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Qayrawan, Al

(Encyclopedia)Qayrawan, Al kīrwänˈ, Fr. kĕrwäNˈ [key], city (1994 pop. 102,600), NE Tunisia. It is a sacred city of Islam. Founded in 670 by Uqbah bin Nafi, an Arab leader, it was the seat of Arab governors i...

Qusayr, Al

(Encyclopedia)Qusayr, Al äl ko͞osārˈ [key], town (1986 pop. 19,997), E Egypt, on the Red Sea. The ancient Leucus Limen, it was once a major Egyptian port and the focus of several trade routes. It was formerly k...

Biqa, Al

(Encyclopedia)Biqa, Al ĕl bēkäˈ [key], upland valley of Lebanon and Syria, 75 mi (121 km) long and 5 to 9 mi (8–14.5 km) wide, between the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon ranges; highest part of the Rift Valley comp...

Young, Al

(Encyclopedia)Young, Al (Albert James), 1939-2021, Univ. of Calif., Berkeley (BA, 1969), African-American poet, b. Ocean Springs, Ms. The son of sharecroppers, Young'...

Shafi'i, al-

(Encyclopedia)Shafi'i, al- (Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi'i), 767–820, Islamic jurist. Raised and educated in Mecca and Medina, he taught in Egypt and Baghdad. His teachings laid the groundwork for the...

Baladhuri, al-

(Encyclopedia)Baladhuri, al- äl-bäläˈᵺo͝orē [key], d. c.892, Arab historian. One of the most important Arab historians, he spent most of his life in Baghdad and enjoyed great influence at the court of the c...

Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah

(Encyclopedia)Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah jāˈbĕr är-äkhˈmäd ä-säbäˈ [key], 1926–2006, emir of Kuwait (1977–2006). A member of Kuwait's ruling Sabah family, he was the third son of Sheikh Ahmad al-Jaber a...

Abu al-Ala al-Maarri

(Encyclopedia)Abu al-Ala al-Maarri äˈbo͞o äl-äläˈ äl-mä-är-rēˈ [key], 973–1057, Arab freethinking poet. He was born and lived most of his life in Maara, S of Aleppo. He was blind from childhood. Brill...

Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah

(Encyclopedia)Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah, 1937–, emir of Kuwait (2020–). He was governor of the Hawalli region (1962–78), then served as interior minister (1978–88), defense minister (1988–91), minister of l...

Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah

(Encyclopedia)Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah (Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah), 1929–2020, emir of Kuwait (2006–20). He held a number of government posts, including foreign minister (1963–2003) and deputy prime min...