The Role of Seyyed Jamal in Changing the Education System of Al-Azhar and Its Effect on the Socio-Political Developments in Egypt

Since the period of Auobiyan’s rule, the dominant scientific approach of Al-Azhar, had been based on transmitted knowledge and exoteric interpretation. At the beginning of his arrival in Egypt Seyyed Jamal introduced intellectual knowledge into Al-Azhar with the aim of changing the views and position of Al-Azhar’s scholars about social phenomena by changing the education system of that institute. Seyyed Jamal always challenged the previous education system and supported the new education system in Al-Azhar. Also, he sought to reform its education policy. He believed that philosophy of Islamic sciences and Al-Azhar University should not be limited to mere theorizations, and that Al-Azhar needed to put the fiqhi issues and theories into practice. He thought of creating an education system which could bring about a socio-political change in an attempt of putting an end to colonialism and dictatorial and imperial system. Using a theoretical and analytical approach, this paper seeks to analyze the role of Seyyed Jamal in changing the educational system of Al-Azhar and evaluate its effect on the Egyptian society.