Shaykh Safar al-Hawali was born in 1954 in Hawala, Baha province of Saudi Arabia. He completed his undergraduate education in Islamic studies at the Islamic University, Madinah and his Master's and Doctorate in Islamic studies at Umm al-Qura Unversity, Makkah with a specialization in Islamic `Aqida or doctrine. He was the head of the `Aqida department at Umm al-Qura University from 1988-1994. His weekly public lectures in Islamic belief were attended by thousands and recordings of those lectures are widely distributed throughout the Islamic world.
He has been outspoken in his opposition to American military and political interference in the Islamic world in general and in Saudi Arabia in particular. His opposition to the Gulf War caused him and the Israeli peace process led to his imprisonment in 1994 along with several other prominent religious leaders. He was released unconditionally in 1999.
He is the author of several books including:
- "Secularism: Its Origins, Development and Effects on Contemporary Islamic Life" - initially his Master's Thesis.
- "The Phenomenon of Irja' in Contemporary Islamic Thought" - initially his Doctoral dissertation.
- "The True Promise...the Bogus Promise" - dealing with Israeli claims to the Holy Land.
- 'The Day of Wrath"
The Shaykh lives in Makkah, Saudi Arabia where he is actively engaged in Islamic research, and in the support of charitable causes in Saudi Arabia and through out the world.