More than a billion Muslims around the world observe Ramadan (“month of blessing”), with prayer, fasting and charity. They celebrate the end of Ramadan with a three-day festival, called Eid al-…
(Encyclopedia) Ibn al-HaythamIbn al-Haythamĭbˈən äl-hīth-ämˈ [key] or AlhazenIbn al-Haythamălhəzĕnˈ [key], 965–c.1040, Arab mathematician. Ibn al-Haytham was born in Basra, but made his career in…
(Encyclopedia) Amru al-KaisAmru al-Kaisämˈr&oomacr; äl-kīs [key], fl. 6th cent., Arabic poet. His verse, like much of the poetry of the pre-Islamic period, is intensely subjective and…
(Encyclopedia) Habash al-HasibHabash al-Hasibhäbäshˈ äl-häsēbˈ [key], d. c.870, Arab mathematician and astronomer. Habash al-Hasib was born in what is now Mary, Turkmenistan, and worked in Baghdad.…
(Encyclopedia) Zawahiri or Zawahri, Ayman al-Zawahiri or Zawahri, Ayman al-both: īˈmän äl-zäwäˈrē [key], 1951–, militant Egyptian Islamist. A surgeon by education and training, he became involved…
(Alfred Matthew Yankovic)singer, songwriter, actorBorn: 10/23/1959Birthplace: Lynnwood, California Yankovic's career as a comedic songwriter began with his first single, “My Bologna” (1979). “…
Al-Qaeda's theological leaderBorn: 6/9/1951Birthplace: Cairo, Egypt Born into an affluent family, al-Zawahiri became active in militant Islam at an early age. At 15 he was arrested for membership…
(Encyclopedia) Jaafari, Ibrahim al-Jaafari, Ibrahim al-ēbrähēmˈ äl-jäˈfärē [key], 1947–, Iraqi political leader, b. Karbala as Ibrahim al-Eshaiker. A Shiite, a physician, and the leader of the Dawa…
(Encyclopedia) Pacino, Al (Alberto Pacino)Pacino, Alpəchēˈnō [key], 1940–, American actor, b. New York City, studied at the Herbert Berghof Studio and the Actors Studio, New York City. Known for his…