Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar Mosque dies

2010-03-10 17:50:49


WAM Cairo, March 10th, 2010 (WAM) -- Sheikh Mohamed Sayyed Tantawi , the head of al-Azhar Mosque, died today following a heart attack in Saudi Arabia, he was 82.

Middle East News Agency (MENA) announced that Tantawi was in Riyadh to participate in the King Faisal International Prize awards ceremony.

Tantawi was born in the governorate of Sohag in Upper Egypt in 1928.

He was appointed Grand Mufti of Egypt in 1986, and appointed Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar Mosque and University in 1996.

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