Dr. Ahmed Omar Hashem, Former Al-Azhar President and Senior Scholar, Passes Away
Dr. Hashem’s official Facebook page announced his passing in a statement that read, “With hearts full of faith and submission to God’s will, we announce the death of the noble scholar Dr. Ahmed Omar Hashem … to the Arab and Islamic world, his loved ones and his students.” The message prayed for his elevation in status and for patience for those mourning him.
The funeral (salat al-janazah) is scheduled to take place after the midday (Dhuhr) prayer at the Grand Mosque of Al-Azhar.
His body will then be transported after the afternoon (Asr) prayer to the family mausoleum in the Hashimiyah area of Bani Amer village, near Zagazig in Egypt’s Sharqia Governorate.
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He was born on 6 February 1941. In 1961, he graduated from the Faculty of Usul al-Din at Al-Azhar University. He received his ijazah in 1967, and later served as a teaching assistant in the Hadith department. He earned a master’s degree in Hadith sciences in 1969, followed by a doctorate in the same field. By 1983, he was appointed Professor of Hadith, and in 1987 he became head of the Usul al-Din faculty in Zagazig. In 1995, he was named President of Al-Azhar University.
Beyond academia, Hashem held various administrative and political roles. He served as a member of Egypt’s People’s Assembly under President Hosni Mubarak, participated in the political office of the National Democratic Party, and held a seat in the Shura Council. He also sat on the board of the Egyptian Radio and Television Union and chaired the Religious Programming Committee for Egyptian television.
Through his books, research, and participation in international Islamic conferences, Dr. Hashem made significant contributions to the fields of Hadith and religious science. After the revival of the Senior Scholars Council at Al-Azhar in 2012 (corresponding to 1433 AH), he was selected as a member of that body.
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In a message, the current Grand Imam, Ahmed el-Tayeb, described the late scholar as “a genuine Al-Azhar authority and one of the foremost Hadith scholars of our time.”
He highlighted Hashem’s eloquence, sincerity, and devotion to disseminating scholarly knowledge, saying that his sermons, books, and lectures will remain valuable sources for students and researchers.
Grand Imam al-Tayeb also extended his condolences to Hashem’s family, colleagues, and students.
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