Podcast: Sheikh Abd el Hamid Kishk

Script:

Sheikh kishk, one of the most influential Muslim scholars in the 20th century was born on the 10th of march 1933 in shobrakheit, beheira. He memorized the qur’an before the age of 10 then joined the religious institute in Alexandria. Kishk graduated from al Azhar University with the highest grades at that time.

After graduation, he worked as a teacher for Al azhar for a while then he was appointed as imam in couple of mosques before taking a job at Ein el hayat mosque which was the platform for delivering his speeches especially in Friday prayers since around 1962.

Kishk frequently spoke in his speeches against all forms of political oppression and corruption. He also spoke against the government decisions that he considered to be inconsistent with the Islamic belief.

He was arrested in 1965 and stayed in prison for two years, during which was moved around to different prisons and suffered extreme torture but he still kept his job as the imam of Ein el hayat mosque. Since 1972 his popularity increased significantly and crowds of more than 10,000 used to attend the Friday prayer with him.

In 1976 he started speaking out against the Egyptian government and the policies of Anwar al sadat especially after the Camp David treaty which he considered to be an act of treachery against Islam and Muslims. He continued to speak out in his lectures and speeches against all forms of corruption and oppression within Egyptian life until he got arrested in 1981. He was released in 1982 and forbidden to give speeches or conduct lectures.

In one of his famous speeches he addressed the Egyptian minister of health blaming him for the deteriorating health care program for Egyptians and the high medicine prices that many cannot afford.

He refused to leave Egypt except to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage in 1973. He wrote about 115 books and is considered to be one of the most phenomenal Egyptian public speakers. Kishk also called for many reforms regarding al Azhar University. He died on the 6th of December 1996, when he was 63 years old leaving hundreds of recorded lectures, books and a great legacy to be found rarely.