Born: May 29, 1939Auto racer 3-time USAC-CART national champion (1970,83,85); 4-time winner of Indy 500 (1970-71,78,87); retired in 1994 ranked 3rd (now 4th) on all-time CART list with 39 wins;…
(Encyclopedia) Mahdi, Sadiq al-, 1936–2020, Sudanese political and religious leader. A descendent of Muhammad Ahmad (see Mahdi), Mahdi succeeded (1964) to the leadership of the Ansar, the Sufi order…
(Encyclopedia) Assad, Bashar al- Assad, Bashar al- bäshärˈ äl-äsˈsäd [key], 1965–, Syrian political leader, son of Hafez al-Assad. A medical doctor, he left Syria (1992) for an…
(Encyclopedia) Assad, Hafez al-Assad, Hafez al-häfĕzˈ [key]Assad, Hafez al- äl-äsˈsäd [key], 1930–2000, president of Syria (1971–2000). He graduated (1955) from the Syrian Military Academy and…
(Encyclopedia) Kitab al-AghaniKitab al-Aghanikētäbˈ äl-ägänēˈ [key] [Arab.,=book of songs], collection of poems in many volumes compiled by Abu al-Faraj Ali of Esfahan. It contains poems from the…
(Encyclopedia) Abu al-FidaAbu al-Fidaäˌb&oomacr; äl-fēˈdä, –fĭdäˈ [key], 1273–1331, Arab historian, b. Damascus. He fought against the Christians in the last period of the Crusades and later…
(Encyclopedia) Abraj Al-Bait, complex of seven government-owned, mixed-use buildings in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The most impressive structure, the Makkah Royal Clock Tower, is the tallest building in…
(Encyclopedia) Hafez or Hafiz, Amin al-Hafez or Hafiz, Amin al-ämēnˈ äl-häˈfəz [key], 1921?–2009, Syrian army officer and politician. He served (1963–65) as chief of state in Syria's Ba'athist…
(Encyclopedia) Hajj Umar, al-Hajj Umar, al-äl-häj &oomacr;märˈ [key] or Hajj OmarHajj Umar, al-ōˈmär [key], 1797–1864, Muslim religious and military leader in W Africa. A chieftain of the large…
