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Ramla

(Encyclopedia)Ramla or Ramleh both: rämˈlĕ [key] [Arab.,=sand], town (1994 pop. 57,300), central Israel, in a farming area. Ramla may be the biblical Ramathaim-zophim, but more probably it was founded (c.716) by...

Georgetown University

(Encyclopedia)Georgetown University, in the Georgetown section of Washington, D.C.; Jesuit; coeducational; founded 1789 by John Carroll, chartered 1815, inc. 1844. Its law and medical schools are noteworthy, and it...

Antara

(Encyclopedia)Antara äntärˈä [key], fl. 600, Arab warrior and poet, celebrated in his own day as a hero because he rose from slave birth to be a tribal chief. His poetry is represented by one poem in the Mualla...

Abscam

(Encyclopedia)Abscam, U.S. scandal resulting from an investigation begun in 1978 by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI created a front (Abdul Enterprises, Ltd., hence, Abscam) for its agents, who, posing ...

Ibn Tufayl

(Encyclopedia)Ibn Tufayl ĭˈbən to͞ofālˈ [key], d. 1185/86?, 12th-century Spanish-Arab philosopher and physician, b. near Granada. His chief work was a philosophical romance, Hayy ibn Yaqzan, describing the de...

Jarring, Gunnar

(Encyclopedia)Jarring, Gunnar gŭnˈär yärˈĭng [key], 1907–2002, Swedish diplomat. He entered diplomatic service during World War II and was minister to India (1948–51), Ceylon (now Sri Lanka; 1950–51), a...

Moeris

(Encyclopedia)Moeris mērˈĭs [key], ancient name of Lake Karun (Arab. Birket Qarun), c.90 sq mi (230 sq km), NE Egypt, in El Faiyum. The size of the lake is much reduced from that described by ancient travelers, ...

Abulcasis

(Encyclopedia)Abulcasis äˈbo͞o käˈsĭm [key], Arab physician, d. c.1013, b. near Córdoba, Spain. His chief work, a detailed account of surgery and medicine, was for many years the leading surgical textbook. K...

Al-Farghani

(Encyclopedia)Al-Farghani ălfrəgāˈnəs [key], d. after 861, Arab astronomer. Al-Farghani was born in Farghana, Transoxania (present-day Fergana, Uzbekistan), and died in Egypt. His most important work, written ...

Tabora

(Encyclopedia)Tabora täbōˈrä [key], municipality (2012 pop. 226,999), capital of Tabora region, W central Tanzania. It is a trade and transportation center, connected by rail with Dar es Salaam on the Indian Oc...