Sheikh Abdullah al-Sharqawi ( ar, عبد الله الشرقاوي) (1737 – 1812) was an Egyptian writer and scholar of the Khalwati sufi order.al-islam. ''http://www.al-islam.org/sulh-peace-treaty-imam-al-hasan-shaykh-radi-aal-yasin/ubayd-allah-ibn-abbas'', Retrieved 24 July 2014 He was known for being the

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar The Grand Imam of al-Azhar ( ar, الإمام الأكبر), also known as Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar ( ar, links=no, شيخ الأزهر الشريف), currently Ahmed el-Tayeb, is a prestigious and a prominent official title in Egypt. He is conside ...

during the

French Campaign in Egypt and Syria The French campaign in Egypt and Syria (1798–1801) was Napoleon Bonaparte's campaign in the Ottoman territories of Egypt and Syria, proclaimed to defend French trade interests, to establish scientific enterprise in the region. It was the ...

, and for being one of the Leaders of the resistance against the French Occupation in Egypt, he was also one of the Three Leaders to crown Mehmet Ali Pasha in 1805.

French expedition

During

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

's exile at St. Helena, and when writing his diaries, he states that the Azhar University is as Equal if not more, than the

Sorbonne Sorbonne may refer to: * Sorbonne (building), historic building in Paris, which housed the University of Paris and is now shared among multiple universities. *the University of Paris (c. 1150 – 1970) *one of its components or linked institution, ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

. Napoleon looked highly upon Al-Azhar Ulama as the elite of the educated class and as the leaders of the people. When he first set foot in

Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the Capital city, capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, List of ...

he formed a special council (diwan) to govern the capital. a council that consists of nine Sheikhs under the chairmanship of Sheikh Abdullah Al-Sharkawi, the grand Imam of Al-Azhar at that time. The formation of this council stands as an evidences of the importance of Al-Azhar and the high status of its Imams.

References

External links

*http://www.sunnah.org/history/Scholars/mashaykh_azhar.htm#Kharashi 1737 births 1812 deaths Al-Azhar University alumni Grand Imams of al-Azhar Egyptian Sunni Muslims Egyptian scholars Sunni fiqh scholars Khalwati order Egyptian Sufis People from Sharqia Governorate {{Egypt-bio-stub