From Islamic philosophy scholar to the seventh president of Iraq: the path of Fuad Masum

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Born into a clerical dynasty in Koya, Fuad Masum transitioned from studying Sharia and Islamic philosophy to becoming a pivotal figure in Iraqi politics. As the second non-Arab president of Iraq, his career spans decades of revolutionary activism, constitutional drafting, and navigating the complex power dynamics of a post-invasion state.

Born on July 1, 1938, in Koya, Fuad Masum was raised in a family with deep roots in the Association of Muslim Scholars in Kurdistan. His early education took place in religious schools before he pursued law and Sharia at Baghdad University. His academic journey eventually led him to Cairo, where he earned a PhD in Islamic philosophy from Al-Azhar University in 1975. This intellectual background provided a foundation for his later political life, which began in earnest when he joined the Iraqi Communist Party in 1962. However, his disillusionment with the party's stance on Kurdish issues led him to switch his allegiance to the Kurdistan Democratic Party (PDK) by 1964.

Masum’s political influence grew significantly as he helped found the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in 1976. Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, he returned to Baghdad to serve on the committee responsible for drafting the new constitution. His legislative experience culminated in 2010 when he became the first Speaker of the Council of Representatives. By 2014, he was elected as the seventh president of Iraq, securing 211 votes in a parliamentary process that saw him succeed his long-time ally, Jalal Talabani. His presidency, which lasted until 2018, was marked by immediate challenges, including the appointment of Haider al-Abadi as prime minister amid intense political friction with Nouri al-Maliki.

The transition of power in 2014 highlighted the fragility of Iraq's political landscape. When Masum appointed al-Abadi, the outgoing prime minister, Maliki, challenged the legality of the move, claiming it was a conspiracy. Despite Maliki’s resistance, international pressure and internal party dissent eventually forced him to step down on August 14, 2014. Masum’s role as president required him to balance these competing interests while addressing severe security and economic crises. His legacy remains tied to his efforts to maintain political stability through a period of profound national transition, reflecting his long evolution from a student of philosophy to a central architect of the modern Iraqi state.

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