Who is Dr. Nahla Al-Saeedi, the first advisor to the Sheikh of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif in history?

For the first time in the history of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, the Dean of the Faculty of Islamic Sciences for Expatriates in Cairo, Dr. Nahla Al-Saeedi, has been appointed as an advisor to the Sheikh of Al-Azhar for expatriate affairs.

This is the first time that a woman has been appointed to the position of advisor to the Sheikh of Al-Azhar, after many decades of restricting those positions to men only.

Dr. Nahla Al-Saeedi was born in Algeria and spent 4 years, as her father was an envoy from Al-Azhar Al-Sharif to spread Islam in Algeria during her childhood.

Dr. Nahla Al-Saeedi graduated from Al-Azhar University in 1996, and obtained an excellent grade in Arabic language, as well as a master’s degree in rhetoric and criticism in 2001, and a doctorate in the same specialization in 2004.

Dr. Nahla Al-Saeedi graduated in career at the Faculty of Islamic and Arabic Studies for Girls in Cairo, from a teaching assistant to an assistant teacher, to a teacher to an assistant professor and then to a professor doctor. She has many books, including: Adwa’ al-Bayan, The Foundation of Budaiya, Al-Azhar in its past and present.

In January 2019, Dr. Nahla Al-Saidi, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Islamic and Arabic Studies for Girls in Cairo, was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Islamic Sciences for Expats in Nasr City, succeeding Dr. Abdel Moneim Fouad.

For her part, Dr. Nahla Al-Saidi, Dean of the Faculty of Islamic Sciences for Expatriates and Advisor to the Sheikh of Al-Azhar, said that her appointment as an advisor to the Sheikh of Al-Azhar is a responsibility, assignment and honor at the same time: “A mandate to carry a very heavy trust, and an honor for this great trust from the Grand Imam, and this trust is always cherished.”

Al-Saidi added in a television interview: “Behind this decision was the honoring of the eminent Imam and his appreciation for the work of women in Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, and this is what we have been accustomed to from him since we worked in this system, and behind this decision was also very great efforts in this system and we gained great experience.”

She stressed: “We proceeded from a 10-year strategic plan, which is in line with the Egyptian state’s 2030 plan, and this system had to be at a very high level, because it is related to the matter of religion and language and the dissemination of Al-Azhar’s global message,” stressing that Al-Azhar’s message bears moderation. Peace, justice, mercy and tolerance in all parts of the world.