A S U

Ain Shams University, under the presidency of Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El-Abedeen, together with the University Vice Presidents, Faculty Deans, and faculty staff, mourns with profound sorrow the passing of Prof. Mourad Wahba, one of the foremost pillars of philosophy in Egypt and the Middle East. He made distinguished contributions to consolidating the values of reason, enlightenment, and dialogue as fundamental pillars for human development and the advancement of society.

Professor Mourad Wahba, Professor of Philosophy at Ain Shams University, was one of the most prominent figures of philosophical thought in Egypt and the Arab world during the second half of the twentieth century and the early decades of the twenty-first century. He firmly established his position as a leading intellectual voice that placed rationality and enlightenment at the core of his intellectual and cultural project. He was not merely a seasoned academic, but a public intellectual who carried the concerns of society, sought to connect philosophy with lived reality, employed it in analyzing intellectual and social crises, and confronted fanaticism and intellectual rigidity.

The late scholar was born on 13 October 1926 in Assiut. He studied philosophy at Cairo University and Ain Shams University and obtained his PhD from Alexandria University. He attained a distinguished scholarly standing both nationally and internationally, becoming a member of numerous academic and intellectual organizations worldwide. In 1994, he founded the International Ibn Rushd Society for Enlightenment, over which he presided.

He also joined several prestigious international bodies, including the International Federation of Philosophical Societies, in addition to his membership in Egypt’s Supreme Council of Culture. His name was also included in an international encyclopedia among the world’s 500 most renowned figures.

Professor Mourad Wahba was widely known for his persistent call to revive the philosophy of Ibn Rushd as a bridge for dialogue between the West and Islamic societies, particularly in the aftermath of the events of September 11. He emphasized that the success of Ibn Rushd’s philosophy in Europe, through what became known as “Latin Averroism”, played a key role in establishing European rationalism, which later paved the way for the religious reform movements of the sixteenth century and the Enlightenment movement of the eighteenth century, by elevating the value of reason in understanding texts and fostering human dialogue.

The late scholar enriched the Arabic library with dozens of influential works in philosophy, enlightenment, and critical rationalism. Among his most notable publications are: The Philosophical Dictionary, The Story of Philosophy, The Germ of Backwardness, The Angel of Absolute Truth, and Fundamentalism and Secularism. His writings reflect a prolific and diverse intellectual output addressing issues related to Ibn Rushd, Bergson, critical thought, ethics, and creativity.

Ain Shams University extends its sincere condolences to the family of the late scholar, his students, and all those who admired him, praying that God grants his loved ones patience and solace.