Tantawi was the grand imam at Al - Azhar Islamic University in Cairo , Egypt . Although appointed by the Government , Tantawi was regarded as the spiritual leader of about one billion Sunni Muslims worldwide . He was regarded as the spiritual leader of one billion Egyptian Muslims . His mainstream Islamic views were criticised by many Islamists .
Tantawi was the grand imam at Al - Azhar Islamic University in Cairo , Egypt . He was regarded as the spiritual leader of one billion Egyptian Muslims . His mainstream Islamic views were criticised by many Islamists .