(Encyclopedia) Abu BakrAbu Bakräˈb&oomacr; bäkˈər [key], 573–634, 1st caliph, friend, father-in-law, and successor of Muhammad. He was probably Muhammad's first convert outside the Prophet's…
(Encyclopedia) Abu NuwasAbu Nuwasäˈb&oomacr; n&oomacr;wäsˈ [key], c.750–c.810, Arab poet, b. Ahvaz, Persia. He spent most of his life in Baghdad. High in favor with the caliphs Harun ar-…
(Encyclopedia) Abu HanifaAbu Hanifaäb&oomacr;ˈ hänēˈfä [key], 699–767, Muslim jurist. He founded the Hanafite system of Islamic jurisprudence, which gives the judge considerable discretion when…
(Encyclopedia) Abu Qir or AbukirAbukirboth: ăˌb&oomacr;kērˈ, əb&oomacr;ˈkər [key], village, N Egypt, on a promontory in the Nile River delta. Admiral Horatio Nelson's victory over the French…
(Encyclopedia) Abu-SimbelAbu-Simbeläˌb&oomacr;-sĭmˈbəl [key] or IpsambulIpsambulĭpˈsämb&oomacr;lˈ [key], village, S Egypt, on the Nile River. Its two temples were hewn (c.1250 b.c.) out of…
(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) Abu al-Abbas as-SaffahAbu al-Abbas as-Saffahäˈb&oomacr; äl-äbäsˈ äs-säfäˈ [key], d. 754, 1st Abbasid caliph (749–54). Raised to the caliphate by the armed might of Abu Muslim, he…
