Dr. Osama Sayyid Al-Azhari has been the Egyptian president’s adviser on religious affairs since October 2014.  Al-Azhari is a scholar, preacher, academic, and a senior fellow at the Kalam Research and Media think tank. He is also a lecturer at the Faculty of the Fundamentals of Religion at Al-Azhar University, Cairo.  He has been a lecturer at several universities in Egypt, including Zagazig University. He was assigned by Egypt’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Ali Juma to deliver the Friday sermon at Sultan Hassan Mosque, one of the largest historical mosques in the world.  Al-Azhari served in that position between 2005 and 2009. He also gave a weekly lecture at the mosque on public topics related to Islamic sciences.  He holds a bachelor’s degree, a master’s and a Ph.D., all from Al-Azhar University. He is considered one of the most influential voices in Egypt and in the field of Islamic studies.  He has participated in numerous conferences and forums, co-authored articles and other publications, and given religious talks and lectures on TV and radio. Al-Azhari on Saturday visited the Saudi pavilion at the Cairo International Book Fair, accompanied by Saudi Cultural Attache Dr. Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Nami. Al-Azhari said: “Egypt and Saudi Arabia are the safety valve of the Arab and Islamic nation. Egypt is the country of Al-Azhar Mosque, and the Kingdom is the land of the Two Holy Mosques. The combined efforts of the two countries are a pillar of safety for the entire nation.”