(Encyclopedia) Al Aswany, Alaa, 1957–, Egyptian author, b. Cairo. The son of a novelist-lawyer, he was trained as a dentist at Cairo Univ. (grad. 1980) and the Univ. of Illinois at Chicago (M.S.,…
(Encyclopedia) Shatt al ArabShatt al Arabshät äl äˈräb [key], tidal river, 120 mi (193 km) long, formed by the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, flowing SE to the Persian Gulf, forming…
(Encyclopedia) Banna, Hasan al-Banna, Hasan al-häsˈsän äl-bänˈnə [key], 1906–49, Egyptian religious and political leader; founder of the Muslim Brotherhood. He was involved with traditional Islamic…
(Encyclopedia) Rub al KhaliRub al Khalir&oomacr;b äl khäˈlē [key] [Arab.,=empty quarter], great desert of the Arabian peninsula, c.225,000 sq mi (582,750 sq km); one of the largest sand deserts…
(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…