quote:
Originally posted by Tigerlily:
I hope everybody likes this subject and can contribute a little.Although I lived for couple of years in Egypt I hardly know any public figures, important people, celebrities.
Please educate me and others about the VIPs of Egypt which can be politicans, singers, actors, writers, athletes etc. either alive or already passed who made a difference to Egypt and will never be forgotten by its people.
Please give a short introduction to this personality and post a link so anyone who's interested can read further (please only links in English language).
Lastly also state what personally attracts you to this special person.
Thank you. I am eager to know and learn more. 
There are thousands, but in recent times, for reasons that I will not go into , which should be obvious nonetheless , there is a dearth of intellectuals.
I have read and learnt a lot from Salama Moussa, he is not a contemporary but his thoughts are very much for all times..
A little about him from this government link, (I do not normally cut and paste, however I make an exception here),but a search will reveal more..
link
http://www.sis.gov.eg/calendar/html/cl040897.htm
Salama Moussa was a prominent man of letters and thinker, known for his profound interest in modern scientific culture. He had a firm belief in the human intellect as a tool for absorbing science, which was in turn the proper channel for civilisation and progress.
Throughout forty years of his rich life, he was a creative and innovative thinker and writer in the domains of arts, literature and analytic research. He was a staunch advocate of scientific approach in all walks of life as well as industrialisation as the road to progress.
In a feudal society, he called for Socialism. He also advocated the simplification of Arabic grammar. He was the godfather to the Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz.
Salama Moussa was born on January 4,1887. In 1908, he travelled to Paris and London where he studied literature, philosophy, social and natural sciences. In London, he learned at the Rational and Fabian Associations and also studied law and economy at London University.
In 1909, he wrote his first book "Introduction to Superman" published by Dar Al-Hilal, in 1910.
In 1913, he returned home and wrote his first book on Socialism.
In 1916, he published the first Egyptian weekly cultural magazine " Al Mostaqbal" (the Future).
However, the British occupation authorities withdrew the license after printing only 16 issues.
In 1918, together with some Egyptian intellectuals he attempted to establish a socialist party.
Although the party was actually founded in 1920, with Moussa in charge of the ideology, the party was soon cancelled by the government.
In 1923, he became Editor-in-Chief of "Al Hilal" magazine until 1929. During this period the magazine was pervaded by a clear progressive trend. He also worked for "Al Balagh" and "Al Jihad" newspapers.
In 1927, he published his book "Freedom of Thought" in which he dealt with the history of heroes who fought against fanaticism, despotism, reaction and ignorance.
In 1930 , in association with some intellectuals, he established "The Egyptian Association of Scientific Culture" but the government removed him from the Association. Moreover, Moussa's new magazine was suspended by Prime Minister Ismael Sedqi. In 1932, he passed over the magazine to some leftist intellectuals and dedicated himself to writing and journalism.
In 1935, influenced by Gandhi of India, he established "The Egyptian For the Egyptian Society" for the independence of the Egyptian economy. That led to establishing "The Egyptian Products Company" to promote sales of Egyptian-made goods. He also called for the boycott of the English merchandise. He published a book entitled "Gandhi and the Indian Movement" and a statistical study named "Our Pockets and the Foreigners'."
In 1945, he issued a book entitled "Freedom of Mind in Egypt" in which he urged for the abolishment of the Publications Department under which magazines and newspapers were allowed only after paying fines. In this book as well as "Freedom of Thought", Moussa was influenced by the French thinker Voltaire. Under Sedqi's government, he was jailed together with dozens of nationalists.
In 1947, together with Dr. Taha Hussein, he supervised the "Social Affair" and "The Egyptian Writer" magazines in which he published his autobiography later published under the title "Salama Moussa's Upbringing". That was the first autobiography of an Egyptian writer, ever published in Arabic. In 1949, he participated in establishing "The Egyptian Peace Movement" but the Royal Palace succeeded in removing him from any cultural activity.
In 1952, following the outbreak of July Revolution, he worked in "Akbar-Al-Yom" as Head of the Sciences Department and Editor of the Sunday Diary. He died on August 4,1958, following a surgey.
Salama Moussa wrote many books which advocated freedom, socialism, industrialisation and simplification of the Arabic language. He supported July Revolution from the very beginning, called upon the social thought and urged youth to work and look forward to a new society that respects woman as the second half of the society.
His writings :
An Introduction of Superman 1910.
Emergence of the Concept of God 1912.
Socialism 1915.
Love in History 1924.
Dreams of Philosophers 1926.
Salama Moussa's Selections 1926.
Freedom of Thought 1927.
Theory of Evolution and Origin of Man 1928.
The World After 30 Years 1930.
Gandhi and the Indian Movement 1934.
What is Renaissance? 1935.
On Life and Literature 1930.
Our pockets and the Foreigners 1931.
Egypt The Cradle of Civilization,1935.
Modern English Literature 1936.
Freedom of the Mind in Egypt 1945.
Modern Eloquence and Language 1945.
Self-education 1946.
Salama Moussa's upbringing 1947.
Way of Glory 1949.
Those Who Taught Me 1953.
In this book, he mentioned some persons who affected him such as Voltaire with his call for freedom, Goethe, Darwin with his theory of the origin of species, Henrik lbsen with his view of woman's freedom, Freud with his psychoanalysis, Bernard Shaw, Gandhi who struggled for the independence of India and Eliot Smith who gave him access to human history and Egypt’s civilisation. Other writings
Literature for the People, 1956.
Woman is not a Play thing of Man.
Talks to Youth.
Some of his writings were published posthumously in 1959.
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Also here is a link to a list of some interesting characters:
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/encyclopedia/l/li/list_of_egyptians.htm
[This message has been edited by Medosa (edited 22 July 2005).]
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