Born in 1943 in Cairo, he completed his education in Egypt and obtained his bachelor’s degree in science in 1966, and his master’s degree in chemistry in 1970 from Ain Shams University in Cairo. He then returned to Turkey and obtained his doctorate in science from Ankara University in 1974, then moved to Britain and worked as a research fellow at the University of Exeter, where he was awarded the title of professor in 1984. He worked as the Director General of the Organization’s Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture in Istanbul, and was elected Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and remained in his position until 2014.