The new Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar Mohamed el-Tayyib said he is extremely happy about his appointment by President Mubarak to the position to succeed the late Mohamed Sayyid Tantawi, who died during a visit to Saudi Arabia ten days ago. In statements to Al-Masry Al-Youm, el-Tayyib said President Mubarak's decision came as a surprise to him while he was visiting his hometown of Luxor. He promised to exert his utmost effort to further develop Al-Azhar and preserve its high status in the world. He will focus on building on the successes of his predecessor by pursuing moderation, the long-standing approach of the institution. El-Tayyib also said he will focus on reinforcing national unity and inter-civilizational dialogue and will work hard to maintain Al-Azhar's status as the main point of reference for Muslims around the world. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
