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Ayman Al-Zawahiri Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 28, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth19 June 1951

Age71 Years (at time of death)

BirthplaceCairo, Egypt

ProfessionPhysician; Theologian; Founder of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ)

NationalityEgyptian

Marital statusMarried

FamilyMultiple children; parents Mohammed Rabie al-Zawahiri and Umayma Azzam

Ayman Al-Zawahiri Biography

Ayman Mohammed Rabie al-Zawahiri (19 June 1951–31 July 2022) was an Egyptian physician and Islamist militant who led al-Qaeda from 2011 until his death in

Early life and background

Ayman Mohammed Rabie al-Zawahiri was born on 19 June 1951 in Cairo, Egypt, into a family with strong medical and public-service traditions. His father, Mohammed Rabie al-Zawahiri, was a pharmacology professor at Ain Shams University, and his mother, Umayma Azzam, came from a prominent and politically active clan. The family lived in Maadi, a suburban district of Cairo, where Ayman and his siblings were raised in a household that combined religious observance with exposure to a cosmopolitan neighborhood.

Educated at state schools in Maadi, he went on to study medicine at Cairo University, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1974 and a master's degree in surgery in 1978. Described by classmates as highly intelligent and studious, he had a reputation for methodical thinking and strong academic ability. He also regularly attended prayers at a local mosque during his youth and was influenced by Islamist thinkers, including the writings and legacy of Sayyid Qutb.

Career

After graduating from medical school, al-Zawahiri served for three years as a surgeon in the Egyptian Army. During the 1970s he became involved in underground Islamist activism. He was among the founders of groups that later merged to form the Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ). Over time he became a leading figure in that movement.

Al-Zawahiri rose to wider international prominence through his association with al-Qaeda. Following Osama bin Laden’s death, he became the senior leader of al-Qaeda in June 2011 and remained in that role until his own death in July 2022. He was one of the individuals identified by the FBI among its most wanted.

Public profile

Physician by training, al-Zawahiri combined medical qualifications with theological and political activities. He was known by many aliases, including Abu Muhammad and Dr. Ayman al Zawahiri, and carried a public profile as the intellectual voice and strategist for extremist networks. Physical descriptions in published reporting list his height around 183 cm (about 6 feet) with dark brown eyes and salt-and-pepper hair.

Personal life

Al-Zawahiri married in 1978 in a conservative ceremony. Sources report he was married multiple times over his life. His first wife, Azza Ahmed Nowari, and some of their children were killed in 2001 during a U.S. attack on their residence in Afghanistan. Published accounts list several surviving children by name and year of birth. His family background includes siblings and relatives notable in medicine and public life; one brother, Muhammad al-Zawahiri, is mentioned in contemporary reporting, and other relatives have held academic and diplomatic posts.

Detainment and legal matters

Al-Zawahiri’s activities with Islamist groups brought him into conflict with Egyptian authorities at various points. He was tried in connection with violent plots in Egypt, and his political and militant activities drew international attention and legal action.

Death

Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed on 31 July 2022 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Contemporary reporting states he died in a U.S. drone strike in the Sherpur neighborhood of Kabul.

Latest updates

Reporting establishes that al-Zawahiri led al-Qaeda from June 2011 until his death in July 2022. His death marked the end of a long and internationally scrutinized period as a leader of transnational militant operations.

Public image and legacy

Al-Zawahiri’s public persona combined his medical training with a long involvement in Islamist political activism. He is widely described in reporting as having been an influential ideologue within extremist networks. His family’s prominence in Egyptian medical and public institutions, and his own education and early life in Cairo, are frequently noted in profiles that trace his path from student and physician to the leadership of a militant organization.
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Recent Work

Leader of al-Qaeda

Succeeded Osama bin Laden and led the al-Qaeda organization from June 2011 until his death in July 2022.

2011-2022
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Career Highlights

  1. Founder and leader in Egyptian Islamic Jihad
  2. Succeeded Osama bin Laden as leader of al-Qaeda in June 2011
  3. Physician with medical degrees from Cairo University
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Ayman Al-Zawahiri born?

19 June 1951

What is Ayman Al-Zawahiri known for?

Physician; Theologian; Founder of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ)

What is Ayman Al-Zawahiri’s marital status?

Married