Mohamed Morsi Biography

Mohamed Morsi was born on August 8, 1951, in the Sharqia Governorate, in the village of El-Adwah, Egypt, to a farmer father, and a housewife mother. He was the eldest of five brothers.

In 1975, he obtained a bachelor's degree in engineering from Cairo University and then completed his post-graduation in 1978. Later, he earned a PhD in materials science from the University of Southern California in 1982, with his dissertation "High-Temperature Electrical Conductivity and Defect Structure of Donor-Doped Al2O3".

Meanwhile he also joined the Muslim Brotherhood, a political, Islam-based organization, as a member in 1977.

Mohamed Morsi started his career as a lecturer at the California State University, Northridge, and served as an Assistant Professor from 1982 to 1985. Being an expert on precision metal surfaces, he also worked for NASA helping to develop Space Shuttle engines.

In 1985, he resigned from his job at California State University and returned to Egypt and became a professor at ‘Zagazig University’, where he was appointed the head of the engineering department, a post he served until 2010.

In 2000, he was first elected as a Member of Parliament, officially as an independent candidate because the Brotherhood was technically barred from running candidates for office under the regime of Mubarak.

From 2005, he served as a member of the Guidance Office of the Muslim Brotherhood until Freedom and Justice Party was founded in 2011. He was elected as the first president of the new party.

He was arrested several times under Hosni Mubarak's regime for various protests. He spent seven months behind bars in 2006, and was detained for a brief period in 2011, along with several other Brotherhood leaders.

Initially nominated as a backup candidate of the party, he emerged as the new Muslim Brotherhood presidential candidate after Khairat El-Shater was disqualified from the 2012 presidential elections.

Following the first round of Egypt's first democratic presidential elections, he was officially announced as the president on June 24, 2012. Almost immediately afterward, he resigned from the presidency of the Freedom and Justice Party.

On June 30, 2012, Mohamed Morsi took oath as the first democratically elected president in Egypt's history, and became the first Islamist to lead an Arab country. He resumed Parliament in its original form from July 10, 2012.

In October 2012, his government unveiled plans for the development of a major economic and industrial hub adjoining the Suez Canal. The following month, he moved towards earning more power for himself which sparked much outrage, including public protests throughout the country.

By the following year, his actions continued to indicate his lust for power and Egypt's political environment worsened. He also refused to adhere to an army ultimatum requiring the president to share power or step down. As a consequence, millions of people rallied across Egypt calling for his resignation from office.

In June 2013, millions of protesters gathered outside his presidential palace calling for his removal from office. On July 3, 2013, he was officially ousted as president by Egypt's armed forces and was placed under house arrest. Meanwhile, the military suspended the country's constitution and ordered new elections.

Mohamed Morsi married his cousin, Naglaa Ali Mahmoud. The couple had five children: a daughter, Shaima, and four sons, Ahmed, Osama, Omar and Abdullah.

Mohamed Morsi died on June 17, 2019, of a heart attack, during a court hearing, as announced by Egyptian state television. He was 67. 
 

Mohamed Morsi held a PhD in material science from the University of Southern California, showcasing his dedication to education and knowledge.

He was known for his sense of humor and often made light-hearted jokes during public speeches, showing a more approachable side to his personality.

Morsi was an avid reader and had a passion for literature, with a particular interest in historical and philosophical texts.

He was a talented vocalist and enjoyed singing traditional Egyptian folk songs, showcasing his artistic side outside of politics.

Morsi was a strong advocate for environmental conservation and took steps to promote sustainability and green initiatives during his time in office.