(Encyclopedia) Al KarakAl Karakäl käräkˈ [key], town (1997 est. pop. 19,000), W central Jordan. It is also known as Krak. It is a road junction and an agricultural trade center. The ancient Kir Moab…
(Encyclopedia) Abu al-Ala al-MaarriAbu al-Ala al-Maarriäˈb&oomacr; 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…
(Encyclopedia) Kuwait, Al-Kuwait, Al-älˌ [key]Kuwait, Al-k&oobreve;wātˈ [key]Kuwait, Al-– [key] or Kuwait City, city (1991 pop. 150,1000), capital of Kuwait, on the SE coast of Kuwait Bay, an…
(Encyclopedia) Al KutAl Kutäl k&oomacr;t [key], town, SE Iraq, on the Tigris River. It is a port and a market center for grains, dates, fruit, and vegetables. There is a large barrage on the…
(Encyclopedia) Al Qaeda or Al QaidaAl Qaidaäl kīˈĕdə, käˈĭdä [key] [Arab.,=the base], Sunni Islamic terrorist organization with the stated goals of uniting all Muslims and establishing a…
(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…
(Encyclopedia) Mamun, al- (Abu al-Abbas Abd Allah al-Mamun)Mamun, al-mäm&oomacr;nˈ [key], 786–833, 7th Abbasid caliph (813–33); son of Harun ar-Rashid. He succeeded his brother al-Amin after a…
(Encyclopedia) Al-FarghaniAl-Farghaniäl-färgäˈnē [key] or AlfraganusAlfraganusălfrəgāˈnəs [key], d. after 861, Arab astronomer. Al-Farghani was born in Farghana, Transoxania (present-day Fergana,…
