Salim al-Bishri | |
|---|---|
Arabic: سَلِيم ٱلْبِشْرِي | |
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| Title | Grand Imam of Al-Azhar |
| Personal | |
| Born | 1832 |
| Died | 1916 |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
| School | Maliki |
Salim al-Bishri, (Arabic: سَلِيم ٱلْبِشْرِي) also known as Salim al-Bishri al-Maliki, born in 1832 in Mahallat Bishr (Beheira) and died in 1916 in Cairo, was an Egyptian Sunni religious scholar and a Grand Imam of Al-Azhar. He was one of the six Grand Imams who held this position twice, once between 1899 and 1903 and again from 1909 until his death.
As a significant Maliki scholar among his generation of students at Al-Azhar University, he later became the head of the Maliki scholars at the university before being appointed as the Grand Imam. He had a particular interest in hadiths, which are collections of sayings and actions of Muhammad. While serving as a conservative Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, he initiated modernizations and reforms within the institution, including the significant reform of 1911. However, he came into conflict with Salafist Muslims and liberal Muslims.
He resigned from his position the first time due to a disagreement with the Egyptian government regarding the organization of Al-Azhar. During his second term, he issued a fatwa condemning the massacre of Christians and Armenians during the Adana massacre.
He died in Cairo in 1916.