Episodes: Series - Al-Azhar Al-Sharif Manaret El Islam - 1982

• episode #1
• episode #2
• episode #3
• episode #4
• episode #5
• episode #6
• episode #7
• episode #8
• episode #9
• episode #10
• episode #11
• episode #12
• episode #13
• episode #14
• episode #15
• episode #16
• episode #17
• episode #18
• episode #19
• episode #20
• episode #21
• episode #22
• episode #23
• episode #24
• episode #25
• episode #26
• episode #27
• episode #28
• episode #29
• episode #30

Sheikh Taher tells his daughter Fatima that he will host a young American Muslim named Bilal and will provide him with information about Al-Azhar. Sheikh Taher talks with Bilal, Farraj, and his daughter Samah about the establishment of the Cairo Mosque, which was later called Al-Azhar.

Sheikh Taher continues his story about Al-Azhar since its creation and tells Bilal and Farraj the story of Barjawan, who was one of the servants of Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah the Fatimid (the Ruler by the Order of God).

Sheikh Taher continues his story about Al-Azhar and tells them that it was the beacon of knowledge in Egypt and the Islamic world, until the year 702 AH and the strong earthquake that caused the building of Al-Azhar to crack and what followed.

Sheikh Taher tells Farraj, his friend Bilal and Samah about the period of Al-Azhar’s rule and its prosperity during the rule of Al-Malik Az-Zahir Sayf ad-Din Barquq, Sultan of Egypt, who was keen to make Al-Azhar a beacon of science and scholars.

Dr. Ahmed joins Sheikh Taher’s council and asks the Sheikh to complete the story of Al-Azhar, where he tells them about the rule of the Sultan Al-Ghuri and his famous battle against Sultan Selim Al-Othmani in the Levant and Tuman bay assuming the rule of Egypt.

Sheikh Taher continues his story about the Mamluks and their intention for the independence of the country after the death of Sultan Selim and their intention also to get closer to the Egyptians and Al-Azhar scholars.

Ahmed continues his story about the rule of the Mamluks, and tells Sheikh Taher and his companions that the period of their rule in Egypt witnessed great treachery and betrayal among them, but their first loyalty was to the Ottoman Sultan as the Caliph of the Muslims.

Samah asks Sheikh Taher about the rule of the Mamluks and how the Egyptian people rose up against them, so he tells her that the Egyptians were divided into two parts during the Mamluk rule, part of them supported Murad Bey and another part supported his enemy Ibrahim Bey.

Sheikh Taher continues his story and tells the group that Sheikh Al-Arousi, the twentieth imam in the chain of sheikhs of Al-Azhar Mosque, led the Egyptians to defend the country against the Mamluks.

Ahmed tells his friends Sheikh Taher, Bilal, Farraj, Samah about General Jacques-François de Menou, who was one of the generals of Napoleon Bonaparte's army, his brutality and his killing of many people in Alexandria, and the Egyptians' hatred towards him.

Bilal asks Sheikh Taher to complete the story of the Mamluks and their story with Napoleon Bonaparte and his famous campaign. He tells them that he wanted to convince the Egyptians that he came to rid them of the Mamluks, and in return control them.

Bilal continues the story of Egypt and Al-Azhar during the period of Napoleon Bonaparte and tells the group that the revolutionary Umar Makram confronted the injustice of Napoleon and united the Egyptians to defend their country.

Bilal continues the story of the French campaign on Egypt and tells the group that after the execution of Mohamed Korayem, the Egyptians revolted against the French and joined hands to kick them from the country. Among these revolutionaries were Suleiman al-Halabi, his sister Salma and Mujahid.

Sheikh Taher continues telling the group that the noblemen and scholars of Al-Azhar played a major role in the expulsion of the French campaign from Egypt.

Dr. Ahmed tells his friends of the injustice of the French general Kléber after he pointed his cannons towards Cairo and burned a large part of it, which prompted the Egyptians to unite against him and devise a plan to take revenge on him.

Umar Makram asks for the formation of revolutionaries to defend Cairo from the hands of Kléber. Sheikh Taher tells the group that the people did not surrender to the oppression of Kléber and decided to take a serious step to retaliate against the French campaign.

Murad Bey tells General Menou that Al-Azhar is preparing its men and scholars to carry out a massive revolution against the French, and warns Menou of the people's backlash if he tries to come near Al-Azhar.

Menou tries to get close to the men of Al-Azhar so that the Egyptians do not revolt against him. A decision is issued to dissolve the Egyptian courts and introduce French law and apply it on the Egyptians.

Al-Azhar men and sheikhs ask the French general to release Sheikh Al-Sadat, one of Al-Azhar professors and head of the Revolutionary Committee that was formed to organize the resistance against the French, but he refuses.

Taher tells his friends Bilal, Farraj, and Samah about the beginning of Muhammad Ali Pasha's rule in Egypt, and his support for the men and sheikhs of Al-Azhar to win the trust of the Egyptian people.

Sheikh Taher tells the story of the conflict between Muhammad Ali and Hurshid Pasha, who orders Muhammad Ali to fight the Mamluks in the far reaches of Upper Egypt in order to get rid of him and them, but Muhammad Ali defeats them.

Muhammad Ali Pasha asks his wife to prepare his children to help him in his upcoming battles, and the mother fears for her children and tries to change his mind to no avail.

Al-Azhar men and sheikhs discover that Muhammad Ali is trying to impose his control over the country, and they notice a significant change in his treatment of them after he initially tried to gain their trust and affection.

The statesmen and sheikhs of Al-Azhar are angry with Muhammad Ali after imposing huge taxes on the poor and the common Egyptian people, and they ask him to change his decision, but he refuses.

Mujahid tells his wife Salma about the massacre of the castle (the massacre of the Mamluks at Cairo) after Muhammad Ali invited all the Mamluks in the country inside the castle, and shot them, but only one Mamluk named Amin survived.

Sheikh Taher continues his story about Al-Azhar during the period of Muhammad Ali, telling them that he tried to restore the Egyptian state's prestige, despite his problems with the men and sheikhs of Al-Azhar.

Dr. Ahmed tells Sheikh Taher, Farraj, Samah and Bilal about the great Egyptian revolutionary Ahmed ʻUrabi, the leader of the Urabi revolution against Khedive Tawfiq.

Princess Jamila Fadel asks the Khedive to get rid of the revolutionary leader Ahmed ʻUrabi, but he asks her to wait, especially since he has friends from the English army who will help him in that.

Sheikh Taher tells his companions about the role of Al-Azhar during the reign of Khedive Tawfiq and the British, and Al-Azhar’s assistance to the Egyptian revolutionary leader Ahmed ʻUrabi in uniting the Egyptian people against the occupation.

Sheikh Taher concludes his story to his companions, telling them that Al-Azhar Al-Sharif was and still is a beacon of knowledge and scholars in Egypt and the Arab world, which brought great men out of its dome, and was the reason for repelling the enemies of the country throughout history.