Shawki Ibrahim Abdel-Karim Allam

Shawki Ibrahim Abdel-Karim Allam is an Egyptian theologian and cleric who served as the 19th Grand Mufti of Egypt through Dar al-Ifta al-Misriyyah from 2013 to 2024. He was succeeded by Nazeer Ayyad on the 11th of August 2024, following a presidential decree.

Biography Allam was born in the Nile Delta governorate of Beheira on 12 August 1961. He received his PhD in 1996 from the Al-Azhar University in Jurisprudence and Sharia law. Before his appointment, he served as the chairman of the Department of Jurisprudence at the School of Sharia at Al-Azhar University's Tanta branch. Allam is a Sufi.

Appointment In February 2013, he was elected by Al Azhar's Council of Senior Scholars replacing outgoing grand Mufti, 61-year-old Ali Gomaa. The bylaws of Al-Azhar say the new Grand Mufti must be under the age of 60, have worked continuously inside the religious establishment following his education, be a scholar of both Jurisprudence and Sharia law, and be fluent in a second language other than Arabic.

His office, the Dar al-Ifta al-Misriyyah (literally, the house of fatwas of Egypt), a government agency charged with issuing religious legal opinions on any question to Muslims who ask for them, issues some 5,000 fatwas a week, including both the official ones that he himself crafts on important issues and the more routine ones handled via phone and Internet by a dozen or so subordinate muftis.

In addition to issuing fatwas, the Grand Mufti of Egypt is responsible under Egyptian law for reviewing all death sentences in Egypt.

Positions Shawki 'Allam with Sayed Tanveer Hashmi during the World Sufi Forum in New Delhi.

Allam is known as a moderate who renounces fanaticism and does not have any political allegiances. In April 2013, Al Azhar University's Council of Senior Scholars decided to hold elections to replace Al-Azhar University president Usama al-Abd after the same incident.

Contrary to the majority of Muslim scholars, Allam believes Muslims can keep dogs as pets.