Dr. Salah Abdel Haq in brief:

Dr. Salah Abdel Haq, the acting Muslim Brotherhood General Guide and former head of the International Islamic Forum for Education (ISFE), was born in Cairo in 1945. He joined the Muslim Brotherhood in 1962, being impressed by the thought of Imam Hassan al-Banna; where he has since acted as a custodian of his Approach and Call (advocacy). Dr. Abdel Haq was arrested in 1965 and held in the military prison for nine years until 1974. After he had been released from prison, he started to practice his advocacy activities via engagement in Egyptian universities’ student Islamic activity in the 1970s. Dr. Salah Abdel Haq maintained his course of giving at the Muslim Brotherhood advocacy as educator, lecturer, and preacher. He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, in 1976, and worked as a dermatologist.

Dr. Salah Abdel Haq’s biography: 

Birth and upbringing

Dr. Salah Abdel Haq was born on the first of October 1945, as the middle child between two siblings. He grew up in Heliopolis, east of Cairo, where his father then worked as an inspector of English at the Ministry of Education schools. 

Dr. Abdel Haq and his family were members of the Heliopolis Sporting Club, where he used to frequent the club’s mosque during his youth to perform prayers and listen to the preaching lessons that were delivered by the mosque imam, of whom he heard about the Muslim Brotherhood for the first time in 1957.

Dr. Salah Abdel Haq got acquainted with the Muslim Brotherhood at the high-school age, through Syrian students who had come to Cairo to attend Egyptian universities after declaration of unity between Egypt and Syria in 1958; but he actually joined the group ranks in 1962.

His detention:

Dr. Abdel Haq and his colleagues were arrested during the ordeal that the MB witnessed in 1965, when he was in his twenties at the time, as he was then an undergraduate in third academic year at the Faculty of Medicine.  His two brothers were also among those arrested and sent to the military prison.

During the detention ordeal, he was subjected to various types of intense torture, to force him to confess to taking up arms (against the government), which he completely denied.  Despite his steady position of denial of involvement in any act of violence, he remained in prison for about nine years, until 1974.

During that prison ordeal, he had accompanied both Dr. Mohamed Badie, the MB General Guide, and Dr. Mahmoud Ezzat.

Graduate studies: 

Dr. Abdel Haq joined the Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, in 1962, but his graduation delayed until 1976, due to suspension of study during his nine-year detention period. However, he was keen to peruse his study syllabuses during imprisonment.  Immediately after he was released from prison in 1974, he sat for the exams in the same year, maintaining his study, where he obtained his Bachelor of Medicine in December 1976;  He spent his year of internship in 1977. He then obtained a master's degree, specializing in dermatology, in 1982.

Travel and marriage:

In 1985, Dr. Salah Abdel Haq traveled to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and worked there as a dermatologist. In Saudi Arabia, he accompanied scholars and preachers and lived among them, and even intermarried with them, as he is married to the daughter of Dr. Abd al-Rahman Raafat al-Basha, the eminent scholar and professor of literature and criticism at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, and one of the university founders. Al-Basha is also known for his renowned books: “Portraits from the Lives of the Companions” and “Portraits from the Lives of the Followers”.

His activity at MB:

Dr. Abdel Haq is famous for practicing educational activity within the Muslim Brotherhood, where he operated as a lecturer and teacher, due to his strong association with the thought of Imam Al-Banna and being greatly impressed by it. In the beginnings of Islamic activity and advocacy in Egyptian universities in the seventies, Abdel Haq was active among student circles; and he continued his activity in advocacy and educational guidance, as he headed the International Islamic Forum for Education (ISFE) for more than fifteen consecutive years.

Dr. Salah Abdel Haq was chosen as member of the MB General Shura Council, and representative of the MB Overseas Rabita (association operating as liaison office) of Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood overseas, during the period when Mr. Ibrahim Munir, may Allah Almighty have mercy on him, was Acting MB General Guide.

His personal traits:

Dr. Abdel Haq is characterized by calm and tranquillity, and desire to keep away from spotlight and fame. He is also known for being a good listener to others, and his firm attitudes. Those who know Abdel Haq also agree that he enjoys powerful proposition, and his discourse is distinguished by deep thinking, smooth flow of ideas, and accuracy of citing the Holy Qur’an, the Prophet’s Sunnah, and the literature of the Islamic call, which is evident in his speeches and writings. This is due to the broad experience that he possesses, and his assimilation of the legacy of the MB founder.

 Dr. Abdel Haq assigned as Acting MB General Guide:

Dr. Salah Abdel Haq was elected by the Muslim Brotherhood Shura Council as ‘Acting Muslim Brotherhood General Guide’ to succeed Mr. Ibrahim Munir, may Allah Almighty have mercy on him; and he then gained unanimous support from the Muslim Brotherhood International Shura Council; where Dr. Abdel Haq is highly respected and appreciated for his significant efforts and long-time giving over the 60 years he has spent in MB advocacy.

On top of Dr. Salah Abdel Haq’s action priorities, come: the group’s redefinition, enhancement of status, and reunification; active management of the issue of detainees and their families; and empowerment of the youth in management of the coming stage.