Sayyid Imam Al Sharif (Dr. Fadl)

Sayyid Imam al-Sharif , also known as Dr.Fadl, was a former prominent emir of Al-Jihad (Egyptian Islamic Jihad) based in Cairo. He had been introduced to Ayman al-Zawahiri while both attamed Cairo University. But due to theological differences, both men would disagree about the nature of jihad against the secular Arab government in the country. After the assassination of Egyptian President, Anwar Sadat in 1980, Dr.Fadl travelled to Peshawar, Pakistan, where he would work as a surgeon at the Red Crescent. When al-Zawahiri was released from prism he had again joined up with al-Sharif. It was here al-Sharif would write the single, most important book for the Salafist Jihadist movement. His book "al-'Umda fi I'dad al-'Udda" ("The Essentials of Making Ready for Jihad) became the blueprint for jihadist groups past and present. Sometime in the early 1990, Al-Zawahiri and Al-Sharif fell out over questions of strategy and tactics. Al-Sharif opposed Islamic Jihad's joining another Islamist group, al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya, in its terror campaign against Egyptian government and foreign tourists in Egypt saying, "this is senseless activity that will bring no benefit."

After surrendering in Egypt and serving a life sentence al-Sharif had turned against the Salafist Jihadist movement and has written extensively against the Jihadist terrorist campaigns claiming they do not represent the words or deeds of the Prophet Muhammad.