The world union for Azhar scholars under Dr. Ahmad Hilayl called for the return of the senior ulema board and have the Azhar shaykh post through election rather than appointment in an attempt to seek independence of the top Sunni Muslim establishment from the state.

The union, which is still under construction, demanded in a conference on September 24 the unification of all state's da'wah (call) institutions like the ministry of awqāf (endowments) and the Ifta House under the Azhar's umbrella and the transfer of the Muftī's authority from the justice ministry to also come under the Azhar.

Conferees from all Muslim coalitions converged on the need to restore the awqāf of the Azhar, restructuring and reorganizing all its affiliate institutions and amending law 301.

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