Haqq
[ 1996 - Currently ]              Shaykh Muhammad Sayid Tantawi

      Inilah nama2 barisan pimpinan tertinggi al-Azhar yg menjadi keagongan umat Islam seluruh dunia.Merekalah org yg siang-malam berfikir macamana nak menyedarkan manusia dari kealpaan mengejar keseronokan dunia tanpa mengambil tahu tentang suruhan dan larangan Tuhan.Tapi yg peliknya..org Islam sendiri ada yang bencikan ulama dan memfitnah ulama dgn kata2 yg hina.Contohnya di negara kita sendiri...ulama tidak dihormati bahkan dicaci-nista.

      Sama-samalah kita berfikir sejenak dan buangkan yg keruh....ambilkan yg jernih supaya menjadi penawar agar ummah kembali gemilang di muka bumi ini...insyaAllah....amiiiiin.