EGYPT’S FIGHT OVER AL AHZAR: The university is a battleground in the war with militant Islamism.

From the Carnegie Middle East Center’s analysis:

…there are signs that the effort to restructure Al-Azhar, though tabled, had real effects. Egypt’s religious leadership has been treading more carefully and the political leadership has been more successful in exploiting some divisions in the religious sector.

This is a thoughtful report with lots of historical background.