Are the current Grand Mufti and Shaykh Al Azhar working with the government?

Question

Asalamualaykum

There are those who say that Al Azhar is not really independent from the Government as Scholars in senior posts such as Shaykh Al Azhar and the Grand Mufti (the current and teh past ones) work closely with the regime and give fatwas to supports them. I am aware that just because a Scholar works with a Governmnet does not always mean that they are unreliable Scholars.

My question is are the current Grand Mufti and Shaykh Al Azhar working with the regime in a way that is contrary to the Sharia? The reason I ask this question is not to attack the Scholars, but rather to gaim clarification on the matter as I do benefit from those Scholars, but I need to be sure I am taking my knowdlege from a reliable source.

Saad Haque · Accepted Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) advised,

“When something causes unease in your heart, leave it.”[1]

The illustrious historian, Muhammad ibn Sireen (رحمه الله) advised,

“Verily this sacred knowledge is your Deen. Be wary from whom you take your Deen.”[2]

If you have received negative information about the source of your knowledge, you should not accept or deny such information until you have verified its authenticity.

Nevertheless, until verification, you should seek an alternate authentic and reliable source of knowledge in compliance with the aforementioned citations.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Saad Haque

Student Darul Iftaa
New Jersey, USA

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

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