DUSHANBE, September 24, 2014, Asia-Plus – Tajik Ambassador to Egypt yesterday was received by Grand Imam of al-Azhar and president of al-Azhar University Ahmed Muhammad Ahmed el-Tayeb, according to the Tajik MFA information department.

Egypt’s Awqaf Minister Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa also attended the meeting that focused on cooperation between Tajikistan and al-Azhar.

Grand Imam of al-Azhar reportedly praised an initiative of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon regarding celebrations in honor of Imam Abu Hanifah.

Ahmed Muhammad Ahmed el-Tayeb noted that the initiative plays an important role in propagating true values of Islam that condemns violence and extremism, the Tajik MFA information said.

Ahmed Muhammad Ahmed el-Tayeb is the current Grand Imam of al-Azhar and president of al-Azhar University.  He was appointed by the Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, following the death of Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy in 2010. He is considered to be one of the most moderate Sunni clerics in Egypt.  El-Tayeb holds a Ph. D in Islamic philosophy from the Paris-Sorbonne University, and has been president of Al-Azhar University since 2003.  Between 2002 and 2003, el-Tayeb served as Grand Mufti of Egypt.  El-Tayeb is a hereditary Sufi shaykh from Upper Egypt and has expressed support for a global Sufi league.