Since his instatement as Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Prof. At-Tayyeb has sought to revive the Council of Senior Scholars (CSS) as the highest religious authority affiliated with Al-Azhar, after it was dissolved in 1961. This revival process was crowned with success in 2012, with the Council assuming certain jurisdictions, including the election of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, the nomination of the Grand Mufti of Egypt, and the presentation of the jurisprudential and legal opinion on emerging issues and developments concerning the Muslims around the world.

The CSS, chaired by His Eminence the Grand Imam, stood in support of the Egyptian state in its efforts to combat terrorism, declaring that Islam disowns all extremist currents and groups and their obscurantist ideas, as they have nothing to do with Islam at all. The CSS also addressed several thorny juristic issues and adopted a pro-Palestinian people stance.

The CSS also played a prominent role in explaining the new legal rulings related to Covid-19, issuing several legal statements and fatwas in this regard with the aim of clarifying what is right for people in the respective jurisprudential and societal calamities.