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

Ramiz Alia

Birth:1925

Death:2011

Last communist president of Albania. The successor of Albania's Communist dictator Enver Hoxha after his death in 1985, Ramiz Alia presided over halting often, chaotic moves towards democracy, in his country of three million people, before his own downfall in 1992. During his presidency Alia responded to ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Recaizade Mahmud EKram

Birth:1847

Death:1914

A Turkish writer. After the Turk revolution in 1908, Ekram held several important government posts. Ekram was greatly influenced by Namiq Kamal, the famous Turkish poet. He authored Talim I Abdiyat and Tafakkur and translated some French works into Turkish. He was one of the most ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Rizaeddin Fakhreddin

Birth:1859

Death:1936

A Russian Islamic scholar, writer and journalist. Fakhreddin was the editor of Vaqt a Muslim newspaper in 1906 and in 1908 the chief editor of Shura (Council). He authored over sixty books on Islamic history, biographies of famous Muslims, education, reform, theology, jurisprudence, social and political problems ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Rashid Al Ghannoushi

Birth:1941

Death:

Leader of Tunisia's Islamic movement. Widely considered to be a radical in his native Tunisia but elsewhere Sheikh Rashid Ghannoushi has been hailed as a proponent of Islamic democracy and pluralism. After returning from France to Tunisia Ghannoushi became active in Islamic missionary and social ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Rashidi Mfaume Kawawa

Birth:1929

Death:

A Tanzanian political leader. After independence he was prime minister in 1962 and 1972-77.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Rafi Ahmad Kidwai

Birth:1894

Death:1954

Politician. Rafi Ahmad was the Communication Minister of India in 1947 and who initiated night air mail postal services, popularised own your own telephone exchange and made paid holiday available for postmen. As Food minister in 1952 he solved the food problem in such a way that ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Rashid Ibn Saeed Al Maktoum

Birth:1910

Death:1990

The creator of modern Dubai. Maktum was vice president and prime minister (1979-90). In 1971 after the British left, Rashid and his relative by marriage Sheikh Zaid ibn Sultan al Nahyan of neighbouring Abu Dhabi laid the groundwork for a federation and named it United Arab ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Rabah Bitat

Birth:1925

Death:2000

Resistance fighter. Bitat was one of the founders of Algerian independence, so called six historiques who planned insurrection at a meeting in June 1954. Bitat was convinced that violent revolution against France was a necessity to gain independence. Rabah Bitat was born in the village of ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Rabia Al Basri

Birth:713

Death:801

The fourth daughter of Ismail al-Adawiya. She attained great fame as a saint and was highly esteemed for her piety. She remained a lifelong celibate. Her tomb is near Jerusalem.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Rabih Az Zubair

Birth:

Death:1900

A military leader of Chad. Rabih was in service of Az-Zubair Pasha, Sudanese prince. In 1878 the Sudanese prince rebelled against the Egyptians. Rabih proved loyal to Az-Zubair but was defeated. He fled to central Africa. By 1890, he was able to gather enough support and in 1893 ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Rachid Koraichi

Birth:1947

Death:

An Algerian artist of the modern calligraphic school of Islamic painting and graphics, exploring the potential of abstract calligraphic compositions to great effect.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Rahman Baba

Birth:1650

Death:1715

He was called 'Hafiz Shirazi' of Pushto Sufi poetry. Rahman Baba had a deep understanding of different disciplines including theology, philosophy and history and was well-versed in the Arabic and Persian languages. He was a practising Sufi but there is no evidence to show that ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Rana Liaquat Ali Khan

Birth:1905

Death:1990

Rana was the wife of Liaquat Ali Khan, the prime minister of Pakistan who was assassinated in 1951. Rana was the founder of APWA (All Pakistan Women Association) and ambassador of Pakistan to Holland, Italy and Tunisia (1954-66)

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Rashid Ahmad Gangohi

Birth:1829

Death:1905

Co-founder of Madrasa Deoband in 1866, along with Qasim Nanautovi, after whose death, Rashid Gangohi added post of a Mufti in 1892, who supervised the issuing of fatwas. By the end of 19th century 269,215 fatwas had been issued, which earned the institution a reputation of authority.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Rashid Ahmad Siddiqui

Birth:

Death:2000

A Muslim activist of Muslim Aid and UK Islamic Mission in Britain. Rashid migrated to the UK in 1964. Rashid was born in Bijnor, India and died of a heart attack in London.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Rashid Ali Al Gaylani

Birth:1892

Death:1965

Prime minister of Iraq 1933, 1936-38, 1940-41. He was expelled by the British in 1941 and died in exile.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Rashid Raza Muhammad

Birth:1865

Death:1935

A Syrian scholar. The writing of Muhammad Abduh and Jamaluddin Afghani profoundly influenced Rashid. He also wrote Muhammad Abduh's biography, and was the founder editor of al-Manar in 1898. Rashid believed in the positive effort to improve the material conditions of the Muslims and urged to ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Rashiduddin

Birth:1247

Death:1318

The Iranian historian. Rashiddin was the author of the celebrated history book, Jami al Tawarikh, which contained very informative chapters about the social and economic conditions of Islamic countries under Ghazan during 1295-1304. Rashiduddin joined the court of the Mongol ruler of Iran and became ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Rashiduddin Sinan

Birth:1135

Death:1192

A leader of Syrian Assassins at the time of the third crusade. He attempted on the life of Saladin, who was opposed to his sect.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Reza Abbasi

Birth:c1570

Death:c1635

The Iranian painter at the time of Shah Abbas I the great. His father was at the court of the Saffavid prince at Mashhed, the cultural centre of Iran during (1556-77). 1596 regarded Reza as having no rival. His style had an indelible influence on the ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Reza Shah Pahlavi

Birth:1877

Death:1944

An Iranian Shah. An army officer who tried to modernise the ancient Persian monarchy, Reza Shah came from a military background and rose rapidly from the rank to command the Persian Cossack Brigade after the First World War. In 1921 with other reformers, he seized power ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Riad Mahmud

Birth:1917

Death:1992

An Egyptian diplomat and soldier. Riad participated in the overthrow of King Farooq and became a confidant of President Nasser. He served as an ambassador to Syria (1955-58), representative to the U.N. (1962-64) and foreign minister (1964-72) and from 1979 he was secretary general of ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Riadh El Droubie

Birth:1935

Death:1998

Muslim activist. Riadh's work as administrator at London's Islamic Cultural Centre involved publications, interpretation and translation of Arabic into English. He set up Minaret House, a publishing outfit. Riadh was born in Iraq and spent his active life in Britain.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Rudolf Nureyev

Birth:1938

Death:1993

A Russian ballet dancer. In 1961, Nureyev was chosen to go to London and Paris with the Kirov Ballet. He decided to stay in the West and in 1961 he made his first appearance with a Western company in the ballet: The Sleeping Beauty. Margot Fonteyn the ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Ruknuddaula

Birth:

Death:976

The brother of Imaduddaula Ali Boya, the founder of the Boyid dynasty, whom he succeeded on the throne of Fars and Iran in 949. He reigned for about forty-four years.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Rashid Ahmad Siddiqi

Birth:1896

Death:1977

Professor, author and critic of Urdu. His works included Ganj hai Giran Maya, Mazamin-e-Rashid etc.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Riffah Al Tahtawi

Birth:1801

Death:1873

Egyptian scholar. Al-Tahtawi was an Egyptian scholar who described his appreciation of European society in his published diary, was responsible for the translation of European books into Arabic, and who promoted the idea of modernisation in Egypt. Al-Tahtawi went to Paris in 1826 as a religious ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Rachid Abou Tourab

Birth:

Death:2002

Political leader. He was made leader of the anti-government party, Armed Islamic Group (GIA), in 2001. GIA was originally formed after the Algerian military cancelled 1992 legislative elections to prevent an Islamic party from winning. He died in a military sting operation in Tamezguida Forest, Algeria.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Rachid Boudjedra

Birth:1941

Death:

A revolutionary Algerian writer. Boudjedra was the leader of a new movement of experimental fiction. He studied at Sorbonne, Paris, from where he got a degree in philosophy. His works included La Repudiation, La Insolation, Topographie Ideal e Pourune Aggression Caracterises Lescargot Entete, Les 1001 Anees ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Birth:1954

Death:

Turkey's builder of bridges, politician. Nearly a decade since it was first elected, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the AKP government can claim credit for rising domestic wealth and world influence. He has frogmarched his country through a series of often controversial political, social and economic ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Radia Nasraoui

Birth:1953

Death:

Human rights activist. Mrs Nasraoui's daily struggle has been fending off harassment at the cost of her own well-being, for more than a decade. The human rights lawyer has fought relentlessly against torture, arbitrary arrests and unfair imprisonment in Tunisia. Her dedication has won her ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Rasheed Jahan

Birth:1905

Death:1952

India's feminist activist Doctor, short story writer, social worker and feminist activist, Rasheed Jahan detested the hypocrisy and so-called morality that existed in the society. Being a female gynaecologist and obstetrician, she ruthlessly exposed the double standards and ostentatious religiosity, and in particular, male chauvinism ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Riza Al Din

Birth:20th century

Death:

When Barudi died in 1921, Riza al Din was elected in his place as Mufti. He was one of the most distinguished Russian Muslim, as a scholar, a historian and a writer. Riza al-Din was born Fakhr al-Din.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan / Ghulam Mohiuddin

Roger Garaudy

Birth:1913

Death:2012

A former French Communist leader, philosopher and convert to Islam. Served in the French parliament as a Communist deputy and senator, Roger Garaudy was known within his party hierarchy as 'the Cardinal' both for his sense of authority and his attraction towards the Church. He ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Rasul Gamzatov

Birth:1923

Death:2003

People's poet of Daghestan. Rasul Gamzatov's published his first book of poems, Love Inspired and Fiery Wrath, in 1934. He wrote dozens of love lyrics, long narrative poems, ballads, epigrams and philosophical octaves, books and translations in the Avar and Russian languages, such as Caranes, Tales, ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Ruslan Gelayev

Birth:1964

Death:2004

Chechen freedom fighter. Gelayev became deputy prime minister, in 1997, and the following year defence minister - essentially he continued as a filed commander. He shuttled between Chechnya, Dagestan, and the Chechen populated Pankisi Gorge in north-eastern Georgia, where he settled in summer of 2000. Ruslan Gelayev, ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Rachid Taha

Birth:1958

Death:

Musician whose songs have flavours with Algerian spice and sharp, topical lyrics. Franco-Algerian singer Rachid Taha's politically charged pop, eastern soul gets a Western beat. Taha's CD on Rock the Casbah (2005) that gained a wide audience answer the provocative question posed by the title track, ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Raja of Mahmoodabad

Birth:1914

Death:1973

Humility and simplicity were the hallmark of his personality. Although of princely descent, Raja of Mahmoodabad opted for an unostentatious lifestyle once he came out of his adolescence. He was a deeply religious man who shared food with commoners and washed his own plates. Willingly ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Rafiq Hariri

Birth:1944

Death:2005

Rags to riches Lebanese leader who put faith in healing power of business. Rafiq, former Lebanese prime minister believed the Lebanese could recover from civil war and foreign invasion through emulating their forebears, the great traders of the ancient world. He contributed to financing the ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Rafiq Zakaria

Birth:1926

Death:2005

India's distinguished writer and commentator. Rafiq Zakaria, scholar on Indian politics, was closely associated with his country's freedom struggle and had spent over 25 years in public service as a Cabinet Minister and then a deputy leader of the Congress party. He also represented India abroad, ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Riazul Islam

Birth:1919

Death:2007

Pakistan's renowned historian Having spent twenty-six years of life to the University of Karachi, Dr Islam who had two PhDs in history from Aligarh (1946) and Cambridge (1956) universities, was the only professor emeritus. He authored many books, besides research articles. His books, 'Sufism in South Asia' ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Rachida Dati

Birth:1965

Death:

The first Muslim to hold high political office in France. In a country that has several million Muslims but not a single Muslim member of parliament, Rachida is the first such a figure to hold senior ministerial office in France. She was trained as a ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Ramzan Sahin

Birth:1980

Death:

Turkey's 2008 Olympian. He won gold medal in Freestyle 66kg in Beijing 2008 Olympic.

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Rashid Ramzi

Birth:1979

Death:

Bahrain's 2008 Olympian. Ramzi gave Bahrain its first-ever Olympic track and field gold medal. The Moroccan-born Ramzi won the 1500m in 3 min 32.94 seconds in Beijing 2008 Olympic. In 2005, he became the first athlete in history to win gold medals in the 800m and 1500m in the same ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Randa Chahal Sabbag

Birth:1953

Death:2008

Lebanese film-maker and screenwriter Better known outside Lebanon for her documentary and feature films Chahal's subjects, for the most part, centred on the tiny and politically troubled Mediterranean country of her birth. Her work gained numerous international prizes, most recently the 2003 Silver Lion at the ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Rabia Balkhi

Birth:c914

Death:

Persian poet Rabia Balkhi, whose life inspired the eponymous film, was most likely the first female Persian poet and a queen. Her influence prevails in Afghanistan, Iran and Tajikistan. Kabul's Rabia Balkhi Hospital for women was built in 2003 and named after the country's first and ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Reza Seyed Hosseini

Birth:1926

Death:2009

Iranian literary critic A prominent Iranian critic and translator Reza Seyed Hosseini was instrumental in introducing western literature to Persian-speaking readers. In his long career Reza translated works by western writers like Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, Thomas Mann and Marguerite Duras into Persian. His most ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Rabiya Kadeer

Birth:1948

Death:

Mother of all Uighurs The exiled Uighur activist Rabiya Kadeer at the height of her wealth and influence, in the early 1990s, was considered the most astute and successful woman in China. Celebrated and accorded high political office by China's Communist Party rulers who distrusted ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Riad El Solh

Birth:1894

Death:1951

The first prime minister of Lebanon The first prime minister of Lebanon (1943-45), after the country's independence Riad el-Solh served again in the same position from 1946 to 1951. Known as one of the most important personalities in Lebanon Riad el-Solh was able to unify his country's ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Rauf Denktash

Birth:1924

Death:2012

Leader of Turkish Cypriots The former leader of the Turkish minority in Cyprus, Rauf Denktash successfully opposed reunification of that divided Mediterranean island in his resolute pursuit of a separate state for his people. In a country split along ethnic and religious lines since 1974, when ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Rached Ghannouchi

Birth:1941

Death:

Tunisian scholar and politician The Tunisian scholar and politician Rached Ghannouchi returned home, in 2011, from a decades-long European exile after the Arab spring toppled Tunisia's dictator. He offered a vision of a moderate, modern and inclusive political movement. He co-founded the Ennahda Movement, currently the ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Roquia Sakhawat Hussain

Birth:1880

Death:1932

Bengali writer and activist A prolific writer and a social worker in Bengal in the early 20th century, Roquia Sakhawat Hussain is famous for her efforts on behalf of gender equality and other social issues. A notable feminist Roquia established the first school aimed at ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Raza Ali Abidi

Birth:1936

Death:

Broadcaster, journalist and author Broadcaster, journalist and author Raza Ali Abidi's published works include travelogues, children's stories and literary books besides several collections of cultural essays. He is known for his radio documentaries on the Grand Trunk Road and the Indus River. There is one ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Raha Moharrak

Birth:1988

Death:

Scaled Mount Everest Raha Moharrak successfully scaled Mount Everest on 18 May 2013. Approaching from Nepal's side of the mountain, Moharrak was one of 64 climbers who reached the peak after climbing all night from the highest camp, the same starting point pioneers Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan

Radwa Ashour

Birth:1946

Death:2014

Egyptian writer and academic A writer of exceptional courage and integrity Radwa Ashour reflected her country's history in her work. Through a series of her novels, memoirs, and literary studies she recorded the unending turbulence of her times including the struggle for freedom, from the ...

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Compiled by:M. Nauman Khan