Salah Abdel-Haq

Salah Abdel Haq
Born	(1945-10-01) October 1, 1945 Cairo, Egypt
Occupation(s)	Dermatologist, preacher, politician
Known for	Acting General Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood since March 2023

Salah Abdel Haq (; born 1 October 1945) has held the position of acting General Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood since March 2023, representing the London Front. An Egyptian dermatologist and preacher by profession, he previously headed the International Islamic Forum for Education. Inspired by founder Hassan al-Banna, Abdel Haq became a member of the Muslim Brotherhood in 1962. He earned his medical degree from Ain Shams University in 1976.

Life

Abdel Haq was born in Cairo on 1 October 1945 into a devout, upper-middle-class household located in Heliopolis. He commenced his medical education at Ain Shams University in 1962 but completed it only in 1976 due to a nine-year imprisonment. While incarcerated, he continued his studies, obtaining his Bachelor of Medicine in December 1976, followed by a dermatology residency in 1977 and a Master’s degree in dermatology by 1982.

Joining the Muslim Brotherhood in 1962, Abdel Haq was arrested in 1965 during President Gamal Abdel Nasser’s suppression of the group. He shared imprisonment with prominent members such as Mohammed Badie and deputy Mahmoud Ezzat. In 1985, he relocated to Saudi Arabia to practice dermatology before later moving to Turkey.

During the 1990s, the Brotherhood appointed him to oversee its international educational initiatives. For over fifteen years, he directed this global educational network, significantly expanding the organization’s influence worldwide.

Muslim Brotherhood

Salah Abdel-Haq’s introduction to the Muslim Brotherhood occurred during his high school years through Syrian students who joined following the 1958 Egypt-Syria union. He formally became a member in 1962. At the age of 19, he was detained amid President Gamal Abdel Nasser’s crackdown and imprisoned alongside notable leaders including Mohamed Badie and Mahmoud Ezzat. Two of his brothers were also incarcerated. Abdel-Haq spent nine years in prison until his release in 1974 under Anwar Sadat’s administration.

His rise within the Brotherhood stemmed from his dedication to education and preaching aligned with Hassan al-Banna’s principles. Throughout the 1970s, he played a key role in advancing Islamic activities among university students. For more than fifteen years, he led the “Global Islamic Education Association.”

Abdel-Haq represented the Brotherhood’s Overseas Egyptian Relations on the General Shura Council during Ibrahim Munir’s interim leadership following Mohamed Badie’s tenure. In the 1990s, he was tasked with managing the Brotherhood’s worldwide educational operations abroad, leading this division for over fifteen years.

After Ibrahim Munir passed away in London in 2022, the General Shura Council unanimously appointed Salah Abdel-Haq as Acting General Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, as reported by the “Ikhwan Site.”

Views

In June 2025, Salah Abdel Haq, acting Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, voiced unequivocal support for the Islamic Republic of Iran amidst the Iran-Israel conflict. In correspondence addressed to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Abdel-Haq described the confrontation as part of a wider attack against regional resistance movements, particularly highlighting Iran’s endorsement of the Palestinian resistance. He depicted Israeli military actions as a calculated escalation aimed at consolidating occupation control, facilitated by unwavering backing from the United States and Western nations. Abdel-Haq underscored that Israeli occupation targets all allies of resistance—whether sovereign states like Iran or Islamic organizations such as the Muslim Brotherhood.

He urged unity across divisions and called for overcoming sectarian differences to face this "common enemy," stressing that challenges faced by Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen, and Iran necessitate a comprehensive Islamic strategic alliance.

See also

• History of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt