(Encyclopedia) Abd al-Hamid IAbd al-Hamid Iäbˌdäl-hämēdˈ [key] or AbdülhamitAbdülhamitTurk. äbdülˈhämēdˈ [key], 1725–89, Ottoman sultan (1774–89), brother and successor of Mustafa III. His reign, one…
(Encyclopedia) Abd al-KaderAbd al-Kaderäbˌdäl-kädērˈ [key], c.1807–1883, Algerian military and religious leader. Although born to an anti-Turkish family, he was chosen emir of Mascara to fight the…
(Encyclopedia) Ahmad al-MansurAhmad al-Mansuräˈməd äl-mäns&oomacr;rˈ, Arabic äkhmädˈ [key] [al-Mansur,=the victorious], d. 1603, emir of Morocco (1578–1603). Proclaimed ruler after his brother's…
(Encyclopedia) Sadat, Anwar al-Sadat, Anwar al-änwärˈ äl-sädätˈ [key], 1918–81, Egyptian political leader and president (1970–81). He entered (1936) Abbasia Military Academy, where he became friendly…
(Encyclopedia) Sadr, Moktada or Moqtada al-Sadr, Moktada or Moqtada al-m&oobreve;khˈtädä ä-säˈdər [key], 1973?–, Iraqi Shiite cleric. The son of Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Sadeq al-Sadr, who was…
(Encyclopedia) Umm al-QaiwainUmm al-Qaiwain&oomacr;m äl-kīwīnˈ [key], sheikhdom (1995 pop. 35,157), c.300 sq mi (780 sq km), part of the federation of seven United Arab Emirates, SE Arabia, on…
(Encyclopedia) Qaddafi, Muammar al-Qaddafi, Muammar al-m&oomacr;äm-märˈ äl-käd-däˈfē [key], 1942–2011, Libyan army officer and dictator. He graduated from the Univ. of Libya in 1963 and became an…
(Encyclopedia) Yaqut al-HamawiYaqut al-Hamawiyäk&oomacr;tˈ äl-hämäwēˈ [key], 1179–1229, Arab geographer. Born in Byzantium, he was bought as a slave by a merchant, al-Hamawi. He was freed on the…
(Encyclopedia) Zawahiri or Zawahri, Ayman al-Zawahiri or Zawahri, Ayman al-both: īˈmän äl-zäwäˈrē [key], 1951–, militant Egyptian Islamist. A surgeon by education and training, he became involved…