Ragab Elbanna

Ragab Elbanna
رجب البنا
Born	(1936-09-17) 17 September 1936 Damanhour, Beheira Governorate, Egypt
Alma mater	Alexandria University; Cairo University
Occupations	Writer, Journalist, Editor and Publishing Executive
Title	Deputy editor-in-chief of Al Ahram (1987—1994), Chairman of Dar Al Maaref Publishing House (1994—2005), editor-in-chief of October magazine (1994—2005)

Ragab Moursi Elbanna (Arabic: رجب البنا) (born September 17, 1936) is an Egyptian writer, journalist, editor and publishing executive who is a member of the Egyptian Society of Economics and Political Science. He regularly contributes to major Egyptian and Arab newspapers and is a past deputy editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram, considered Egypt's newspaper of record, editor-in-chief of October magazine, and Chairman of Dar Al Maaref Publishing House, one of the most famous in the Arab world.^{[1][2] [3][4]} He is often considered as being one of the most important writers in Egypt and the Arab world.^[5]

Ragab Elbanna was born on September 17, 1936, in Damanhour, El Beheira, Egypt. He is the son of Moursi El Banna. He received a Bachelor in Sociology and Philosophy from Alexandria University in 1960 and a Diploma in Journalism from Cairo University in 1971.

Between 1971—1980, Ragab Elbanna was a correspondent and writer for Al-Ahram newspaper. In these years, he was the newspaper's correspondent for the Ministry of Justice, the Council of State, the Administrative Prosecution, the Public Prosecution, and the State Lawsuits Authority, before being appointed first as editor of the local news desk, then Deputy Head of Investigative Journalism, then Head of the Investigative Journalism Department.

Elbanna went on to become assistant editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram between 1980—1987 and deputy editor-in-chief in the years 1987—1994. Between 1994—2005, he was Chairman of Dar Al Maaref Publishing House and editor-in-chief of October magazine, where he continued to write.^[6]

He has enjoyed warm relationships with many prominent Egyptians, of whom several have featured in his writing, such as Pope Shenouda, Naguib Mahfouz, Mohamed Hassanein Heikal, Sheikh al-Sha'rawi and Grand Imam Sheikh Tantawi.^[7][8][9]

Elbanna's journalism continues to be published in several leading Egyptian and Arab outlets, including Al Ahram, Al-Masry Al-Youm, October magazine, and Al-Watan.^{[10] [11][12]}

He is a member of the National Committee for Culture, Art and Literature, Cairo, the Higher Council of Islamic Affairs, Cairo and was a Professor of Journalism at Cairo University in 1974.^[13]

Ragab Elbanna has received many awards for his contributions to Egyptian journalism and writing, including:^[14]

Excellence Shield from Cairo University.

Recognition from the Egyptian Television Cultural Channel - Writer of the Year Award 2002.

Shield from the Institute for Leadership Development in Helwan for outstanding efforts in training university students.

1997, Family Library Shield.

Recognition and Best Book Award in the following years:

1996 for the book "Religious Illiteracy and the War Against Islam."

1998 for the book "The Copts in Egypt and the Diaspora."

1999 for the book "Searching for the Future."

2000 for the book "The West and Islam."

2001 for the book "Miracles of Creation and the Creator."

2002 for the book "Manufacturing Enmity Towards Islam."

Ragab Elbanna's published books include:^[15][16]

• A Little Smile (Short Stories) (إبتسامة صغيرة) (1997)
• History Not For Sale (تاريخ ليس للبيع) (1998)
• Copts in Egypt and the Diaspora: Dialogues with Pope Shenouda (الاقباط فى مصر والمهجر حوارات مع البابا شنودة) (Dar Al Maaref, 1998)
• Searching for the Future (البحث عن المستقبل) (1999)
• Religious Illiteracy and the War Against Islam (الأمية الدينية والحرب على الأسلام) (1996)
• Egyptians in the Mirror (المصريون في المرآة)(Dar Al Maaref, 2000)
• The West and Islam (الغرب والإسلام) (Dar Al Maaref, 2000)
• History of Copts in Egypt
• A Trip to China (رحلة الى الصين) (Dar Al Maaref, 2002)
• Miracles of Creation and the Creator (2001)
• Manufacturing Enmity to Islam (صناعة العداء للإسلام) (Dar Al Maaref, 2002)
• America: A View from the Inside (أمريكا رؤية من الداخل) (Dar Al Maaref, 2004)
• Heikal: Between Journalism and Politics (هيكل بين الصحافة والسياسة) (Dar Al Maaref, 2004)
• Sunnies and Shiites (الشيعة والسنة) (Dar Al Maaref, 2004)
• Fair-Minded People about Islam in the West (المنصفون للإسلام في الغرب) (Dar Al Maaref, 2005)
• With Sheikh al-Sha'rawi (مع الشيخ الشعراوي) (Dar Al Maaref, 2011)
• Memories of Sweet Days and Lost Years (Memoirs) (ذكريات أيام حلوة وسنوات ضائعة) (Dar Al Maaref, 2025)

He also edited and wrote the foreword to the book Why Do We Read? (لماذا نقرأ؟) (Dar Al Maaref, 2000), which features the work of prominent Egyptian thinkers such as Dr. Taha Hussein, Abbas Mahmoud al-Aqqad and Dr. Husayn Fawzi.

Elbanna's works are held by major libraries across the Middle East and beyond, including the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, UAE Federation Library and National Library of Tunisia. ^[17][18][19]

His website can be found at: Ragab Elbanna Website.