Biographies: Mohamed Hussein Heikal - Writer

Biographies

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Muhammed Hussein Heikal was an Egyptian journalist, writer and politician. He was born on the 20th of August, 1888 in the village of Kafr Ghanam in Daqahleya governorate, Egypt. He studied law and graduated from the Khedivian Law School in 1909. Heikal earned a PhD in law from the Sorbonne University in Paris in 1912. During his stay in France, he wrote his first novel “Zeinab,” which was published in 1913. After his return to Egypt, he worked as a lawyer for 10 years, and was chosen as Editor in Chief of “Al Siyasa” (Politics) magazine. He was an acquaintance of Ahmed Lotfy Al Sayyed, and was greatly influenced by his and Sheikh Mohamed Abdo's ideologies. Heikal was of key importance in the writing of the 1923 Egyptian constitution. In 1937, Heikal was chosen to become minister of information in Mohamed Mahmoud Pasha's second government, but the government soon resigned, and was re-established again in 1940, with Heikal heading the same ministry. He switched to the ministry of social affairs in 1954, after the fall of King Farouk's regime. Hussein Heikal also represented Egypt internationally in a lot of political venues and summits. He died on the 8th of December, 1956.

• 6 March 2014
• Tarek Sharkawy