 The ideas advocated by several influential reformers in the early 1900s , such as Muhammad Abduh and Muhammad al @-@ Ahmadi al @-@ Zawahiri , began to take hold at al @-@ Azhar in 1928 , with the appointment of Mustafa al @-@ Maraghi as rector . A follower of Abduh , the majority of the ulema opposed his appointment . Al @-@ Maraghi and his successors began a series of modernizing reforms of the mosque and its school , expanding programs outside of the traditional subjects . Fuad disliked al @-@ Maraghi , and had him replaced after one year by al @-@ Zawahiri , but al @-@ Maraghi would return to the post of rector in 1935 , serving until his death in 1945 . Under his leadership , al @-@ Azhar 's curriculum was expanded to include non @-@ Arabic languages and modern sciences . Al @-@ Zawahiri , who had also been opposed by the ulema of the early 1900s , continued the efforts to modernize and reform al @-@ Azhar . Following al @-@ Maraghi 's second term as rector , another student of Abduh was appointed rector . 
