A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Z

Karim Aga Khan

Birth:1936

Death:

Spiritual leader and the 49th hereditary Imam of the Ismaili Muslims. Prince Karim, son of Prince Ali Khan, became Aga Khan, when he was 20-year old undergraduate at Harvard, on the death of his grandfather, Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan, in 1957. Prince Karim bypassed ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khumar Barabankvi

Birth:1919

Death:1999

Known as Khumar Barabankvi, he was India's ghazal poet par excellence and last of the Dagh Dehlavi and Amir Minai school of Urdu ghazal poetry. Born Ali Haider Khan he passed away in Lucknow.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Kofi Awoornor

Birth:1935

Death:

A Ghanaian poet, novelist and playwright. After being educated in America and having taught there during 1968-75, he wrote poems in his native language against the nefarious influence of Western education and culture. He returned to Ghana in 1975; arrested but pardoned in 1976 and become Ambassador ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khalid Baqdash

Birth:1912

Death:1995

The Syrian communist leader who remained the leader of the Communist party of Syria from 1932 to 1958. He was jailed in 1931 and 1932 by the French. He ousted Fuad ash Shamali from leadership of the Syrian Communist party in 1932. In 1935 he led the Syrian delegation of the ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khawaja Muhammad Baqi Billah

Birth:1564

Death:1603

A saint. His name was Raziuddin and was born in Kabul. Hazrat Mujaddid Alif Sani was his disciple.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Kamal Uddin Behzad

Birth:c1455

Death:c1536

The greatest Afghan painter. Behzad studied under Naqqash and became head of the Herat academy in 1486, a post he held till 1506. In 1506 Ismail Safwi conquered Herat and in 1522, his son Tahmasap brought Behzad to Tabriz, his capital. Behzad was made in charge of production of ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Kijai Haji Ahmad Dahlan

Birth:1868

Death:1923

The Indonesian founder of the Muhammadiya sect, an Islamic reform movement in Indonesia. After his Haj to Makkah in 1900, he became an active religious reformer. He founded Muhammadiyah In 1912, rejecting the four traditional schools of interpretation of Islamic law and returning to the precepts of ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khwaja Mir Dard

Birth:1720

Death:1785

An Urdu poet and a saint. He was a disciple of Shah Gulshan, Sa'd ullah. Besides his Diwans in Urdu and Persian he had written a treatise on Sufism called Risalawaridat.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Ki Hadjar Dewantara

Birth:1889

Death:1959

He was the founder of the Taman Siswa system of education, which promoted modernisation but also encouraged indigenous Indonesian culture. Dewantoro was also a member of Sarekat Islam (Islamic Association) and a founder of the socialist party. Dewantoro was exiled to the Netherlands for writing ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khwaja Banda Nawaz Gesudraz

Birth:1320

Death:1422

Sufi saint. His Miraj-ul-Ashiqin was considered the first Sufi treatise in Urdu prose.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khwaja Shamsuddin Muhammad Hafez

Birth:c1300

Death:1389

A famous Persian poet. Hafiz was a contemporary of Amir Taimur. Many zealot admirers of Hafiz insisted that by 'wine' he meant devotion, 'sleep' as meditation, `beauty' the perfection of the supreme being, and `mirth' and `inebriety' meant religious ardour. But this may be stretching ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khwaja Hasan Sajzi

Birth:

Death:1337

A contemporary of Amir Khusro and disciple of Khwaja Nizamuddin Aulia, whose Malfuzat he compiled in a book called Fawaed ul Fawad. Hasan was born in Delhi but was buried in Daulatabad.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Kamal Jumblat

Birth:1917

Death:1977

Druz leader of Lebanon.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

K'ab Bin Malik

Birth:

Death:673

A poet of Islam along with Hasan bin Sabit and Abdullah bin Rawaha who glorified the victories of Islam. He accepted Islam before the Hijra and took part in the battle of Badr and Uhad.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Kabir

Birth:1440

Death:1518

A celebrated Hindi poet. Kabir's poems which are still cherished in India, inculcated the purest morality, goodwill and hospitality towards all mankind and breathed so fine a spirit of toleration that both Hindus and Muslims contend for the honour of his being born in their ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Kamal El-din Hussein

Birth:1921

Death:1999

Soldier and politician. Kamal was one of the five-strong nucleus of the Free Officers' Movement in Egypt (1949-50). It was 'at a 1952 meeting in Kamal's house that the Free Officers re-elected Nasser as leader'. Kamal played the crucial role on the day of the coup ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Kamil Pasha

Birth:1823

Death:1913

Ottoman Grand Vizier for four times. He was also governor of Smyrna for twelve years.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Kara Mustafa Pasha

Birth:1634

Death:1683

Ottoman grand Vizier in 1676-83. Kara succeeded his brother-in-law as grand Vizier. He led campaigns against Russia, Poland and Austria, laid siege of Vienna in 1683 but was repulsed by the combined army of Austria and Poland. Kara was beheaded by Sultan's order in Belgrade.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Kara Osman Oglu Yaqub Qadri

Birth:1889

Death:1974

A Turkish modern writer. Kara was educated at Cairo and he came to Istanbul in 1908. He was active as a journalist during the Turkish war of independence in 1919-22. Kara's first collection of short stories was published in 1913, Hukum Gacesi in 1927 and Sodam Ve Gomor ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Karim Khan Zand

Birth:c1700

Death:1779

The history of Iran from the death of Nadir Shah till the elevation of Aqa Muhammad Qachar, presented no striking event except the adventures of Karim Khan Zand. The Taziyah (passion play) commemorating the tragedy of Karbala, evolved during his reign.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Karim Rashid

Birth:1960

Death:

Products designer. Karim is known as 'a sparkling, fully fledged industrial designer blessed with an indomitable passion for design and an inexhaustible curiosity for people, materials, shapes and techniques.' One time 'darling of New York design circles,' Karim was born in Cairo, raised ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Karamat Ali

Birth:

Death:1873

An Indian reformer. Karamat studied theology under Shah Abudl Aziz, and he became one of the most devoted followers of Syed Ahmad Brelvi who died in 1831. Karamat organised the Muslims of Bihar and Bengal for the revival of Islam. Karamat fought against the Hindu customs ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Kasir Ibn Imaduddin Ismail Ibn Umar

Birth:c1300

Death:1373

Arab historian. Ibn Kathir (also known as) studied Fiqh - Islamic jurisprudence, when he was only five year old. He is recognised as 'the Imam, scholar of jurisprudence, skilful scholar of Hadith, renowned Faqh and scholar of Tafsir who wrote several beneficial books.' Ibn ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin / Syed Basheeruddin

Kemal Ozturk

Birth:1969

Death:

Journalist. Kemal was given one year suspended imprisonment in Turkey for insulting Turkey's president in his satirical book, Bir Garip Oglanin Hikayesi (The story of a lonely boy) in 1994. He left Turkey, in November 1999, perhaps to escape imprisonment, after his highly successful and popular four-part ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Kemal Sunal

Birth:1944

Death:2000

Comic actor Kemal Sunal was Turkey's most popular comic actor who spoke for the dreams of his people. He gave significant messages as maligned or oppressed person to the society through humour and was adored by the Turkish people. Sunal starred in some long-running situation ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Keshaf Al Din Tirjumani

Birth:

Death:1938

A Qazi. Keshaf was sent as his country's spokesman of the mission, which visited Makkah and Istanbul in 1926, to gain the sympathy of the Islamic World for Soviet Union. Mufti Tirjumani was accused of acting as a spy for the Japanese and the Germans and, ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khaki

Birth:

Death:1953

Author. Khaki wrote Munaqib ul Arifin, containing the memories of three celebrated Sufi Shaikhs, namely Khawaja Bahauddin, Burhanuddin and Jalaluddin.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khalaf Salah Abu Iyad

Birth:1933

Death:1991

Founding member of the al Fatah faction of PLO and a Palestinian political activist. He was close to Yasser Arafat.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khalid Ibn Abdullah Al Qasri

Birth:

Death:743

The Governor of Iraq in 724 during the Ummaiyyad, caliphate and governor of Makkah in 710-715. During the reign of Walid ibn Yazid, Khalid was executed.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khalid Ibn Barmak

Birth:705

Death:782

First of the famous Barmacides, who was the Wazir of Saffah. He was the grandfather of Jafar, the Wazir of Hurun Rashid.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khalid Ibn Walid

Birth:592

Death:642

One of the greatest Muslim Generals, called The Sword of God. Khalid was largely responsible for the defeat of the Muslim at the battle of Uhad, but after accepting Islam in 629, he led the Muslims on many battles against the Kufars. He was the chief ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khalid Muhammad Khalid

Birth:1920

Death:1996

An Egyptian writer. Khalid was educated at Al-Azhar and authored about thirty books such as Muwatinum la ra'aya, Muhammad wa-al Masih, Aldawlah fi al-Islam etc.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz

Birth:1913

Death:1982

Saudi monarch The reigning monarch of Saudi Arabia from 1975 to 1982 King Khalid deployed the country's massive oil profits in a momentous building spree.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khalid Ziya

Birth:1866

Death:

Writer. Khalid Ziya was a leading writer of prose and fiction in modern Turkish literature. With poets Tewfiq, Fikret and Shahabuddiin, he was the principal founder of the modern Turkish literature. Khalid Ziya was born in Constantinople.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khaleda Zia

Birth:1944

Death:

Bangladesh's first woman prime minister. Until the assassination of her husband, the military dictator President Ziaur Rahman, in an abortive coup in 1981, Begum Khaleda Zia had taken little interest in either politics or public life. In 1983, when limited political activity was allowed under the rule ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khalil Bin Ishaq Bin Musa

Birth:

Death:1374

A great Maliki jurist of Egypt. Khalil's Mukhtasar, the manual of law, printed in Paris in 1855, is still studied in Algeria.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khalil Sultan

Birth:1384

Death:1411

Grandson of Timur. Khalil was the Sultan of Samarqand from 807 to 812. He had to fight the rebellions continuously during his short reign. In a treaty with Shah Rukh he renounced his sovereignty over Mawra-ul-Nahr and received Rayy in exchange, where he lived till his death.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khalil Ullah Khan

Birth:

Death:1662

A proverbial name in Urdu language He was the Khalil Khan of Urdu language after whose name the proverb Who Din Hawa Hoie jab Khalil Khan Fakhta urate the was coined and still widely used. Khalil was Governor of Delhi, during Shah Jahan's reign and ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khaliq Ahmad Nizami

Birth:1925

Death:1998

Modern India's foremost medievalist. Kahliq's career started in Aligarh Muslim University where he rose up to vice-chancellor in 1974 and where he died. He authored many books in Urdu and English and contributed to The Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edition. Khaliq was one of the founder ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Khansa Al Tumadir Bint Amr

Birth:

Death:642

Poetess. Khansa was one of the greatest Arab poetesses famous for her elegies. Her Diwan was edited and published with a French translation in 1889. She wrote elegies on the death of her two brothers.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khaqani Afzal Ud Din

Birth:c1106

Death:1190

A Persian poet famous for his Qaisdas. Afzal wrote poems under the name of Haqaiqi but changed it to Khaqani after entering the service of the ruler of Shirvan, the Khaqan Manuchehr, from whom he took his pen name. Afzal authored Masnawi (Tuhfat al Iraqayn, ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khardazba Ubaid Ullah Abul Qasim

Birth:826

Death:912

Author. Khardazba authored Al Masalik wa al Mamalik, a book of geography in Arabic that was translated by Degoeje, and published from Lyden in 1889. Khardazba was a native of Khurasan, but he lived in Baghdad.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khizr Khan

Birth:

Death:1421

A king of Delhi Khizr was the founder of Sayyad dynasty. Khizr, the son of Alauddin Khilji, fell in love with Dewal Devi, the daughter of the King of Gujarat, India. The history of their love was immortalised in a Persian Masnawi written by Amir ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khurdadbih Abul Qasim Ubaidullah Bin Ahmad

Birth:

Death:912

Author Qasim authored Kitab Adab us Sama, Kitab Jamhur Ansab ul Faras, containing the most celebrated genealogies of the Persians. Kitab al Masalik wal Mumalik, a book of geography and many others on different subjects. `The Geography book of Ibn Khurdaziba' is the only extant ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khushhal Khan Khatak

Birth:1613

Death:1688

The greatest Pashtu poet who gave Pashtu language its script.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khwaja Jahan Malik Sarwar

Birth:

Death:1400

The founder of the Sharqi dynasty of Jaunpur. Sultan Muhammad Shah, son of Firuz Shah Thuglaq, appointed him governor of Qanuj, Awodh, Kara and Jaunpur in 1394. He took advantage of the weakness of the Government and founded an independent kingdom at Jaunpur.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khwaja Kamaluddin

Birth:1870

Death:1932

Co-restorer of the Woking Mosque in Surrey outside London. Northern Europe's first purpose-built mosque, Shah Jahan Mosque, mirrors some of the complexities in the variable relationship that Britain and Muslim world have enjoyed in the same period. Shah Jahan Mosque in Woking, Surrey, was founded ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khwaja Masud

Birth:

Death:1131

The first poet who wrote in Hindustani of whom we have any account. He left three Diwans, in Persian, Arabic and in Hindustani.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khwaja Nizamuddin Hamad Bakhshi

Birth:1549

Death:1594

Author Khwaja Nizamuddin wrote Tabqat e Akbari, the book that was a source of information for Badauni and Farishta. His style of writing was objective. Nizamuddin's father came to India from Herat during Akbar's reign.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khwaju Kamaluddin

Birth:1281

Death:1343

Hafiz said though Saadi was the master of lyrical poetry, my verses were after the style of Khwaju.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Knud Holmboe

Birth:1902

Death:1931

A Danish journalist. Although there is no indication when he converted to Islam, perhaps it may have been among the gentle and hospitable villagers of Muslim Europe that he made his decision to enter the fold of Islam. In his classic of travel writing first ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Koprulu Fazil Ahmad Pasha

Birth:1635

Death:1676

The grand Vizier of Turkey from 1661 to 1676, under the Ottoman Sultan Muhammad IV. Before being called as the deputy grand Vizier, he was the governor of Damascus in 1660. During his campaigns in Europe he got help of the auxiliary forces of Moldavia, Walachia, Crimea, Transylvania ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Koprulu Muhammad Pasha

Birth:1574

Death:1661

Ottoman grand vizier during 1656-61. Muhammad Pasha defeated the Venetian Fleet in 1657 and established the supremacy of the Ottoman navy. After serving as Governor in different provinces, he had returned to Kopru, his father-in-law's seat, a small town in Anatolia. Hence his nickname was Koprulu. ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Korpulu Fazil Mustafa Pasha

Birth:1637

Death:1691

The grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire from 1689 to 1691. In 1690 Mustafa pasha liberated Belgrade from occupation, but he was killed in a battle in 1691 at Slankamen.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Kurshiah Burhanuddin

Birth:1912

Death:1999

Malaysia's first queen. Kurshiah was crowned after the nation became independent in 1957. Her prodigious charity work and her struggle to improve women's lives through 'Malaysian Islamic Women's Welfare Board which she established in 1961, to promote equal rights for women, made her more than a royal ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Khawaja Moinuddin Chisti

Birth:1141

Death:1236

One of the most outstanding figures in the annals of Islamic mysticism and founder of the Chistiyya order in India. Khawaja Moinuddin Chisti looms large in the history of Sufism whose dargah has attained pre-imminence in South Asia due to the legend and hagiography that ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khawaja Nizamuddin Ahmad

Birth:1551

Death:1621

Author of Tabqat Akbari, a history of India dedicated to emperor Akbar about the year 1593.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khawaja Nazimuddin

Birth:1894

Death:1964

The politician who gave up everything in favour of Pakistan. Khawaja Nazimuddin was an influential member of the Muslim League and a trusted man of Pakistan's founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He was the minister of Education 1929-34, home minister 1937-41 and Chief Minister 1937-41 in ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Syed Fazl Rab

Kazi Nazrul Islam

Birth:1899

Death:1976

The egalitarian poet of Bengal. A rare blend of quality poet and musician par excellence Kazi Nazrul Islam believed in gender equality and that 'art is for people'. He launched a vigorous assault on extremism and dogmatism. After the conquest of Bengal by the Muslims ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Kalim Siddiqui

Birth:1931

Death:1996

Muslim activist. Dr. Kalim Siddiqui was a Muslim leader in Britain who passionately argued the causes of Muslims living in Britain and abroad. He founded Muslim Institute in 1973 in London and he was also the main founder of the 'Muslim Parliament of Great Britain' in ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Iqbal Sidiqui

Khursheed Kamal Aziz

Birth:1927

Death:2009

Professor K. K. Aziz was a Pakistani historian specialising in the late Raj period and the Freedom Movement. He published over 30 books on the modern history of Muslims of the Indian sub-continent. He also wrote a moving biography of his father Shaikh Abdul Aziz (1884-1970) ...

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Compiled by:M A Sherif

Kaifi Azmi

Birth:1919

Death:2002

Urdu poet Kaifi Azmi was one of the last pillars of India's progressive Urdu poets. A towering figure of the movement that he represented and whose poetry championed the cause of down-trodden and oppressed, and a great believer of secular values. In 1943, Kaifi came to ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Kareem Abdul Jabbar

Birth:1947

Death:

American athlete known for his stamina and fitness. In addition to his signature sky hook and a legacy of winning at every level, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was known for his stamina and fitness. During a 20-year career that included six championships and six Most Valuable Player ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Kemal Sahin

Birth:1955

Death:

The T shirt Turk. In 1982, Kemal opened the doors to his new gift shop, after having earned a tough engineering degree on full scholarship, on a busy commercial street in Aachen, Germany. The only way he could stay in Germany was to go into his ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Kamal Pilavoglu

Birth:

Death:

Leader During the Second World War (1939-45) the leader of Tijani tariqa became openly active in Ankara. After the triumph of the Democratic party in 1950, the new government allowed the re-opening of Saints tombs. Kamal organised the destruction of the statues of Ataturk and in ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khairuddin

Birth:16th century

Death:

The Turkish architect of Sultan Bayazid II. Khairuddin best work was the Bayazid mosque in Constantinople built between 1501 and 1507. He was considered the real founder of the Ottoman architecture.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Khub Kamal Uddin Shistani

Birth:

Death:

The author of a mystical Masanwi in Gujrati composed in 1578.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Kerim Kerimov

Birth:1917

Death:2003

A shadowy scientist whose leading role shaped the Soviet space programme. Kerim, chairman of the Soviet Aeronautics Commission, had a leading role behind the Soviet space programme over several decades. He was one of the architects of the string of Soviet successes that stunned the ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Khaled Hadj Ibrahim

Birth:1960

Death:

Algerian teen-singer and rai star based in Paris. There have been few better teen-singers than Cheb ('young') Khaled, who made his first record in Algeria, aged 14. By the age of 17 Cheb Khaled had become a national star with five cassette albums to his name. By 1990, ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Khurshid Ahmad

Birth:1932

Death:

Academician, Islamic activist and a leading light of Pakistan's Jamaat Islami. Prof Khurshid Ahmad is unique in following the demanding vocations of politics and academic work and the holistic discipline of Islamic da'wah. A former federal minister of planning and development and deputy chairman of ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Kaleem Ajiz

Birth:1920s

Death:2015

A respected and renowned poet of Urdu. Dr Kaleem Ajiz who authored several books and classical ghazals has left an indelible mark in the Indian literary field. He did his doctorate from Patna University for his thesis on 'Evolution of Urdu Literature in Bihar' - ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Khalid Muhammad Ishaq

Birth:1926

Death:2004

Pakistan's noted jurist and the country's greatest bibliophile. Khalid resigned from his position as Advocate General, in 1964, after his disagreement with the government brief in a high profile political case, Jama'at-e-Islami Pakistan versus the Government of West Pakistan - the Jama'at had challenged the government ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Khuda Baksh Khan

Birth:1842

Death:1908

A notable bibliophile of India Khuda Baksh Khan was the founder of a 'Public library' at Patna, India, which is better known as Khuda Baksh Oriental Public Library. He acquired a passion of collecting rare Arabic and Persian manuscripts from his father who left him ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Kamila Tyabji

Birth:1918

Death:2004

A pioneering lawyer and campaigner who created jobs for India's poor. Kamila after practising law in London - a lucrative practice with a focus on insurance issues - for 25 years went home to India to set up the Women's India Trust (WIT), a charity providing ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Khalid

Birth:

Death:

He who introduced coffee to the world While tending his goats in the Kaffa region of southern Ethiopia, Khalid noticed his animals became livelier after eating a certain berry. He boiled the berries to make the first coffee. Certainly the first record of the drink ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Khalique Ibrahim Khalique

Birth:1926

Death:2006

Pakistan's filmmaker Khalique whose career began in Bombay moved to Karachi in 1953 and excelled as the pioneering documentary filmmaker of Pakistan. His films were exhibited world over including at Cannes, Paris, London, Berlin, Moscow, Leningrad (St Peter's Burg), New York and Beijing during the 1960s ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Khawaja Ghulam Ul Syedain

Birth:1904

Death:1971

Acclaimed academician. In the Indian field of academia Syedain is acclaimed for his contributions to education. He authored many books including 'Andhi Main Chiragh', 'Rooh-e-Tahzib', 'Osul-e-Taleem', 'Afkar-e-Syedain' and 'Mazameen-e-Syedain' in Urdu and 'Iqbal's Educational Philosophy' and 'Islam the Religion of Peace', in English. Syedain was ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Khaled Hosseini

Birth:1965

Death:

Kabul-born American novelist In his runaway best-seller Khaled's first novel, The Kite Runner, (2003), about a complex Middle Eastern culture, the book has become one of the publishing industry's greatest success stories. It has been published in 38 countries, translated into 42 languages, turned into an Oscar-nominated movie ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Khalil Al Zahawi

Birth:1946

Death:2007

Iraqi calligrapher Gunned down in front of his home in Baghdad al-Zahawi was widely known calligrapher in the Arab world as a master of the elegant art of writing classical Arabic script. He trained students from around the globe in the long, fluid lettering he ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Khalid Alig

Birth:1925

Death:2007

Pakistan's popular Urdu poet A committed leftist Khalid in 1960s worked for number Pakistan's newspapers. In 1973 he joined 'Masawaat' in Karachi. His only collection of poetry, titled 'Ghazaal-e-Dasht-e-Sagan' was published at the turn of the century. Immensely popular at home his poetry also struck a ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Khalid Al Dakhil

Birth:

Death:

Saudi academic Having spent his academic career focusing on issues of democracy and reform in Saudi Arabian politics, Dr. al-Dakhil's work has been on the need to redefine the history of the nation and, specifically, scritinise the role of Wahhabism as the root of clerical ...

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Compiled by:M Nauman Khan

Khwaja Ahmad Abbas

Birth:1914

Death:1987

Indian film director, novelist, screenwriter and journalist After completing his graduation and law, in 1934, from Aligarh Muslim University K A Abbas began his career as a journalist. While at the Bombay Chronicle (1935-1947), he started a weekly column called 'Last Page', which he continued when ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Khatir Ghaznavi

Birth:1925

Death:2008

Urdu poet and writer.

Click here for an audio clip of 'Har haqiqat ko' from a mushaira:

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Kamala Das

Birth:1934

Death:2009

Indian poet. A prominent Indian, poet, memoirist and short-story writer Kamala Das was known for her open discussion of women's sexual lives, a daring subject when she began publishing in mid-century. A prolific writer, Kamala Das composed most of her poetry in English. Most of ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Khalid Bin Mahfouz

Birth:1949

Death:2009

Saudi Banker The billionaire, Khalid bin Mahfouz, who paid $225m to settle charges of bank fraud in 1993 and later won a string of lawsuits in Britain against writers who had accused him of supporting terrorism typified Saudi Arabia's super wealthy. The magazine Arabian Business ranked ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Khan Muhammad

Birth:1928

Death:2009

Pakistani cricketer and coach A medium-fast-bowler Khan Muhammad helped greatly towards Pakistan's early success at Test level in the 1950s. He established a record as the quickest to take 50 wickets for Pakistan, in only 11 matches, a record that stood until the end of 1990. The newly ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Kutlug Ataman

Birth:1961

Death:

Turkish filmmaker and best-known artist. The artist who made his name with feature films - Serpent's Tale (1994), Lola and Bilidikid (1998) Kutlug Ataman later progressed into contemporary art and attained reputation as a showman. Clashed with his country's ruling military junta in 1980, Ataman fled to California ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Khalid Bin Sayeed

Birth:1927

Death:2011

Pakistani scholar Renowned Pakistani scholar Professor Khalid bin Sayeed was a guide and mentor for a whole generation of scholars working on Pakistan. Professor Emeritus of Political Science and adjunct professor of history at Queen's University, Kingston, Canada, Khalid was widely respected in academia. In ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Kader Asmal

Birth:1934

Death:2011

Human rights and anti-apartheid activist of South Africa. Politician, lawyer and academic of South Africa known as 'the Bee' Kader Asmal was close to Nelson Mandela both personally and through the African National Congress (ANC) work. After the release of Nelson Mandela from prison, Kader ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Khalil Ibrahim

Birth:1957

Death:2011

Leader of the Darfur rebels in Sudan. Dr. Ibrahim led the Darfur-based Justice and Equality Movement, or JEM, which unlike other Darfur rebel groups did not join last year's peace deal signed with the government. Darfur has been in turmoil since 2003, when ethnic African rebels ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Khalil Dale

Birth:1951

Death:2012

Dedicated aid worker A dedicated humanitarian aid worker Khalil Dale spent thirty years of his life, much of it for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in most of the challenging countries of the world, including Sudan, Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq. From 1985 to 1986 ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Khursheed Kaimkhani

Birth:1933

Death:2013

Anthropologist and researcher Renowned anthropologist and researcher Khursheed Kaimkhani was well known for his contributions to anthropology, history and literature of gypsies, scheduled castes and other nomad tribes. He served in Pakistan army for 15 years before turning to the field of research. When the army ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Kadir Nurman

Birth:1933

Death:2013

The inventor of the doner kebab The origin of the doner kebab, that popular snack of carved roast, sliced from a rotating skewer, and served in a lavash or pita bread on street corners around the world is said to have been invented by Kadir ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Kamila Shamsie

Birth:1973

Death:

Novelist Author of five novels, including Burnt Shadows, which was shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction Kamila Shamsie is a promising writer in English language. Burnt Shadows has been translated into over 20 languages. Kamila Shamsie has also written a work of non-fiction, Offence: The ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Khan Bahadur Ahsanullah

Birth:1873

Death:1965

One of the pioneers of Muslim renaissance in Bengal. A quite revolutionary and one of the pioneers of the renaissance in Bengal, Khan Bahadur Ahsanullah played a notable role in advancing and upgrading Muslim society in undivided province during the British ruled period in India. ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Kenan Evren

Birth:1917

Death:2015

A Turkish military officer who assumed his country's presidency by leading a coup. General Kenan Evren led a military coup in Turkey and then imposed the harshest repression in his country's history leading to his trial and conviction more than 30 years later. Turkey had fallen ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Khodadad Farmanfarmain

Birth:1928

Death:2015

Former governor of the Central Bank of Iran During the economic boom Khodadad Farmanfarmaian became the governor of the central bank of Iran, in 1968, at the early age of 40. He played a key role in steering Iran's 'economic miracle' when it was developing world's fastest-growing ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan