Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar Mosque dies 10 Mar 2010
Sheik Mohamed Sayed Tantawi, Egypt`s chief religious official and leader of Al-Azhar University, the oldest and most prestigious center of learning in the Sunni Muslim world, died Wednesday on a visit to Saudi Arabia, the Egyptian state news media reported. For more than a quarter-century Sheik Tantawi was at the nexus of government and religion in Egypt, working with President Mubarak`s government to try to enforce a moderate interpretation of Islam. To the West, he often appeared a moderate. He condemned the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and criticized the practice known as female genital mutilation, which is common in Egypt...
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