Imadi was born in Damascus on August 31, 1930 to Jawdat al-Imadi (1882–1958) and Yissra al-Hawasli (1898–1969). The Imadi family can be traced back to Bukhara (a city in Uzbekistan) and earlier to Hijaz. Imadi studied law at the University of Damascus. In 1955, he was sent on a government scholarship to New York University (NYU) to pursue his higher education in economics. While at NYU in August 1956, he met and married Mildred Elaine Rippey (born 16 April 1934) from Palisades, New York. Imady received his Ph.D. in 1960 with an honorary distinction and returned with his wife and daughter to Damascus.
