Since the early 1960’s, Henein has been one of the most prominent Egyptian sculptors. He spent part of a sabbatical he obtained from the Ministry of Culture close to the great Egyptian artist Hamed Saeed. The other part he spent in the Luxor Studio, where he developed extensive knowledge of the origins and philosophy of Egyptian heritage. This influenced his artistic style throughout his career. Henein draws vivid geometrical lines on papyrus, making use of its soft edges and rough surface. He uses natural Egyptian oxides such as ferric oxides, magnesia and chrome mixed with gum Arabic. Sometimes he depicts fish, birds, and animals in simple form and as if they were outlines for his sculpture. Some of these drawings look like amulets, while others have a pharaoanic flavor and bear no similarity to his sculptures. His early works consist of statues of animals from the surrounding environment, especially the donkey, in which he depicted in contemplative serenity with minimal detail, and with squared or cylindrical body. He later developed a more abstract and symbolic approach, where he returned to drawing on papyrus in slate frames. As a result, his works became two-dimensional and based on linear contours.
Henein received Egypt’s State Medal, the State Merit Award, and the Mubarak Award in art. He also established the International Granite Sculpture Symposium in Aswan. El-Shorouk Publishing House and Skira Publishing Group published a complete book about his life and works.