Born into one of the wealthiest and most prominent families in the Giza Governorate, he was founder and first emir of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, succeeded by Ayman al-Zawahiri (released from prison in 1984), an organization which merged into al-Qaeda in 1998.

He was commissioned as an officer in the Mechanized Infantry forces of the Egyptian Army in 1969 and served with distinction, commanding a platoon of BMP-1 armoured vehicles and an Anti-Tank company in the Yom Kippur War.

[6][7][8] In a televised interview at his home on 23 March 2011, he formally apologized to the Egyptian people for the Sadat assassination, but without remorse, his reason being that it had been a mistake in providing the conditions which had brought Hosni Mubarak to power for 30 years.

[5][7] Zomor describes the Islamist movement he founded as the "first line of defence" of Egyptian society and although linked with violence in the past, believes that the 2011 protests showed that change can occur without war.

[5] While in prison he co-authored a document with Tarek El Zomor entitled al-Badil al-Thalith bayna al-Istibdad wa-al-Istislam (The Third Alternative between Despotism and Surrender) which was published by the Egyptian newspaper al-Shuruq in late August and early September 2009.