14 Facts About Al-Azhar University

Al-Azhar University is a public university in Cairo, Egypt.

Al-Azhar University is one of the relics of the Isma'ili Shi'a Fatimid dynasty, which claimed descent from Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad and wife of Ali son-in-law and cousin of Muhammad.

Abd-el-latif delivered lectures on Islamic medicine at Al-Azhar University, while according to legend the Jewish philosopher Maimonides delivered lectures on medicine and astronomy there during the time of Saladin though no historical proof has corroborated this.

In 1748, the Ottoman pasha tried to get Al-Azhar University to teach astronomy and mathematics, to little avail.

In 1961, Al-Azhar was re-established as a university under the government of Egypt's second President Gamal Abdel Nasser when a wide range of secular faculties were added for the first time, such as business, economics, science, pharmacy, medicine, engineering and agriculture.

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Historically, Al-Azhar University had a membership that represented diverse opinions within Islam.

Al-Azhar University now maintains a modernist position, advocating "Wasatiyya", a reaction against the extreme textualism of many Wahhabi Salafi ideologues.

In July 2012, after the law restricting Al-Azhar University's autonomy was modified by the incoming president Mohamed Morsi, the council was reformed.

Al-Azhar University's muftis have a history of being consulted on political issues.

Al-Azhar University added that "mastery over modern weaponry is important to prepare for any eventuality or prejudices of the others, although Islam is a religion of peace".

Al-Azhar University has made declarations about Muslims interacting with non-Muslims who are not a threat to Muslims.

In October 2007, Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy, then the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar University, drew allegations of stifling freedom of speech when he asked the Egyptian government to toughen its rules and punishments against journalists.

Clerics educated at Al-Azhar University publicly promote sectarian beliefs by calling Shia Muslims infidels and encourage isolation and marginalization of Shia Muslims in Egypt.

Scholars from Al-Azhar University declared the writings to Farag Foda to be blasphemous.