(Encyclopedia) Abd al-MalikAbd al-Malikäbˌd&oobreve;l-mälĭkˈ [key], c.646–705, 5th Umayyad caliph (685–705); son of Marwan I. At his accession, Islam was torn by dissension and threatened by the…
(Encyclopedia) Abd al-MuminAbd al-Muminäbˌdäl-mŭˈmĭn [key], d. 1163, founder of the empire of the Almohads. He was the favorite of the Almohad religious reformer Ibn Tumart and became (1130) his…
(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) 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…