His Eminence was born in the village of Qurna, located in Luxor, on Safar 3, 1365AH, corresponding to January 6, 1946. Raised under the guidance of his father, he memorized the Quran and studied traditional Azharite scientific texts. He later enrolled in the Department of Theology and Philosophy at the Faculty of Fundamentals of Religion in Cairo, graduating with distinction in 1969. Over the years, he advanced through various academic positions, ultimately attaining the rank of professor. He served as the Grand Mufti of Egypt from 2002 to 2003, and then became the President of Al-Azhar University from September 2003 until March 2010. Since 2010, he has held the position of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif. He is widely regarded as the foremost religious authority for Sunni Muslims worldwide.