Abdullah Azzam: The Overlooked Architect Behind al-Qaeda’s Rise

Abdullah Azzam, a Palestinian born in 1941, entered the Muslim Brotherhood as a teenager and later completed a doctorate in Islamic jurisprudence at Al-Azhar University. His academic career included positions at the University of Jordan, a Saudi university, and the International Islamic University in Islamabad, where he began recruiting fighters for the Afghan war. Azzam forged a close partnership with Osama bin Laden, persuading him to support Arab mujahideen and co-founding the Services Bureau in Peshawar, a precursor to al-Qaeda’s network.

He issued a religious edict declaring jihad obligatory for all capable Muslims, and his magazine "Jihad" disseminated propaganda that still fuels extremist groups. Although later eclipsed by figures like Ayman al-Zawahiri, Azzam’s early influence laid the groundwork for the formation of al-Qaeda and related movements.