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Gabriel

(Encyclopedia)Gabriel gāˈbrēəl [key], archangel, the divine herald. In the Bible he appears to Daniel (twice), to Zacharias, and to the Virgin Mary in the Annunciation (Dan. 8.16; 9.21; Luke 1.19,26,27). Christ...

Islamabad

(Encyclopedia)Islamabad ĭsˌləməbädˈ, ĭslămˈ– [key], city and capital territory (2017 provisional pop. 2,006,572), capital of Pakistan, NE Pakistan, just NE of Rawalpindi, the former interim capital. Cons...

Akbar

(Encyclopedia)Akbar ăkˈbär [key], 1542–1605, Mughal emperor of India (1556–1605); son of Humayun, grandson of Babur. He succeeded to the throne under a regent, Bairam Khan, who rendered loyal service in expa...

Houellebecq, Michel

(Encyclopedia)Houellebecq, Michel mēshĕlˈ wĕlˈbĕk [key], b. 1958– or 1956–, French author, perhaps France's best-known contemporary novelist, b. Réunion as Michel Thomas. A literary pessimist and master ...

angel

(Encyclopedia)angel ānˈjəl [key], [Gr.,=messenger], bodiless, immortal spirit, limited in knowledge and power, accepted in the traditional belief of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and other religions. Angels a...

Nuristan

(Encyclopedia)Nuristan no͝orĭstănˈ [key] [Persian,=land of light or the enlightened], region on the southern slopes of the Hindu Kush, NE Afghanistan, bordered on the E by Pakistan. Formerly called Kafiristan [...

Lavigerie, Charles Martial Allemand

(Encyclopedia)Lavigerie, Charles Martial Allemand shärl märsēälˈ älmäNˈ lävēzhərēˈ [key], 1825–92, French churchman, cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, b. near Bayonne. He was ordained in 1849 an...

Ashura

(Encyclopedia)Ashura, holy day in Islam, the 10th day of the month of Muharram. It commemorates the day Noah left the ark and the day Moses was saved by God from the Egyptians, and is a voluntary day of fasting for...

Abu Muslim

(Encyclopedia)Abu Muslim äˈbo͞o mo͝osˈlĭm [key], c.728–755, Persian leader of the Abbasid revolution. By political and religious agitation he raised (747) the black banners of the Abbasids against the rulin...

Kuraish

(Encyclopedia)Kuraish ko͞orīshˈ [key], ancient Bedouin tribe near Mecca to which Muhammad belonged. At one time camel drivers and caravan guides, they became, after acquiring custody of the Kaaba (5th cent.), on...