Al-Tayyeb Ahmad

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Egypt

[EGYPT– 1946]

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar since 2010, he is an internationally renowned Egyptian Islamic personality.
He is a leader of Egyptian Islam and at the same time of the largest and oldest university in the Islamic world.
He has also been president of the Muslim Council of Elders based in Abu Dhabi since 2014.

For several years, he has had a personal relationship with Pope Francis, whom he has met several times.
In April 2017, he welcomed Pope Francis during his visit to Egypt.
In 2019, he met again with Pope Francis in Abu Dhabi: on that occasion, the two leaders signed a joint statement on brotherhood, entitled Document on Human Fraternity, which later inspired the United Nations resolution designating Feb. 4 as the International Day of Human Fraternity.

With the Community of Sant'Egidio, he has co-organized several "East and West" dialogue meetings. He has joined the International Prayer Meetings for Peace since 2004.

In Germany, he spoke in 2016 to Bundestag delegates and in 2017 in the University of Münster.