Mohammed Hussein Heikal ( ; August 20, 1888 – December 8, 1956) was an

Egyptian ''Egyptian'' describes something of, from, or related to Egypt. Egyptian or Egyptians may refer to: Nations and ethnic groups * Egyptians, a national group in North Africa ** Egyptian culture, a complex and stable culture with thousands of year ...

writer, journalist, politician. He held several cabinet posts, including

minister of education An education minister (sometimes minister of education) is a position in the governments of some countries responsible for dealing with educational matters. Where known, the government department, ministry, or agency that develops policy and deli ...

Life

Haekal was born in Kafr Ghannam,

Mansoura Mansoura (; ', , rural: ) is a city in Egypt located on the eastern bank of the Damietta branch of the Nile river. The city is the capital of the Dakahlia Governorate and has a population of 621,953 as of 2021. Etymology ''Mansoura'' in Arabic ...

, Ad Daqahliyah in 1888. He obtained a B.A. in Law in 1909 and a PhD from the

Sorbonne University Sorbonne University () is a public research university located in Paris, France. The institution's legacy reaches back to the Middle Ages in 1257 when Sorbonne College was established by Robert de Sorbon as a constituent college of the Unive ...

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in 1912. While a student in Paris, he composed what is considered the first authentic Egyptian novel, '' Zaynab''. After returning to Egypt, he worked as a lawyer for 10 years, then as a

journalist A journalist is a person who gathers information in the form of text, audio or pictures, processes it into a newsworthy form and disseminates it to the public. This is called journalism. Roles Journalists can work in broadcast, print, advertis ...

. He published articles in '' Al Jarida''. He was the cofounder of '' Al Siyasa'' newspaper, the organ of the Liberal Constitutionalist party for which he was also an adviser and was also elected as its

editor-in-chief An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies. The editor-in-chief heads all departments of the organization and is held accoun ...

. In 1937, he was appointed as minister of state for the interior ministry in Muhammad Mahmoud Pasha's second government. In November 1940 he was appointed minister of education to the cabinet led by Hussein Sirri Pasha. In this post he introduced several reforms, including decentralization, by establishing educational zones and making programs and curricula nationally oriented. He was greatly influenced and inspired by the comprehensive reforms of Mohammad Abduh, Ahmed Lutfi el-Sayed and Qasim Amin. One of his protégés was the historian Husayn Fawzi al-Najjar. Heikal is the father of seven children: Ateya, Taheya, Hussein, Hedeya, Bahiga, Fayza Haikal, and Ahmad. Fayza teaches

Egyptology Egyptology (from ''Egypt'' and Ancient Greek, Greek , ''wiktionary:-logia, -logia''; ) is the scientific study of ancient Egypt. The topics studied include ancient Egyptian History of Egypt, history, Egyptian language, language, Ancient Egypt ...

at the American University in Cairo.

Writing

Many critics have considered the novel Zeinab, written by Heikal 1913, as the 'first modern Egyptian novel. However, some scholars have debated this, with Elliot Colla reaching a conclusion that this label had more to do with "the needs of national institutions such as the cinema, the Parliament, or Cairo University, at moments of formation or reformation than it does with the texts themselves." Colla went on to conclude that Zaynab became recognized as part of the national literary tradition not at the moment of its initial production but in subsequent circumstances of reception and reproduction tied to other non-literary significances. His works include: *'' Zeinab'', (زينب) 1914. *''Biographies of Egyptian and Western Personalities'', 1929. *''The Life of Muhammad'', 1933. (حياة محمد) *''In the House of Revelation'', 1939. (فى منزل الوحى) *"Ten days in the Sudan" (عشرة أيام فى السودان) *Sayyidina '' Al Farouq Omar'', 1944/45. *''Memories on Egyptian politics'', 1951-53. (مذكرات فى السياسة المصرية) *''Thus Was I Created'', 1955. *''Faith, Knowledge and Philosophy'', published in 1964. *''The Islamic Empire and sacred places'', published in 1964. *''Egyptian short stories'', published in 1967. *Sayyidina ''

Uthman Ibn Affan Uthman ibn Affan (17 June 656) was the third caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate, ruling from 644 until Assassination of Uthman, his assassination in 656. Uthman, a second cousin, son-in-law, and notable Companions of the Prophet, companion of ...

'', published in 1968. *''Mehraj-ud-din beigh'', Arabic master

Notes

References

from Egypt state information service.

External links

The Life of Muhammad
English translation by Isma'il Raji al-Faruqi. {{DEFAULTSORT:Heikal, Mohammed Hussein 1888 births 1956 deaths Egyptian newspaper founders Paris-Sorbonne University alumni Ministers of education of Egypt Egyptian pashas People from Mansoura, Egypt 20th-century Egyptian novelists 20th-century Egyptian journalists Members of the Academy of the Arabic Language in Cairo

Life

Writing

Further reading

Notes

References

External links