Wednesday, September 6, 2023

2023: 'Abdullah - Abdul Rahim

 

'Abdullah II
'Abdullah II (b. January 30, 1962).  King of Jordan.  'Abdullah became king of Jordan on February 7, 1999, after the death of his father, King Hussein.  'Abdullah ibn al-Hussein was born on January 30, 1962, to King Hussein and his second wife, the British-born, Antoinette Gardiner (Toni Gardiner), who is known as Princess Muna (Mona).

In 1963, 'Abdullah was named the crown prince but in 1965, he was replaced as crown prince, by his uncle, Hassan, after King Hussein amended the constitution so that it would allow brothers to be heirs of the Jordanian throne.  The background for this change was that Hussein had been exposed to a number of assassination attempts, and did not want to risk leaving Jordan in the hands of an infant.

'Abdullah began his education at the Islamic Educational College in Jordan.  He later studied at Saint Edmund's School in Surrey, England, and Eaglebrook School and Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts.  After completing his secondary education, 'Abdullah enrolled in 1980 at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, where he received his military education.  In 1984, he enrolled at Oxford University to take a one year course in international politics and foreign affairs.

After studying at Oxford, 'Abdullah returned to active duty in Jordan's military service.  He quickly rose to the rank of captain and won command of a tank company in the 91st Armored Brigade.  From 1986 to 1987, he was attached to the Helicopter Anti-Tank Wing of the Royal Jordanian Air Force as a tactics instructor.  During this period, 'Abdullah was qualified as a Cobra attack helicopter pilot.

Late in 1987, 'Abdullah traveled to Washington, D. C., to attend Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service.  He undertook advanced study in international affairs.  After completing his studies in Washington, 'Abdullah returned to Jordan to resume his military career.  He was first assigned to the 17th Tank Battalion, 2nd Royal Guards Brigade.  In the summer of 1989, he was elevated to the rank of lieutenant colonel and given command of the 2nd Armored Car Regiment in the 10th Brigade.  In January 1993, 'Abdullah became a full colonel and named deputy commander of Jordan's Special Forces.  In June 1994, he was advanced to brigadier general and given command of Special Forces, in which capacity he continued until October 1997 when he was named commander of the Special Operations Command.  In May of 1998, he was promoted to the rank of major general.

In June of 1993, 'Abdullah married the Palestinian born Princess Rania (Rania al-Yasin).  As of 2008, they had four children, Prince Hussein, born on June 28, 1994; Princess Iman, born on September 27, 1996; Princess Salma, born on September 26, 2000; and Prince Hashem, born on January 30, 2005.  

On January 25, 1999, 'Abdullah was announced as the new crown prince, replacing his uncle, Hassan.  Essentially, 'Abdullah was named crown prince less than two weeks before the death of his father.  'Abdullah's ascension to the throne was a surprise.  In the final months of King Hussein's life, he had entrusted power to his brother, Crown Prince Hassan, heir apparent to the Jordanian throne.  Less than two weeks before his death, some feuding within the royal family angered Hussein and caused him to announce that 'Abdullah was now next in line for the throne.  It was an announcement that shocked and worried many in Jordan.  'Abdullah, Hussein's eldest son by his second wife, Princess Mona, was known as a competent military leader, serving as a major general in charge of Jordan's elite Special Forces.  However, he had no experience in handling affairs of state, particularly worrisome in a country that required delicate diplomatic maneuvering just to maintain a fragile state of peace with its neighbors.

Throughout his adult life before being reinstated as the crown prince, 'Abdullah was a career soldier.  As a career officer in the Jordanian army, 'Abdullah attained the rank of major general.  Until the time of his being declared crown prince, he served as the commander of the Special Forces of Jordan.  The Special Forces was central in controlling internal order in Jordan, and, during 'Abdullah’s tenure with them, they were in action no later than 1998.  

'Abdullah was among a handful of younger Western-educated, technology-oriented Arab leaders to come to power in the late 1990s.  In the first month of his reign, the Jordanian king reshuffled his cabinet, appointing ministers known for backing market reforms and Southwest Asian peace efforts.  He sought aid and debt reduction among wealthy nations, including the United Kingdom and the United States.   

'Abdullah ushered in his reign speaking of democracy, governmental efficiency, globalization, and technology.  He was one of several young "Internet Kings" who emerged in the Arab world at the turn of the twenty-first century.  His habit of making unannounced inspection visits to government offices around the country, dressed as an ordinary citizen, demonstrated his zeal in improving bureaucratic efficiency, as did his interest in "e-government."  'Abdullah's "Jordan First" (al-Urdunn Awwatan) campaign also seemed to signal his attempt at promoting a unitary Jordanian national agenda.  Although his father also spoke of the "one Jordanian" family, he also promoted a more personalized Hashimite rule than 'Abdullah.

'Abdullah escalated Jordan's traditional pro-Western orientation by identifying strongly with the United States and its regional policies.  His embrace of globalization and his support of President George W. Bush's war on terrorism, including the permission 'Abdullah gave for United States forces to be based in Jordan during the 2003 United States invasion of Iraq, was a departure from his father's subtler policies.  Like his father, however, 'Abdullah became a mediator in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian dispute, and hosted a summit in Aqaba in 2003 that brought together Bush, Palestinian Authority prime minister Mahmud Abbas, and Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon.

Abdullah al-Baradouni

Abdullah al-Baradouni (1929–1999) was a Yemeni writer and poet. He published 12 poetry books as well as six other books on such topics as politics, folklore, and literature. He is considered Yemen's most famous poet.

Al-Baradouni was born in Zarajat Baradoun in Dhamar, Yemen. He contracted small pox at the age of five, leading him to lose his eyesight completely by the age of six.

Al-Baradouni began school in his village at the age of seven, and two years later moved to Dhamar city where he enrolled at the Shamsia School. When he was 13 years old, he simultaneously started reading old poetry and writing his own.

As an adolescent, al-Baradouni satirized the Imamate in some of his poems which he circulated in secret, and in 1948 was arrested and thrown into prison for nine months. Al-Baradouni moved to Sana’a before he was 20, after his release. He studied in its Grand Mosque, then moved to Dar al-Ulum at the beginning of 1940 to study poetry and language.

Al-Baradouni graduated from Dar al-Ulum with distinction and with a certificate in Islamic law and Arabic language sciences. After graduation, he became a teacher at Dar al-Ulum.

From 1954 to 1956, al-Baradouni practiced law, specializing in arguing the cases of divorced women, earning himself the name “the divorcees’ lawyer.”

After the 1962 revolution, al-Baradouni began working for Sana’a Radio, where he became manager in 1969 and, later, head of the programs until 1980.

Al-Baradouni continued preparing a rich literature program called “Magazine of Thought and Literature” each week until his death in 1999.

Al-Baradouni worked as supervisor for the army magazine from 1969 until 1975 and had a weekly article entitled “Thought and Literature Issues” and a weekly article in Al-Thawra newspaper entitled “Cultural Issues.”

Al-Baradouni was one of the first people to call for the creation of the Union for Yemeni Authors and Men of Letters, and was voted in as its first chairman.

Al-Baradouni was a prolific writer and published 12 volumes of poetry. Among these were: From the Land of ShebaOn the Path of DawnThe City of TomorrowJourney to the Green DaysSmokey Faces in Night MirrorsThe Quality of TimeCreatures of the Second NostalgiaThe Fluidity of LightAnswer to the Ages, and The Return of Wiseman Ben Zaid.

Al- Baradouni also authored a number of books and studies, including: A Journey in Modern and Ancient Yemen PoetryPopular Culture in YemenYemeni Experience and SayingsCulture and the Yemeni Revolution, and From the First Poem to the Last Bullet: A Poetic Study of Zubairi Poetry and his Life.

Al- Baradouni was not only a prominent poet, but a distinguished intellectual in local and Arab cultural affairs. He was also a link between modernity and Arab heritage. His writings were a profound analysis of the realities of Arab life, with all its triumphs, advances, and defeats.
On August 30, 1999, during his last journey to Jordan for medical treatment for various aliments, his heart stopped beating. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest Arab poets of the twentieth century.


Alternative names include:

Abdullah al-Baradoni
Abdullah al-Baradouni
Al-Baradoni, Abdullah
Al-Baradouni, Abdullah
Baradoni, Abdullah al-
Baradouni, Abdullah al-

'Abdullah ibn al-Hussein see 'Abdullah II

Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Abdullah, also spelled ʿAbd Allāh, in full Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud or Abdullah ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz    (b. c. 1923— d. January 23, 2015, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), was king of Saudi Arabia from 2005 to 2015. As crown prince (1982–2005), he served as the country’s de facto ruler following the 1995 stroke of his half brother King Fahd (r. 1982–2005).  Abdullah was one of King ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Sa'ud's 37 sons. For his support of Crown Prince Faysal (1964–75) during Fayṣal’s power struggle with King Sa'ud (1953–64), Abdullah was rewarded in 1962 with command of the Saudi National Guard. In 1975 King Khalid (1975–82), Fayṣal’s successor, appointed him deputy prime minister and, in 1982, King Fahd appointed him crown prince and first deputy prime minister. In 1995, Fahd suffered a debilitating stroke, and Abdullah briefly served as regent the following year. Although Fahd subsequently returned to power, Abdullah ran the daily affairs of the country and became king after Fahd died in 2005.

Abdullah was committed to preserving Arab interests, but he also sought to maintain strong ties with the West, especially with the United States. In 2001, relations between the two countries grew strained over Saudi claims that the United States government was not evenhanded in its approach to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The situation worsened later in the year, following the September 11 attacks against the United States and the subsequent revelation that most of the attackers were Saudi nationals. Abdullah condemned the attacks and, in a move to improve relations, proposed a peace initiative that was adopted at the 2002 Arab summit meeting. The plan called upon Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories (the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and Golan Heights) and promised in return a full Arab normalization of relations with the Jewish country. Tensions between the United States and Saudi Arabia resurfaced, however, after Abdullah refused to support a United States-led attack on Iraq or to allow the use of Saudi military facilities for such an act.

On the domestic front, Abdullah introduced a program of moderate reform to address a number of challenges facing Saudi Arabia. The country’s continued reliance on oil revenue was of particular concern, and among the economic reforms he introduced were limited deregulation, foreign investment, and privatization. He originally sought to placate extreme Islamist voices—many of which sought to end the Saʿūdī dynasty’s rule—yet the spectre of anti-Saudi and anti-Western violence within the country’s borders led him, for the first time, to order the use of force by the security services against some extremists. At the same time, in 2005, Abdullah responded to demands for greater political inclusiveness by holding the country’s first municipal elections, based on adult male suffrage. Uncertainty surrounding succession in the kingdom was a further source of domestic concern, and late the following year Abdullah issued a new law refining the country’s succession policies. Among the changes was the establishment of an Allegiance Commission, a council of Saudi princes meant to participate in the selection of a crown prince—previously the task of the king alone—and to oversee a smooth transition of power.



In February 2009, Abdullah enacted a series of broad governmental changes, which affected areas such as the judiciary, armed forces, and various ministries. Notable among his decisions were the replacement of senior individuals within the judiciary and the religious police with more moderate candidates and the appointment of the country’s first female deputy minister, who was charged with overseeing girls’ education. Upon Abdullah's death in 2015, his half-brother Salman was appointed king.


'Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir
'Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir ('Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir Munshi) ('Abdullah bin Abdulkadir Munsyi) (1797-1854). Considered  to be the father of modern Malay literature.  'Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir was born in Malacca of mixed Arabic, South Indian and Malay parentage.  His father was a writer and language teacher.  'Abdullah grew up as a Malay and very early on became interested in languages and language teaching.  

'Abdullah translated and taught Malay in the service of the British.  While working in Melaka (Malacca) and Singapore, 'Abdullah was influenced by British government officials (including Thomas Stamford Raffles) and missionary employers.  'Abdullah became the secretary to Raffles in Malacca and Singapore and many of his ideas and interests came from this association.

Although they often follow the conventions of traditional Malay, 'Abdullah’s writings are marked by a realistic and individualistic prose style and articulate a view of the world greatly influenced by contemporary European notions of the self and of government.  His best known writings are the Voyage of 'Abdullah (Kesah Pelayaran 'Abdullah), which describes his journey up the east coast of the Malay Peninsula, and his autobiography, The Story of 'Abdullah (Hikayat 'Abdullah), a valuable account of events and personalities up to 1845.

'Abdullah’s best known work, the Hikayat 'Abdullah, is the first true autobiography in the Malay language. Hikayat 'Abdullah was completed in 1845.   Hikayat 'Abdullah is important for the historical material it contains -- particularly about the coming of British influence to Malacca and Singapore -- and also for the contemplative individuality it struck in Malay literature.

'Abdullah also wrote Kesah Pelayaran 'Abdullah.  Kesah Pelayaran 'Abdullah is a pleasant account of a journey up the relatively primitive eastern coast of Malaya in 1838.  

'Abdullah bin 'Abdul Kadir Munshi is the best known Malay writer of the nineteenth century.  He is regarded as both a traditionalist formally grounded in classical Malay language and literature and as an innovator.  His writings are the first which took account of the impact of western influences on Malaya.  'Abdullah’s style can be prolix and prosy but is usually vivid.  The quality of thought and observation as well as the writer’s curiosity about his surroundings made his prose works interesting reading.

'Abdullah died in Jeddah while on a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1854.


'Abdullah bin 'Abdul Kadir Munshi see 'Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir
Father of modern Malay literature see 'Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir
'Abdullah bin Abdulkadir Munsyi see 'Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir
Munsyi, 'Abdullah bin Abdulkadir see 'Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir
Munshi, 'Abdullah bin 'Abdul Kadir see 'Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir


'Abdullah ibn Husein
'Abdullah ibn Husein ('Abdullah I) ('Abdullah bin al-Hussein) (1882-1951). King of Jordan (r.1946-1951).  The son of King Husein ibn 'Ali (1856-1931) and Abdiya bint 'Abdullah, 'Abdullah was born in Mecca but was educated in Istanbul, Turkey, where he became active in Arab circles.  From 1912 to 1914, 'Abdullah represented Mecca in the Ottoman legislature.  During World War I, however, 'Abdullah and his father sided with the Allies and, in 1916, 'Abdullah led an Arab revolt against the Ottomans, working with the British guerrilla leader T. E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia").  

When French forces captured Damascus at the Battle of Maysalun and expelled his brother Faisal, 'Abdullah moved his forces from Hijaz towards Syria to liberate Syria and dislodge the French from Damascus, where his brother had been proclaimed King in 1918.  Having heard of 'Abdullah's plans, Winston Churchill invited 'Abdullah to a famous "tea party" where he convinced 'Abdullah to stay put and not attack Britain's allies, the French.  Churchill told 'Abdullah that French forces were superior to his and that the British did not want any trouble with the French.  'Abdullah acquiesced and was rewarded when the British created a protectorate for him, which later became a state -- Transjordan.  

'Abdullah embarked on negotiations with the British to gain independence, resulting in the announcement of the Emirate of Transjordan's independence on May 25, 1923.  This date is Jordan's official independence day.  'Abdullah's brother Faisal became King of Iraq.   

Under British auspices, 'Abdullah became the nominal ruler -- the amir -- of the British mandate of Transjordan in 1921, and when the mandate ended in 1926, 'Abdullah proclaimed himself king, as the son of Amir (Husayn) Husein of Mecca (Arabia).  'Abdullah was effectively the ruler of Transjordan from 1921 to 1951.  

'Abdullah, alone among the Arab leaders of his generation, was a moderate with a modestly pro-Western outlook.  He would actually have signed a separate peace agreement with Israel, but for the Arab League's militant opposition.  Because of his dream for a Greater Syria comprising the borders of what was then Transjordan, Syria, Lebanon, and the British Mandate for Palestine under a Hashemite dynasty with "a throne in Damascus," many Arab countries distrusted 'Abdullah and saw him as both a threat to the independence of their countries and they also suspected him of being in league with the enemy.  In return, 'Abdullah distrusted the leaders of other Arab countries.  In 1946-1947, 'Abdullah had no intention to resist or impede the partition of Palestine and creation of a Jewish state.  

By 1948, the neighboring Arab states pressured 'Abdullah into joining them in an "all-Arab military intervention" against the newly created State of Israel, which he used to restore his prestige in the Arab world, which had grown suspicious of his relatively good relationship with Western and Jewish leaders.  'Abdullah's role in this war became substantial.  He saw himself as the supreme commander of the Arab forces and persuaded the Arab League to appoint him to this position.  However, 'Abdullah's forces under their British commander Glubb Pasha did not approach the area set aside for the new Israel, even though they did clash with the Yishuv forces around Jerusalem, intended to be the International Zone.

In May 1948, immediately after the creation of the nation of Israel, King 'Abdullah, pressured by other Arab countries, led his British-trained army against the new state, capturing a large area of its territory in the process.  After the armistice in 1949, Jordan -- as the kingdom was renamed -- retained control of this area, and today this area is well known as the “West Bank”.  In 1950, the West Bank was annexed to Jordan.  Violently opposed by Palestinian Arabs, who suspected him of collusion with Israel, 'Abdullah was assassinated by a Palestinian Arab on July 20, 1951.  

On July 20, 1951, 'Abdullah, while visiting the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, was shot dead by Mustapha Shukri Usho, a Palestinian from the Husseini clan.  On July 16, Riad Bey al-Solh, a former Prime Minister of Lebanon, had been assassinated in Amman, where rumors were circulating that Lebanon and Jordan were discussing a joint separate peace with Israel.  The assassin passed through apparently heavy security.  'Abdullah was in Jerusalem to give a eulogy at the funeral and for a prearranged meeting with Reuven Shiloah and Moshe Sasson.

'Abdullah was shot while attending Friday prayers at the Dome of the Rock in the company of his grandson, Prince Hussein.  The Palestinian gunman, motivated by fears that the old king would make a separate peace with Israel, fired three fatal bullets into the King's head and chest.  'Abdullah's grandson, Prince Hussein, was at his side and was hit too.  A medal that had been pinned to Hussein's chest at his grandfather's insistence deflected the bullet and saved his life.

The assassin was a 21 year old tailor's apprentice Mustafa Ashu.  Ten conspirators were accused of plotting the assassination and were brought to trial in Amman.  The prosecution named Colonel 'Abdullah Tell, ex-Military Governor of Jerusalem, and Musa 'Abdullah Husseini as the chief plotters of "the most bastardly crime Jordan ever witnessed."  The Jordanian prosecutor asserted that Colonel Tell had given instructions that the killer, made to act alone, be slain at once thereafter to shield the instigators of the crime.  Tell and Husseini fled to protection in Egypt and four local co-conspirators were sentenced to death in Amman.  Jerusalem sources added that Colonel Tell had been in close contact with the former "Grand Mufti of Jerusalem," Amin al-Husayni, and his adherents in Arab Palestine.

'Abdullah was succeeded by his son Talal.  However, since Talal was mentally ill, Talal's son Prince Hussein became the effective ruler as King Hussein at the age of seventeen.

'Abdullah married three times.  In 1904, he married his first wife Musbah bint Nasser (1884 - March 15, 1961) at Stinia Palace, Istanbul, Turkey.  She was the daughter of Emir Nasser Pasha and his wife Dilber Khanum.  They had three children: Princess Haya (1907-1990); King Talal I (February 26, 1909 - July 7, 1972); and Princess Munira (1915 -1987).  

In 1913, 'Abdullah married his second wife Suzdil Khanum (d. August 16, 1968), at Istanbul.  They had two children: Prince Naif (November 14, 1914 - October 12, 1983), a colonel in the Royal Jordanian Land Force who was the regent for his older half-brother Talal from July 20 to September 3, 1951, and Princess Maqbula (February 6, 1921 - January 1, 2001).  

In 1949, 'Abdullah married his third wife Nahda bint Uman, a lady from Sudan, in Amman.  They had no children.
'Abdullah I see 'Abdullah ibn Husein
'Abdullah bin al-Hussein see 'Abdullah ibn Husein
'Abdullah the Founder see 'Abdullah ibn Husein


‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad
‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad (d.1829).  Leader of the Fula Islamic revolution in Hausaland (Nigeria).  He was the younger brother of ‘Uthman dan Fodio, the founder of the Fula empire of Nigeria.  He traveled with ‘Uthman on most of his missionary journeys in the Hausa states of Gobir and Zamfara before the declaration of jihad (holy war).  In 1804, when the jihad began against the Hausa, ‘Abdullah became one of ‘Uthman’s military advisers and commanders, ‘Uthman having little prowess in military matters.  In 1812, ‘Uthman, his conquests virtually completed, divided the empire between his son, Muhammad Bello, and ‘Abdullah.  ‘Abdullah ruled his portion from Gwandu.  ‘Uthman himself retired to pursue his scholarship.

When, in 1817, ‘Uthman died without proclaiming his successor, ‘Abdullah was away from the capital, Sokoto.  He hurried back to contest for leadership, to find that Muhammad Bello’s supporters barred his entrance to the city.  Muhammad Bello assumed leadership without violence and the two men were eventually reconciled when Muhammad Bello helped 'Abdullah put down a revolt in the part of the caliphate he still controlled (around 1820).

Afterwards ‘Abdullah went into semi-retirement to devote himself to study and writing, leaving the conduct of affairs to his own son and nephew.  Like ‘Uthman and Muhammad, he was a prolific poet and author, writing in Arabic, Fula and Hausa.  One of his works was a biography of ‘Uthman.  After his death, the caliphate was consolidated under Muhammad Bello. 


'Abdullah, Muhammad
'Abdullah, Muhammad (Muhammad 'Abdullah) (Mohammad 'Abdullah) (December 5, 1905 - September 8, 1982).  One of the most complex political figures of modern India, Shaikh 'Abdullah spent much of his life in office or in prison, under house arrest or residing outside his province in Kashmir.  Born into a family of shawl merchants, he was educated at Islamia College in Lahore and Aligarh Muslim University, where he earned a master of science degree in physics in 1930.  The following year, he began his political career and was arrested for the first time.  While he campaigned to oust the Hindu maharaja of Kashmir, he did not support an accession to Pakistan and was a signatory of the Indian constitution.  Although once arrested on suspicion of having dealings with Pakistan, he was also believed to support a completely independent Kashmir.  Both Muslim and non-Muslim Kashmiris revered him and called him the Lion of Kashmir.  At his death, he was serving as chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

Muhammad 'Abdullah was born to a merchant family in Soura a few miles outside the capital city of Srinagar, Kashmir, on December 5, 1905, 'Abdullah was orphaned in childhood.  He graduated from Jammu's Prince of Wales College and Islamia College in Lahore, Pakistan.  It was at this time that he first developed an interest in political reform.  Working his way through school, he completed a graduate degree in physics from Aligarh Muslim University at age 25 and became a high school science teacher.  In 1933, he married Begum Akbar Jehan, daughter of a wealthy European businessman in Gulmarj.  'Abdullah and his wife would later raise two daughters and three sons.

To preserve Muslim rights, 'Abdullah first came to the political fore by defying the autocratic Maharaja of Kashmir, spokesman for India's Hindu majority.  In 1931, 'Abdullah joined with high priest Mirwaiz Maulvi Yusuf Shah against the tyrannical Maharaja, but abandoned the Maulvi upon learning that he regularly accepted bribes from India.  The disclosure of corruption caused 'Abdullah to reject the communal politics of the Muslim Conference.  From that point on, he supported the rights of all people over the rule of a single religious group.

As punishment for advocating a secular state, 'Abdullah was transferred to a teaching post at Muzzafarabad.  He resigned his classroom position and, on May 19, 1946, received the first of nine prison sentences.  His family left a comfortable hom to live in meager rented rooms in Srinagar while Begum Jehan led her husband's party.  Upon completion of a nine-year sentence, he established the Ali Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference, later called the National Conference of Kashmir to acknowledge a coalition of Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs.  This group pressed for home rule and the creation of a democracy in Kashmir.

When Great Britain restored Indian home rule, 'Abdullah supported Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the pacifist Mohandas K. Gandhi of the Indian National Congress.  During the partitioning of India and Pakistan into separate Hindu and Muslim states, 'Abdullah gained control of Kashmir in a 1947 coup.  However, he opposed siding with Muslim Pakistan in favor of secular autonomy.  Initially, Kashmiris received economic safeguards and recognition as a unique nation and culture while avoiding the bloodshed of territorial wars that raged around them.

'Abdullah summarized much of the passion and intrigue of this period of unrest in his autobiography, Aatish-e-Chinar (The Fire of Chinar Trees).  He recounted the failed attempts of Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, to win Kashmir to Pakistan's pro-Muslim cause.  The distancing of the two men was largely a result of perceived character flaws in Jinnah.  Jinnah ruined his chances for a coalition with 'Abdullah by maligning Maulvi Mirwaiz Yusu Shah and by discounting the will of the Kashmiri people.

As Kashmir's prime minister and delegate to the United Nations in 1948, 'Abdullah stirred citizens and outsiders alike with patriotic oratory.  Concerning the nation's constitution, enacted in 1944, he reminded Kashmiris that their assembly was "the fountain-head of basic laws laying the foundation of a just social order and safeguarding the democratic rights of all the citizens of the State."  He championed free speech, a free press, and a higher standard of living for the poor.  At the core of his speech lay his belief in "equality of rights of all citizens irrespective of their religion, color, caste, and class."

Placing three choices before the nation -- yield to India, yield to Pakistan, or remain independent -- 'Abdullah maintained moderation until 1953, when India accused him of sedition and formally charged him with illegally seeking Kashmir's independence.  Stripped of power and imprisoned once more by the Maharaja for demanding the national rights that India guaranteed in 1947, 'Abdullah remained adamantly opposed to an alliance with India during 11 years of house arrest.  His family was turned out into the streets and refused shelter even by relatives.  'Abdullah's enemies twice assaulted his wife, who, in her husband's absence, took charge of the party mascot and flag.

Against raids on Kashmir by the Pakistani army, 'Abdullah organized a home guard of mostly unarmed volunteer to defend the area from rape, arson, and pillage.  This militia had to remain vigilant to threats of sabotage to bridges and intervention in supplies of gasoline, salt, and currency, which had to pass through Pakistan from India.  While the nation was in grave danger, 'Abdullah dispatched Farooq, his son and political heir, to safety in London.

Caught between two hostile nations, 'Abdullah had little choice but accept the Maharaja's demand that Kashmir yield to India, which was ostensibly a more tolerant state than Pakistan.  On October 27, Lord Louis Mountbatten, governor-general of India, accepted the nation's capitulation and dispatched troops from the Indian Army to halt Pakistani insurgents.  Allama Iqbal, Pakistan's philosopher-poet, praised 'Abdullah for eliminating "the fear of the tyrant from the hearts of the people of Kashmir."  Of his courage, Ayub Khan, president of Pakistan, declared, "Sheikh 'Abdullah is a lion-hearted leader."  Ayub Khan's phrase popularized 'Abdullah's nickname, "Lion of Kashmir."

In 1964, Nehru granted 'Abdullah's freedom.  He returned to solid public support and a more positive atmosphere for guaranteeing Kashmiri autonomy constitutionally under Article 370 of Indian law.  In 1968, he won the heart of devout Muslims by remodeling the Hazratbal Mosque, the seventeenth century repository of the Moi-e-Muqqadus, a sacred hair of the prophet Muhammad, for display on holy days.  The nation's prime Muslim shrine Dal Lake in Srinagar, it took shape in marble under the leadership of the Muslim Auqaf Trust, chaired by 'Abdullah, and reached completion in 1979.

To shore up international goodwill, 'Abdullah toured Algeria and Pakistan.  His position shifted once more as the public began doubting his loyalty during the uncertainty of the political climate on the Indian subcontinent.  In 1953, the deterioration of relations with India caused him to demand an end to Kashmir's subservience.  He returned to a benign house arrest until 1968, when he headed the Plebiscite Front, a political movement seeking a nationwide vote on independence.  After the party failed to gain enough popular support to override the Congress Party in 1972, 'Abdullah moderated his stance on self-determination for Kashmir.

After Syed Mir Qasim and the Congress party relinquished power on February 24, 1975, 'Abdullah became Kashmir's chief minister.  He gained support of the State Congress Legislative Party for the formation of a new government led by deputy chief minister Mirza Afzel Beg and under-ministers Sonam Narboo and D. D. Thakur.  In talks with India's prime minister Indira Gandhi, 'Abdullah moved beyond their differences of opinion to negotiate more independence for Kashmir.  On March 13, 1975, Parliament approved the Indira-'Abdullah Accord, granting partial autonomy to Kashmir.  To implement the transition to a new constitutional status, he appointed a four-member coordination committee on October 13.

'Abdullah's political position seemed certain after his election as president of the National Conference on April 13, 1976, and the first cabinet session at Doda on December 8.  He initiated a youth wing of the ruling National Conference, led by his son Farooq.  By the following March 25, 'Abdullah's followers lost sympathy during investigations of corruption and the dissolution of the state assembly.  Under a local governor, on July 8, 'Abdullah once more reconstructed the machinery of home rule.  Refusing confrontational politics, he maintained his popularity as a critic of the dynastic control of Kashmir.  In a show of honest dealings with the people, in September 25, 1978, he demanded the resignation of his former deputy chief minister Mirza Afzal Beg and oversaw his expulsion from the National Conference.

In 1981, when the Begum Jehan refused to replace her ailing husband, 'Abdullah engineered the rise of surgeon Farooq 'Abdullah, the son whom he had educated in diplomacy by taking him along during his boyhood on state missions to Pakistan.  'Abdullah publicly declared Farooq's succession to the leadership of moderate Kashmiris.  Still highly visible after Farooq 'Abdullah was elected head of the National Conference on March 1, Mohammad 'Abdullah dedicated the Tawi Bridge on August 26, only three weeks before his death from an acute illness in Srinagar on September 8, 1982.  At his funeral, over a million mourners paid their respects to the loyal statesman.  His son replaced him as chief minister and pledged to continue the fight for religious tolerance and an independent Kashmir.  

Muhammad 'Abdullah see 'Abdullah, Muhammad
Lion of Kashmir see 'Abdullah, Muhammad
Mohammad 'Abdullah see 'Abdullah, Muhammad


'Abdul Latif
'Abdul Latif (1828-1893).  Muslim intellectual figure in Calcutta in the nineteenth century, a period when Muslims lagged well behind Hindus in education.  He was an educator, author and later prime minister of the princely state of Bhopal in central India from 1885 to 1886.  'Abdul Latif was born in Faridpur District and studied in Calcutta.  He taught for some time and then was appointed a deputy magistrate in 1849.  He served in a number of positions, including presidency magistrate, before retiring in 1887.  'Abdul Latif was a member of the Bengal Legislative Council from 1862 to 1864 and from 1870 to 1874.  He was the founder of the Mohammadan Literary and Scientific Society in 1863, the goal of which was the education of Muslims and the dissemination of Western knowledge.  'Abdul Latif worked with Syed Ahmed Khan in the founding of the Muslim Anglo-Oriental College (now Aligarh Muslim University) and agreed with Syed that Muslims would fare best under British rule in the face of the large Hindu majority in India.  He was also a founder of the Central Mohammedan Association.
Latif see 'Abdul Latif


'Abdulmejid I
'Abdulmejid I ('Abdulmecid I) (April 23, 1823 - June 25, 1861).  Ottoman sultan (r.1839-1861).  During his reign, the Crimean War (1853-1856) and a whole series of troubles and insurrections in various regions of the Empire took place.  He is known for his legislative work and for important reforms in administration, army, education and coinage.  

'Abdulmejid I was the 31st sultan of the Ottoman Empire and succeeded his father Mahmud II on July 2, 1839.  His reign was notable for the rise of nationalist movements within the empire's territories.  'Abdulmejid wanted to encourage Ottomanism among the secessionist subject nations and stop the rise of nationalist movements within the empire, but failed to succeed despite trying to integrate non-Muslims and non-Turks more thoroughly into the Ottoman society with new laws and reforms.  He tried to forge alliances with the major powers of Western Europe, namely the United Kingdom and France, who fought alongside the Ottoman Empire during the Crimean War against Russia.  In the following Congress of Paris on March 30, 1856, the Ottoman Empire was officially included among the European family of nations.  'Abdulmejid's biggest achievement was the announcement and application of the Tanzimat (Reorganization) reforms which were prepared by his father Mahmud II and effectively started the modernization of Turkey in 1839.

'Abdulmejid received a European education and was a fluent speaker of the French language while being interested in literature and classical music like 'Abdulaziz who succeeded him.  He was an advocate of reforms like his father Mahmud II, and was lucky enough to have the support of progressionist viziers like Mustafa Resit Pasha, Mehmet Emin Ali Pasa and Fuat Pasha.  Throughout his reign he had to struggle against conservatives who opposed his reforms.  'Abdulmejid was also the first emperor to personally listen to the public's complaints in special reception days, usually every Friday, without any middlemen.  'Abdulmejid toured the empire's territories to see in first person how the Tanzimat reforms were being applied, travelling to Ismit, Mudanya, Bursa, Gallipoli, Canakkale, Lemnos, Lesbos and Chios in 1844.  He toured the Balkan provinces in 1846.

When 'Abdulmejid succeeded to the throne, the affairs of the Ottoman Empire were in an extremely critical state.  At the very time his father died, the news was on its way to Istanbul that the empire's army had been defeated at Nizip by that of the rebel Egyptian viceroy, Muhammad Ali (Mehmet Ali).  The empire's fleet was at the same time on its way to Alexandria, where it was handed over to the same enemy by its commander Ahmed Fevzi Pasha, on the pretext that the young sultan's advisers were sold to Russia.  However, through the intervention of the European powers, Muhammad Ali was obliged to come to terms, and the Ottoman Empire was saved from further attacks while its territories in Syria, Lebanon and Palestine were restored.

In compliance with his father's express instructions, 'Abdulmejid immediately carried out the reforms to which Mahmud II had devoted himself.  In November 1839, an edict known as the Hatt-i Serif of Gulhane, also known as Tanzimat Fermani was proclaimed, consolidating and enforcing these reforms.  The edict was supplemented at the close of the Crimean War by a similar statute issued in February 1856, named the Hatt-i Humayun.  By these enactments it was provided that all classes of the sultan's subjects should have security for their lives and property; that taxes should be fairly imposed and justice impartially administered; and that all should have full religious liberty and equal civil rights.  The scheme met with keen opposition from the Muslim governing classes and the ulema, or religious authorities, and was but partially put in force, especially in the remoter parts of the empire; and more that one conspiracy was formed against the sultan's life on account of it.

The most important measures of reform promoted by 'Abdulmejid were (1) introduction of the first Ottoman paper banknotes (in 1840); (2) reorganization of the army (1843-44); (3) adoption of an Ottoman national anthem and Ottoman national flag (1844); (4) reorganization of the finance system according to the French model; (5) reorganization of the Civil and Criminal Code according to the French model; (6) establishment of the Meclis-i Maarif-i Umumiye (1845) which was the prototype of the First Ottoman Parliament (1876); (7) institution of a council of public instruction (1846); (8) establishment of the first modern universities and academies (1848); (9) abolition of an unfairly imposed capitation tax which imposed higher tariffs on non-Muslims (1856); (10) non-Muslims were allowed to become soldiers (1856); and (11) various provisions for the better administration of the public service and for the advancement of commerce.

Another notable reform was that the turban was officially outlawed for the first time during 'Abdulmejid's reign, in favor of the fez.  European fashions were also adopted in full swing by the Court.  (Note that the fez itself would later be banned with the "Hat Law" in 1925 by the Republican National Assembly which had already abolished the sultanate and proclaimed the Turkish Republic in 1923.  

Samuel Morse received his first ever patent for the telegraph in 1847, at the old Beylerbeyi Palace (the present Beylerbeyi Palace was built in 1861-1865 on the same location) in Istanbul, which was issued by Sultan 'Abdulmejid who personally tested the new invention.

When Kossuth and others sought refuge in Turkey after the failure of the Hungarian rising in 1849, the sultan was called on by Austria and Russia to surrender them, but he refused.  He also would not allow the conspirators against his own life to be put to death.  Commentators have observed that 'Abdulmejid bore the character of being a kind and honorable man, although somewhat weak and easliy led.  However, tragically, he was prone to excessive extravagance, especially towards the end of his life.

Due to 'Abdulmejid's extravagances, the Ottoman Empire began to go into debt.  The Empire took its first foreign loans on August 25, 1854 during the Crimean War.  This major foreign loan was followed by those of 1855, 1858 and 1860, which culminated in default and led to the alienation of European sympathy from Turkey and indirectly to the dethronement and death of 'Abdulmejid's successor, 'Abdulaziz, in the following years.

'Abdulmejid died of tuberculosis (like his father Mahmud II) at the age of 39 on June 25, 1861, and was succeeded by his brother, 'Abdulaziz, the oldest survivor of the family of Osman.  He left several sons, of whom four, Murad V, 'Abdulhamid II, Mehmet V, and Mehmet VI, eventually succeeded to the throne.

One historical footnote concerning 'Abdulmejid concerns the Irish Famine.   A popular tale says that, in 1845, the onset of the Great Irish Famine resulted in over 1,000,000 deaths.  'Abdulmejid declared his intention to send 10,000 sterling to Irish farmers.  However, Queen Victoria requested that the Sultan send only 1,000 sterling, because she had sent only 2,000 sterling.  The Sultan sent the 1,000 sterling but also secretly sent three ships full of food.  The English courts tried to block the ships, but the food arrived at Drogheda harbor and was left there by the Ottoman sailors.  For this act of charity, the Irish people, especially those in Drogheda, became friendly to the Turks.  Indeed, this event and subsequent affinity for the Turks led to the appearance of Ottoman symbols on Drogheda's coat of arms.

'Abdulmecid I see 'Abdulmejid I


'Abdulmejid II
'Abdulmejid II ('Abdulmecid II) (May 29, 1868 - August 23, 1944).  Ottoman sultan (r. November 19, 1922 - March 3, 1924).  After the sultanate had been abolished on November 1, 1922, 'Abdulmejid II was elected caliph on November 18.  On October 29, 1923, however, the Republic was proclaimed and, on March 3, 1924, the caliphate was abolished.  Thereafter, 'Abdulmejid II left Istanbul.  He died in Paris, France.

On May 29, 1868, he was born at Dolmabahce Palace of Istanbul to then Sultan 'Abdulaziz.  He was educated privately.  On July 4, 1918, his first cousin Mehmed VI became Sultan and 'Abdulmejid II was named Crown Prince.  Following the deposition of his cousin on November 1, 1922, the Sultanate ws abolished.  However, on November 19, 1922, the Crown Prince was elected Caliph by the Turkish National Assembly at Ankara.  He established himself in Istanbul, on November 24, 1922.  On March 3, 1924, he was deposed and expelled from the shores of Turkey with the rest of his family.  

'Abdulmejid II was given the title of General of Ottoman Army and served as Chairman of the Ottoman's Artist's Society.  He is considered as one of the most important painters of late period Ottoman art. His paintings of the Harem, showing a modern musical gathering, and of a woman reading Goethe's Faust were displayed at an exhibition of Ottoman paintings in Vienna in1918.  his personal self-portrait can be seen at Istanbul Modern.  

On December 23, 1896, he was married for the first time at the Ortakoy Palace to Shahsuvar Bash Kadin Effendi (May 2, 1881 - 1945).  They had a son, Prince Shehzade Omer Faruk Effendi (February 27, 1898 - March 28, 1969).  On June 18, 1902, he was married for the second time at the Ortakoy Palace to Hair un-nisa Kadin Effendi (March 2, 1876 - September 3, 1936).  They had a daughter, Princess Hadice Hayriye Ayshe Durruhsehvar (January 26, 1914 - February 7, 2006) who was married to Azam Jah, son of the last Nizam of Hyderabad.  On April 16, 1912, he was married for the third time at Camlica Palace to Atiya Mihisti Kadin Effendi (January 27, 1891 - 1964).  She was the sister of Kamil Bey.  On March 21, 1921, he was married for the fourth time at Camlica Palace to Bihruz Kadin Effendi (b. May 24, 1903).  

On August 23, 1944, 'Abdulmejid II passed away at his house in the Boulevard Suchet, Paris XVIe, France.  He was buried at Medina, Saudi Arabia.
Abdulmecid II see 'Abdulmejid II


'Abdul Muis
'Abdul Muis (July 3, 1883 - June 17, 1959). Writer, editor, political activist, and influential figure among the early Indonesian nationalist intelligentsia.  Strongly opposed to communism and a leader of the Muslim party Sarekat Islam, Muis was elected in 1920 to the Volksraad, one of Holland’s modest concessions to Indonesian nationalism.  In 1922, he was arrested for labor agitation and confined to Java.  His political influence then waned, but he later wrote several novels and translated Tom Sawyer and Don Quixote into Indonesian.  Muis’s best remembered book is Salah Asuhan (Wrong Upbringing), his 1928 tragedy about the failure of a racially mixed marriage and the painful social and intellectual dilemmas confronting Western educated Indonesians coming of age in a modern colonial society.

Born on the Sungai Puar in West Sumatra, Muis studied medicine in Jakarta for three years before being forced to pull out due to illness.  Muis first found employment in the civil service.  He later switched to journalism, becoming known for his inflammatory articles, which were highly critical of Dutch involvement in Indonesia.  

Hoping to take a more practical role in the political struggle, Muis joined the nationalist movement Sarekat Islam ("Islamic Union").  He became an active member of the organization, and was promoted to its executive board.  He argued that, if peaceful measures proved insufficient in securing Indonesian independence, the Union should be prepared to use violence against the Dutch administration.

Attempting to appease the Union, the Dutch administration appointed Muis to the newly-created Volksraad ("People's Council").  As a member of the Council, Muis was theoretically empowered to advise the government.  However, the Volksraad was rarely heeded and widely seen as powerless, and Muis continued to fight through other means.  

Muis ran afoul of the Dutch administration many times.  Already arrested once, he led a protest strike in Yogyakarta in 1922, and was consequently arrested and confined to the city of Garut, in West Java.  He remained in West Java, and died in 1959, and was buried in Bandung.  

Muis is today seen as an important freedom fighter in Indonesia's history.  In many cities, he has a street or "Jalan" (road) named after him.
Muis, 'Abdul see 'Abdul Muis


'Abdul Qadir
'Abdul Qadir See 'Abd al-Qadir.


'Abdul Qadir
'Abdul Qadir.  Parchami member of the PDPA (People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan).  Born in 1944 to a Tajik family in Herat Province, he went to military school and attended pilot training and staff college in the Soviet Union. Commander of the Air Defense Forces in 1973, he supported Muhammad Daud in his coup against Zahir Shah.  'Abdul actively participated in the Saur Revolt and was head of the Revolutionary Council until a civilian government was formed under Nur Muhammad Taraki.  He became minister of Defense for three months in May 1978, but in August he was sentenced to death (commuted to 15 years) for plotting against the Khalqi regime.  Freed when Babrak Karmal came to power, he was restored to his party positions and served again as minister of Defense (September 1982-85).  In November 1985, he resigned from the Politburo for “reasons of health” and in November 1986 was appointed ambassador to Warsaw.  Recalled two years later and elected a lowly member of Parliament, he is said to have moved to Bulgaria in 1989 and sought asylum in Europe after the fall of the Marxist regime.  
Qadir, 'Abdul see 'Abdul Qadir.


'Abdul Quddus
'Abdul Quddus. Nephew of Amir Dost (Dust) Muhammad and a general who lived with Amir Abdul Rahman in exile in Bukhara and Samarkand.  Upon their return, he assisted the Amir in extending his power over Afghanistan.  He captured Herat from Ayub Khan, son of Amir Shir 'Ali, in 1881 with a small force of 400 cavalry and 400 infantry soldiers and two machine guns, and during the period 1890 to 1893 he conquered the Hazarajat.  Amir Habib-ullah (Habib Allah) gave him the title Itimad-ud-Daula (“Confidence of the State”) and appointed him prime minister, in which position he was confirmed by King Amanullah (Aman Allah).  In the Third Anglo-Afghan War, 'Abdul Quddus commanded the Kandahar front.  A British officer characterized him as “A Tory of the most crusted type in politics, and an apostle of Afghanistan for the Afghans.”  His descendants who were prominent in Afghan government, adopted his title, Etemadi, as their family name.
Quddus see 'Abdul Quddus.
Etemadi see 'Abdul Quddus.
Itimad-ud-Daula see 'Abdul Quddus.
Confidence of the State see 'Abdul Quddus.


'Abdul Rahim
'Abdul Rahim (b. 1886).  Safi from Kuh Daman, north of Kabul (Afghanistan), who, from the age of 16, served in various military units and rose from the ranks to become general.  At the outbreak of the civil war in 1928, he espoused the cause of Habibullah Kalakani.  He captured Maimana and Herat for Habibullah and became governor of Herat.  Because 'Abdul Rahim had a powerful base in Herat, the Afghan king was unable to remove him from his post until 1934.  In June 1935, he was appointed minister of Public Works and subsequently served as deputy prime minister from 1938 to 1940.  He was imprisoned from 1946 to 1948 on suspicion of plotting against the government of Prime Minister Muhammad Hashim.  Abdul Rahim is the maternal uncle and father-in-law of Kahlilullah Khalili, the famous poet laureate.
Rahim, 'Abdul see 'Abdul Rahim

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