Former assistant professor at Al Azhar University in Egypt
Muslim scholar and human rights activist and political asylee in the U.S
Former visiting fellow at National Endowment for Democracy and at the Human Rights Program, Harvard Law School
E-Mail : mas3192003@yahoo.com
Summary of Qualifications
- Egyptian national with more than twenty years as a scholar of Islam with expertise in Islamic history, culture, theology, and politics.
- 24 books and approximately 500 articles in Arabic; topics include the history of Wahabism in Saudi Arabia, a critique of the concepts of Jihad, bigotry and
dictatorship in Muslim thought, women’s rights in the Muslim world, the reform of Egyptian education; prose fiction and screen plays
- Democracy advocate and leader in Egypt; granted political asylum in the United States in 2002 because of persecution in Egypt
- More than a decade of high profile leadership of secular democratic organizations in Egypt; created opposition to Muslim fanatics’ fundamentalist
interpretation of Islamic thought; worked to promote human rights culture from within Islam and to protect Coptic Christians and other minorities, improve
the position of women, and establish truly democratic institutions in Egypt.
Education
- 1969 Graduated Al-Azhar Secondary School, Sharkeya, Egypt. Ranked fourth in country on national university entrance examination
- 1973 B.A., Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt (Muslim History, highest honors)
- 1975 M.A., Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt (Muslim History, honors)
- 1980 Ph.D., Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt (Muslim History, highest honors)
(Al-Azhar University is the oldest, largest and most prestigious religious university in the Muslim world. It controls the religious life of the Sunni Muslims around the world.)
Academic Experience
- 1973-80 Assistant Teacher and Lecturer of Muslim History, College of Arabic Language, Al-Azhar University.
- 1980-87 Assistant Professor of Muslim History, College of Arabic Language, Al-Azhar University
- 1981-83 Secretary, History and Civilization Department, Al-Azhar University
- 1984-86 Managing Editor, Principal Spokesman and Lecturer (khateeb),“Al-Huda Al-Nabawy” (The Guidance of the Prophet), of “Dawit Al-Hak” (Call for the
Truth), Cairo, Egypt
("Al-Huda Al-Nabawy” was a religious monthly with a circulation of several thousand moderate Sunnis. During my tenure I provided religious guidance to these persons).
- Because of my unconventional scholarship, Al-Azhar University accused me of being an enemy of Islam. I was tried in its canonical court and expelled March
17, 1987. Seven months later, the Egyptian government imprisoned me for two months.
Experience as Independent Scholar of Islam and human rights Activist
- 1991-92 Collaborated with Farag Foda to establish a new political party in Egypt, Mostakbal (The Future Party), dedicated to a secular democratic state and
to defend the Christian Egyptians. In June, 1992 Farag Foda was assassinated.
- 1993-present (Founding) Member of the Egyptian Society for Enlightenment
- Secretary General (Executive Officer) from 1993 to 1998
(This Society works to promote tolerance between Muslims and Christians. It provides a monthly forum and publication, Al Tanweer,[ the enlightenment] to
discuss secular issues of mutual concern).
- 1993-2000 Visiting Lecturer and Consultant on Religious and Cultural Affairs for a number of secular, democratic organizations based in Egypt including The
International Ibn Khaldoun Society, The Egyptian Society for Enlightenment, The International Religious Brotherhood, The Group for Democracy, The Egyptian
Organization for Human Rights
-1994-96 - Member of the Board of Trustees of Egyptian Organization for Human Rights. This organization worked to protect Egyptians from human rights offenses of the Mubarak regime and from those of terrorists within the country and abroad.
-1994-96 Founding Member of and Religion Consultant to the Popular Movement for Confronting Terrorism, Cairo, Egypt
(This organization went into the field and provided aid to victims of Muslim fanatics, especially in Upper Egypt).
- 1996-2000 Moderator, Weekly Rewak (Conference), Ibn Khaldoun Center, Cairo, Egypt
(The Ibn Khaldoun Center was unique in the Arab World. Its purpose was to advocate and model secular democratic values in the Arab world as well as Iran and Turkey).
- Through research, discussion, and dissemination, this international Center addressed four key areas of concern: religious education reform, the persecution of minorities, democracy and elections, and fanatical fundamentalism.
(In June 2000, the Egyptian government shut down the Ibn Khaldoun Center and imprisoned its Director Dr. Sa’ad Eddin Ibraheem)
- 1996-present Member of and Religion Consultant to The International Ibn Khaldoun Society
(The International Ibn Khaldoun Society focuses on Muslim communities in the United States and the West. It is dedicated to spreading secular democratic values and uniting scholars to oppose Muslim fanaticism within the United States and western democracies).
- June 2000-October 2001 Pursued scholarship and cultural and political activities in the face of harassment by the Security Police and active persecution by the Mubarak Government, Cairo Egypt
- October 2001-present Independent Scholar of Islam, Washington, D.C.
- July-September 2002 Collaborated with Abdullah A. An Naim, School of Law, Emory University. Applied Muslim jurisprudence of the Middle Ages to Arabic history textbooks
- October-December 2002 Regan-Fascell Fellow, the National Endowment for Democracy, Washington, DC. Performed research on the roots of democracy in Islam
-June 2003- May 31 2004. One year visiting fellow at the Human Rights Program- Harvard Law School, to prepare a research aims to “reform the Islamic schools in the U.S to confirm and to conform to the American values and the Human Rights culture.”
November 2003- March 2004.Expert in Islamic fields at Graduate Theological Foundation- Tutorial Faculty.
March 2004 – May 2004, Expert witness in Islam and Muslim fanatic culture for the U.S Department of Justice. U.S Attorney District of Idaho.
September 2004 - Advisory board Member of: Free Muslim Coalition against terrorism.
September 2004 - The founder and the Interim President of Center for Islamic Pluralism [CIP]
October 2004 -Founder and member board of: Citizens for Peace and Tolerance - Promoting a Hate-Free America.
Presentations
1980 – 2001 - As a “Sheikh” from Al Azhar, I have hundreds of sermons in different mosques in Egypt. As a Muslim independent scholar I have many presentations in Egypt and Tunisia, Yemen and England.
2002- 2004. Different presentations in N.E.D, Harvard Law School., First Church in Boston, and others.
Publications
Books in Arabic
1. Al Sayed Al Badway: Fact versus Superstition. Cairo, 1982.
This book exposes the true history of the most famous Muslim saint in Egypt, who died seven centuries ago. This book proves that Al Sayed Al Badawy was not a saint, or Sufi, although most Muslim Egyptians still idolize him. Rather he was a terrorist disguised as a saint to plot against the Egyptian regime. Al Sayed Al Badawy used religion to deceive the people and take over Egypt. When he failed he continued under that cover to protect his life. After his death his followers took their revenge by destroying all the Egyptian Coptic churches at once. Egyptian Muslims thought God was punishing the Christians. The book investigates that event proving that the followers of Al Badawy were criminals. Fearful that teenagers were being taught terrorist ideology and that bloodshed would ensue, the writer concluded with a call for a review and revision of Muslim traditions. No one listened and the writer was ostracized. Bloodshed between the Regime and the religious extremists began in 1992.
2. Using Religious Texts to Inform Muslim History. Cairo, 1984.
It has been unusual for scholars to discuss the actual religious life of Muslims, in the present or in their history. Objective historical or sociological research is dangerous, because it elucidates the gap between Islam as it is mentioned in the Quran and religious practices of Muslims. This book was the first step in establishing rules of research to encourage scholars to tackle Muslim history objectively. The Personality of Egypt after the Muslim Invasion (3) was an example of this methodology.
3. The Personality of Egypt after the Muslim Invasion. Cairo, 1984.
This book proves that Egypt has always “egyptized” Islam. Egyptians recast their old religious traditions in Arabic under the title of Islam, but these traditions had nothing to do with the Islam of the Prophet Mohammed. This book also proves that all Egyptians (Muslims and Christians) share the same rituals with different names, and all of these religious observances grew out of ancient Egyptian civilization.
4. The History of the Historic Sources of Arabic and Muslim Fields. Cairo, 1984.
This book discusses the methods the famous historians of the Middle Ages used to create their different historical narratives and analyzes their false stories.
5. The Fundamental Rules of Historical Research. Cairo, 1984.
This book teaches scholars of Muslim history how to discover the lacunae in Muslim history, and how to analyze these facts objectively.
6. The Invasions of the Moguls and the Crusaders in Muslim History. Cairo, 1985.
This book discusses frankly the weaknesses of the Muslim states in the Middle Ages: dictatorships, corruption, and wars between Muslim states. The writer shows how those factors encouraged the Crusaders and Moguls to invade and occupy Muslim states. This book was banned because it gives some comparisons between the Arab/Muslim state of our time and the Muslim states of the Middle Ages.
7. Separatist Movements in the History of Muslims: The Secret History of Shiites and Sunni Movements during the Abbasy Era. Cairo, 1985.
This book analyzes the struggle between the Abbasy Sunni Empire and the secret Shiites and fanatic Sunni organizations. This book was banned because it makes some comparisons between that old struggle and the recent clash between the Arab states and their religious oppositions.
8. A History of the Cultural Development of Muslims. Cairo, 1985.
This book analyzes Muslim civilization in the Middle Ages, proving its Greek roots and the gap between it and Islamic culture as put forth in the Quran. It was banned.
9. The Muslim World between the Early Stage and the Abbasy Caliphate. Cairo, 1985.
Muslim oral traditions were written down and codified during the Abbasy Empire (750 to 1258). Most of these traditions and some of the Abbasy rulers subsequently became sacred, in spite of the contradiction between them and the early Muslims. This book was banned because it shows that contradiction and calls for reform in Muslim states to get rid of the Abbasy tradition, which has nothing to do with Islam as put forth in the Quran.
10. The Prophets in the Holy Quran. Cairo, 1985.
This book, which was banned, was the writer’s most dangerous book. It proves the human nature of the prophet Mohammed, and the contradiction between his presentation in the Quran and the images of him fabricated by Muslim fanatics. Using the Quranic verses, it demonstrates that the prophet Mohammed was not infallible, he is not the master of the prophets, and he will not intercede on behalf of Muslims on the Day of Judgment, as Muslims believe according to the Abbasy religious traditions.
11. The Sinner Muslim: Common Mythology Regarding the Sinner Muslim. Cairo, 1987.
This book, which was banned, uses the Quran to prove that the sinner Muslim will not enter paradise, and no one will intercede to save him from Hell.
12. Egypt in the Holy Quran. Al Akhbar Newspaper, Cairo, 1990.
This book reconstructed ancient Egyptian history from the Quranic verses, focusing on the political, social and religious aspects of ancient Egyptian civilization.
13. The Quran: the Only Source of Islam and Islamic Jurisprudence (published under the title The Quran: Why? using the pseudonym Abdullah Al Khalifah) Cairo, 1990.
This book proves that the Quran is the only source of Islam. All Muslim sects have different sources, besides the Quran. They make their sources as sacred as the Quran. Sometimes some Muslims make their sources more sacred than the Quran. Some of these sources are tarnishing Islam and the prophet Mohammed. This book makes clear these divergent interpretations and calls for a reform of Muslim faith and jurisprudence based upon the primacy of the Quran. This book was banned. The extremist newspaper of the Muslim Brothers (Al Noor) divulged the true identity of the author.
14. Death in the Quran. Dar Al Shark Al Awsat, Cairo, 1990.
This book explains the facts of death as they are mentioned in the Quran. They include: the coma of death, the difference between death and sleep, the relationship between the body and the real identity of the person who occupies and controls its body, what happens to this identity or soul during sleep and in the coma of death, what happens after death and before birth, and the meaning of Al- Bazakh or the “Barrier” between this life and the hereafter. This book had a chapter explaining the Muslim superstitions about death and the contradiction between them and the Quran, but the publisher insisted on deleting it.
15. The Penalty of Apostasy. Tiba Publishing, Cairo, 1992; Al Mahrousah, 1994; Al Mothakkafoun Al Arab (The Arab Intellectuals’ Publishing Company), 2000;
English translation, The International Publishing and Distributing Company, Toronto, Canada, 1998.
This book proves that there is no death sentence in Islam for the apostate, that this penalty, which is still applied, is a law created as holy canon in the Abbasy era.
16. Freedom of Speech: Islam and Muslims. The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights, Cairo, 1994.
This book proves that freedom of speech in Islam is unlimited, but Muslims in their history and their laws have constrained it according to political demands.
17. The Al Hisbah between the Quran and Muslims. Al Mahrousah, Cairo, 1995; Al Kahera Magazine, Cairo, 1996.
Al Hisbah is a law that separates husband and wife after accusing one or both of them of apostasy. The religious extremists used this law against Dr. Nasr Hamid Abou Zaid, a secular leader in Egypt. I had written many articles in the press campaign against them, and was asked to write a book proving that Al Hisbah has nothing to do with Islam.
18. The Torture of the Grave. Tibia, Cairo, 1996; Al Mothakkafoun Al Arab, Cairo, 2000.
This book proves that Muslim beliefs about torture in the grave after death are unfounded, that they are ancient Egyptian beliefs, which contradict Islam.
The fanatic preachers usually present this belief as an Islamic tenet to terrify their audiences and control them
19. Al Naskh in the Quran Means Writing Not Abrogating. Al Tanweer Magazine, Cairo?? 1997; Al Mahrousah, Cairo, 1998; Al Mothakkafoun Al Arab, Cairo, 2000.
This book, originally banned in 1987, proves the basic contraction between Islam and Muslim Shareeah or jurisprudence.
20. The Introduction (mokademat) of Ibn Khaldoun: A Fundamental Historical and Analytical Study. The Ibn Khaldoun Center, Cairo, 1999.
Ibn Khaldoun was a very famous Muslim scholar who died six centuries ago. He is known as the father of sociology through his Al Mokademat (The Introduction).
This book analyses the details of Ibn Khaldoun’s life, his book on the history of the Muslims, and his famous Introduction. The Ibn Khaldoun Center, established by Dr. Saad Eldeen Ibraheem, the famous professor of sociology, to promote secular values, published this book to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Center and the eight centuries since the death of Ibn Khaldoun
21. Suggestions to Revise Muslim Religion Courses in Egyptian Education to Make Egyptians More Tolerant. Ibn Khaldoun Center, Cairo, 1999.
This book was the fruit of the Ibn Khaldoun Center’s project to reform Egyptian Education to rid it of the culture of terrorism. The book was banned.
22. Religious Thought in Egypt in the Mamluke Era: Islam versus Muslim Sufism. Ministry of Culture, Cairo, 2000.
This book shows the contradictions between Islam and the religious beliefs of the Egyptian Muslims in that time (1250-1517).
NOTE ON VARIATIONS IN CITATION FORMAT FOR BOOKS PUBLISHED:
Because of my unconventional scholarship, most Egyptian publishers refused to publish my books. Therefore I published most of my books myself, with the help
of Al Akhbar Distribution Company in Cairo. When the name of the publisher is not mentioned, it means that the book was self-published and distributed by Al
Akbar Company. The writer was expelled from Al Azhar University because of books 7-11. He was imprisoned because of book 11.
Articles in Arabic and English Translation-
Approximately 500 articles in newspapers, magazines and periodicals in Egypt and abroad. Some of them were translated into English. These newspapers, magazines and periodicals include:
Egyptian Newspapers: Al Ahrar [Liberals], Al Aalam Alyoum [World Today], Al Midan [The Square], Al Ahaly [The National], Al Dostour [The Constitution], Al Akhbar [The News], Al Kaherah [Cairo], Misr Al Fataah [Egypt; The Youth], Al Gomhoriah [The Republic], Al Ahram [The Pyramids]. Other Arabic Newspapers: Al Khaleej [The Gulf], The Arab Emirates; Al Watan [The Home], Kuwait
Magazines: Sutour [Lines], Hawwaa [Eve], Al Mojtamaa Almadany [Civil Society], Al Tanweer [The Enlightenment], Adab Wa Nakd [Literature and Criticism], Al Helal [The Crescent], Sawaseyah [Equality], Hokouk Al Nass [The Rights of the People], Al Mosawwer [The Illustrated]
Periodicals: Al Insan Wa Al Tatawwor, [Humans and Development], Rewak Arabic [The Arab Forum]
Book Introduction: “Introduction” to Rereading the Quran, by Jacques Baroque. Al Nadeem Publishing, Cairo, 1996. This introduction explains how the Quran was
revealed to the prophet Mohammed. It also shows that the Quran was written solely by the prophet Mohammed.
Some articles in Arabic and English Translation Available on his Web Site www.ahmed.G3Z.com
1. “Islam Religion of Peace”
2. “The Right of Women to Rule the Islamic State”
3. “Freedom of Speech: Islam Versus the Muslims Fanatics”
4. “Islamic History: Democracy Versus Despotism”
5. Analytic reading in Fatwas about prhibition of smoking
6.The contradiction Between the Islamic State and the Religious State
Recently he publishes his articles in these Arabic web sites
http://www.arabtimes.com/
www.metransparent.com/
http://www.rezgar.com/m.asp?i=627
http://shbabmisr.com/XPage.asp?browser=view&newsID=2068
http://www.mengos.net/events/mains/egyptmain.asp
http://www.sonsofi.org/Templates/torture_coffin%202.html
http://www.iraqipapers.com/10_2_5_zawaj_hr.htm
http://www.amcoptic.com/front_1_2005.htm
http://www.faragfouda.blogspot.com/
http://www.ildp.net/
http://www.elaph.com/
http://www.hrinfo.net/hotcase/05/0713.shtml
http://www.syriamirror.net
http://www.copts-united.com/
http://www.arabianews.org/index.cfm
http://alintishar.alkashkoul.com/
http://www.free-minds.org/
His English articles are published in these websites:
"MARGIN: 0in 27pt 0pt 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align=justify>
1. The Ritual Religious Service of the Egyptian Muslims in the Mamluke Era: Islam versus Sufism. This book shows the contradiction between Islamic rituals and those of the Sufi Muslims in that time.
2. The Practical Moral Life of Egyptian Society in the Mamluke Era: Islam Versus Sufism. This book shows how Egyptians in that time committed crimes that they justified through reference to the Sufi saints.
3. The Political Influence of the Sufi Saints in the Mamluke Era. This book proves the negative influence of the Sufi saints in the military Mamluke regime. It compares the current Egyptian military regime and that Mamluke regime, and shows how the two regimes used the religious saints to control the people.
4. The Daily Life of Egyptians under Shareeah (Muslim Jurisprudence) Five Centuries Ago. This book proves the crimes that happened in that time under the name of Islam.
5. The Rules Pertaining to Muslim Women: The Quran versus the Sunni Muslim Shareeah. This three-volume study points out the contradictions between Islam and the Sunni Muslim Shareeah as they relate to women.
6. The Saudi Opposition in the Twentieth Century. This book analyzes the culture of terrorism that is upheld by both the Saudi regime and its religious Sunni opposition. It also analyzes the only contradiction between the Saudi regime and its bold opposition: the source of legitimacy for ruling the Saudi Kingdom.
The writer shows that the Saudi opposition’ and the Saudi State are responsible for creating Al Qa’eda and Usama son of Laden. The only perfect way is to fight them peacefully from inside Islam and from inside their own culture. It is necessary to reform the religious life of Muslims, as the imperative step to reform the political, educational and social fields in Islamic World.
