Egyptian President Housni Mubarak appointed Tayeb on Friday nine days after the death of Sheikh Mohamed Sayed Tantawi, the previous head of the institution.

    In this message, HM the King expressed his heartfelt wishes of success to Tayeb in his noble duties as the head of this prestigious scientific and religious institution of the Islamic world.

    The Monarch also expressed confidence that the new head of Al-Azhar will live up to this responsibility, given his skills, wisdom, insight and selflessness, as evidenced by the high duties he had assumed, with merit and devotions, as mufti of Egypt, a member of the Egyptian Academy of Islamic Research and as chairman of Al-Azhar University.