Al-Azhar is both a university and a religious seminary training future imams. It is the country's most prestigious and influential Islamic institution, and probably the most highly respected Islamic institution in the Sunni world. As a result, whatever takes place at Al-Azhar is relevant to the government of Egypt and has political ramifications. The process through which the head of the university, the Grand Imam, is chosen, is fairly opaque and open to manipulation - think of the Vatican and the way that the Pope is appointed.
At the start of the film, Adam, the son of a poor fisherman, is a talented student of the Koran; he is offered a place to study at Al-Azhar University, in Cairo. Shortly after his arrival, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar suddenly dies and a power struggle to replace him ensues - not only theological, but also political. The Egyptian government wants to do all it can to prevent the next Grand Imam being close to the Muslim Brotherhood, a fundamentalist movement.
Adam, the innocent boy from the fishing village, finds himself caught up in the drama of the Grand Imam's appointment, to his bewilderment. The film develops from there. It is fascinating: a masterpiece of a thriller set in the unlikely environment of an Islamic university-cum-seminary. It is a must-see.
An excellent Egyptian thriller. A young lad qualifies to study at the most prestigeous Muslim University in Islam. Top clerics graduate from this. The leader of the Uni is highly regarded and his opinions carry heavy political weight, not least in Egypt. The secret services have a spy in the UnI to try and manipulate a new leader appointment. The lad is approached to replace the spy. Can he achieve his spy masters' aims and survive in the murky world of national security intrigue? An excellent thriller and an education all at once.