List of Arabs – Wikipedia

This is a list of notable Arabs.

Public figures[edit]

Politicians[edit]

Presidents[edit]

Houari Boumédiène was Chairman of the Revolutionary Council of Algeria (1965-1976) and the second President of Algeria

Sheikh Khalifa, former UAE president

• Houari Boumédiène (1932–1978), second president of Algeria.
• Anwar Sadat (1918–1981), third president of Egypt.
• Gamal Abdel Nasser (1918–1970), second president of Egypt^[1]
• Hosni Mubarak, former President of Egypt
• Mohamed Naguib, first President of Egypt
• Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, son of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and second president of the United Arab Emirates
• Hafez al-Assad, president of Syria from 1971 to 2000
• Saddam Hussein, former President of Iraq
• Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (1918–2004), president of UAE from 1971 to 2004
• Omar al-Bashir (born 1944), former President of Sudan
• Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine
• Bashar al-Assad, current president of Syria and son of Hafez

Monarchs[edit]

Others[edit]

• Abdelkhader Houamel, (Algerian) painter, he received the Gold medal for Arabian arts.
• Ahmed Lutfi el-Sayed
• Fendi Al-Fayez 19th century tribal leader.
• Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former Secretary-General of the United Nations
• Dodi Fayed, businessman and Princess Diana’s partner
• Faris Al-Rawi (Iraqi father), Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago
• George J. Mitchell, (Lebanese) United States of America special envoy to the Middle East under the Obama administration, U.S. senator from Maine, Senate Majority Leader.
• Hanan Ashrawi (born 1946), Palestinian legislator
• Harun al-Rashid (763–809), fifth Abbasid caliph
• John E. Sununu (Palestinian), Senator from New Hampshire
• John H. Sununu (Palestinian), Governor of New Hampshire and White House Chief of Staff under George H. W. Bush.
• Mohamed ElBaradei (born 1942), Egyptian, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency from 1997 to 2009^[2]
• Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and brother of Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
• Muhammad Abduh
• Muhammad Husayn Haykal
• Mustafa Kamil Pasha
• Mustafa Wahbi (1919–1971) Jordanian poet, lawyer, teacher, judge, political agitator and philosopher
• Nadya Suleman (Iraqi father), “Octomom”
• Nick Rahall (Lebanese), Congressman from West Virginia.
• Osama bin Laden (1957–2011), founder of al-Qaeda
• Qasim Amin
• Rifa’a el-Tahtawi
• Rosemary Barkett (Syrian), first woman Supreme Court Justice and Chief Justice for the state of Florida.
• Mithqal Al-Fayez Jordanian Political Leader
• Saad Zaghlul
• Spencer Abraham (Lebanese), Senator from Michigan and Secretary of Energy under Bush.
• Steve Bracks (born 1954), Lebanese Australian politician
• Talaat Pasha Harb
• Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz (682–720), notable Umayyad Caliph
• Yasser Arafat, (1929–2004), Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize.
• Muammar Gaddafi (1942–2011), former Libyan leader
• Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (born 1949), prime minister of UAE and ruler of Dubai
• Jamal Khashoggi, former Saudi man murdered for his political views

Military[edit]

• Abdel Ghani el-Gamasy
• Abdullah ibn Aamir (622–678), Rashidun Arab general
• ‘Abd Allah ibn Rawahah (?–629), Arab general
• Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah (583–638), Rashidun Arab military commander
• Ahnaf ibn Qais (?–660), Rashidun Arab military commander
• Al-Muthanna ibn Haritha, Rashidun Arab general
• Al-Qa’qa’a ibn Amr at-Tamimi, Rashidun Arab general
• Amr bin Al’aas (592–664), Rashidun Arab Armilitary commander
• Ikrimah ibn Abu Jahl (?–636), Rashidun Arab general
• Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib (567–625), Muslim general, also known as “Lion of God”
• Hashim ibn Utbah, Rashidun Arab general
• Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (?–656), Rashidun Arab general
• Khalid ibn al-Walid (592–642), Rashidun Arab military commander, also known as “sayf al-Allah” (Swords from the swords of God)
• George Joulwan (Lebanese), retired general, former NATO commander-in-chief
• John Abizaid (Lebanese), retired general
• Mavia, warrior queen
• An-Numan ibn Muqarrin (?–641), Rashidun Arab general
• Saad el-Shazly (1922–2011), Egypt’s chief of staff during the October War
• Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (595–674), Rashidun Arab military commander
• Shurhabil ibn Hasana (583–639), Rashidun Arab general
• Ubayda ibn as-Samit, Rashidun Arab general
• Yazid ibn Abu Sufyan (?–640), Rashidun Arab general
• Zayd ibn Harithah, Arab general
• Zenobia, Arab general
• Zubayr ibn al-Awwam (594–656), Rashidun Arab general

Activists[edit]

Religious figures[edit]

• Prophet Muhammad (570/571–632), Prophet anda Messenger
• Abu Bakr, companion of Muhammad and First Caliph
• Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah
• Aisha (d. 678), the third wife of Muhammad, the daughter of the first caliph Abu Bakr, and narrator of many hadith
• Ali ibn Abi Talib (c. 599–661), cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad and Fourth Caliph, according to Shi’a Muslims, his successor
• Abdullah ibn Abbas, Early Islamic Scholar also Companion (Sahabi) and cousin of Muhammad.
• Hafsa bint Umar, wife of Muhammad and the daughter of the second caliph Umar Ibn al-Khattab
• Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (555–619), first wife of Muhammad
• Muadh ibn Jabal
• Mus’ab ibn Umair (594/598–625), the first ambassador of Islam
• Saeed ibn Zaid
• Omar, companion of Muhammad and Second Caliph
• Uthman, companion of Muhammad and Third Caliph
• Zayd ibn Thabit, personal scribe of Muhammad and was assigned the role of authenticating and collecting the oral Quranic traditions into a single bounded volume

Scientific and academic figures[edit]

Mathematics, physics and chemistry[edit]

• Ahmed ibn Yusuf (835–912), mathematician
• Ibn Tahir al-Baghdadi (980–1037), arithmetician
• Ibrahim ibn Sinan (908–946), mathematician and astronomer in Baghdad
• Al-Uqlidisi (920–980), author of two works on arithmetic. He may have anticipated the invention of decimals.
• Al-Umawi (1400–1489), mathematician who wrote works on mensuration and arithmetic.
• Al-Zarqali (1028–1087), influential early mathematician and astronomer
• Ahmed Zewail (born 1946), Egyptian-American scientist, winner of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry^[3]
• Farouk El-Baz (born 1938), Egyptian scientist^[4]
• Charles Elachi, Lebanese director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory
• Fawwaz T. Ulaby, Syrian winner of the 2006 IEEE Edison Medal and former Vice President of Research for the University of Michigan.
• George A. Doumani, geologist whose explorations helped prove the theory of continental drift.
• Ali ibn Ridwan (c. 988–c. 1061), astronomer and geometer with Khalid Ben Abdulmelik.
• Muhammad al-Fazari, credited with building the first astrolabe in the Islamic world.

Biology and medicine[edit]

• Abd el-Latif el-Baghdadi (1162–1231), physician, historian and Egyptologist
• Al-Asma’i (739–831), pioneer of Zoology, Botany and Animal Husbandry
• Afif Abdul Wahab, doctor surgeon
• Daniel Amen, neuroscientist and author of Lebanese descent
• Ibn Zuhr (1091–1161), prominent physician and parasitologist
• Ibn Abi Usaibia (1203–1270, Damascus, Syria), Arab physician and historian; wrote Uyun al-Anba fi Tabaqat al-Atibba or Lives of the Physicians.
• Michael DeBakey, cardiac surgeon of Lebanese descent.
• Nayef Al-Rodhan, neuroscientist, philosopher and geostrategist
• Paul Nassif, Plastic surgeon of Lebanese descent, Doctor on the reality show Botched
• Sami Ibrahim Haddad, doctor, surgeon and writer
• Wafaa El-Sadr, director of the International Center for AIDS Care and Treatment Programs

Engineering[edit]

Humanities and social sciences[edit]

• Edward Said (1935–2003), Palestinian-American literary theorist.
• Ella Shohat, Professor of Cultural Studies at New York University, author and lecturer.
• Ibn Wahshiyya (fl. 9th century/10th century), one of the first historians to partly decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs.
• Jack Shaheen, emeritus professor of mass communications at Southern Illinois University and author.
• Nada Shabout (born 1962), Iraqi American art historian, lecturer, author.
• Sasson Somekh (1933–2019), Professor Emeritus of Modern Arab Literature at Tel Aviv University.
• Usamah ibn Munqidh (1095–1188, Damascus, Syria), Arab historian, politician, and diplomat.

Philosophy[edit]

Traveling[edit]

• Ahmad ibn Fadlan, (10th century, Baghdad, Iraq) traveler; member of an embassy of the Caliph of Baghdad
• Ibn Majid (1421–c.1500), Arabian navigator

Writing[edit]

Mathematics[edit]

• Ahmed ibn Yusuf (835, Baghdad–912, Egypt), mathematician
• Al-Battani (850, Harran, Turkey–929, Qasr al-Jiss, Iraq), mathematician
• Thabit ibn Qurra (826–902, Harran, Turkey), mathematician

Other[edit]

• Abu al-Qasim al-Zahrawi (936–1013), Andalusian scientist; also known as Abulcasis
• Alhazen (965–c.1039), scientist from Basra (modern Iraq)
• Al-Jazari (1136–1206) polymath from Al-Jazira (modern Iraq/Syria)
• Christa McAuliffe, Arab American; schoolteacher/astronaut who lost her life aboard the space shuttle Challenger
• Taqi al-Din Muhammad ibn Ma’ruf (1526–1585), polymath from Damascus
• Ibn al-Haytham (Alhacen) (965, Basra, Buyid Emirate–1040, Cairo, Egypt), polymath and philosopher
• Wasil ibn Ata (700–748), theologian and jurist
• Al-Kindi (801, Basra, Iraq–873, Baghdad, Iraq), philosopher, polymath, mathematician, physician and musician

Arts and entertainment[edit]

Directors[edit]

• Amr Salama (born 1981), Egyptian film director
• Sherif Arafa (born 1960), Egyptian director, writer and producer
• Mai Masri (born 1959), Palestinian filmmaker, director and producer
• Tom Shadyac (born 1958), American director, screenwriter and producer of Lebanese descent
• Nadine Labaki (born 1974), Lebanese actress, director and activist

Producers[edit]

Actors[edit]

• Ahmed Ezz (born 1971), Egyptian actor
• Ahd Kamel (born 1980), Saudi Arabian actress
• Amr Waked (born 1973), Egyptian actor
• Amel Bouchoucha (born 1982), Algerian actress
• Adel Emam (born 1940), Egyptian actor
• Aïcha Ben Ahmed (born 1983), Tunisian actress
• Ali Suliman (born 1974), palestinian actor
• Alia Shawkat (born 1989), American actress of Iraqi descent
• Anissa Jones (1958–1976), American child actress of Lebanese descent
• Abbas al-Noury (born 1952), famous Syrian actor and director
• Dhafer L’Abidine (born 1972), Tunisian actor
• Danny Thomas (1912–1991), American actor of Lebanese descent
• Dorra Zarrouk (born 1980), Tunisian actress
• Dina Shihabi (born 1989), Saudi Arabian actress
• Haifa Wehbe (born 1972), Lebanese former beauty pageant contestant, singer and actress
• Hiam Abbass (born 1960), Arab-Israeli actress
• Hend Sabry (born 1979), Tunisian actress and lawyer
• Jamie Farr (born 1934), American actor of Lebanese descent
• Kathy Najimy (born 1957), American actress of Lebanese descent
• Keanu Reeves (born 1964), Canadian actor of Lebanese descent
• Kal Naga (born 1975), Egyptian actor
• Kinda Alloush (born 1982), Syrian actress
• Omar Sharif (1932–2015), Egyptian actor
• Shannon Elizabeth (born 1973), American actress of Syrian descent
• Salma Hayek (born 1966), Mexican-American actress and producer of Lebanese descent
• Samer al-Masry (born 1969), Syrian actor
• Saba Mubarak (born 1976), Jordanian actress and producer
• Tony Shalhoub (born 1953), American executive producer and actor of Monk of Lebanese descent
• Taim Hasan (born 1977), Syrian actor
• Vic Tayback (1930–1990), American actor of Syrian descent
• Vince Vaughn (born 1970), American actor of Lebanese descent
• Wendie Malick (born 1950), American actress and fashion model of Egyptian descent
• Wentworth Miller (born 1972), American actor of Syrian descent
• Yousef Abu-Taleb, American actor and film producer of Jordanian descent
• Yousra (born 1955), Egyptian actress
• Yasmine Al Massri (born 1978), Palestinian actress
• Rami Malek (born 1981), American actor of Egyptian descent
• Rachid El Ouali (born 1965), Moroccan actor
• Michael Ansara (1922–2013), American actor of Syrian descent
• Mais Hamdan (born 1982), Jordanian actress, comedian, singer and television presenter
• Makram Khoury (born 1945), Arab-Israeli actor
• Monther Rayahneh (born 1979), Jordanian actor
• Mena Massoud (born 1991), Canadian actor of Egyptian descent
• Najwa Nimri (born 1972), Spanish actress of Jordanian descent
• Nadine Nassib Njeim (born 1984), Lebanese actress and former Miss Lebanon 2004
• Nelly Karim (born 1974), Egyptian actress
• Casey Kasem (1932–2014), American radio personality and voice actor of Lebanese descent
• Cyrine Abdelnour (born 1974), Lebanese singer, actress and model
• Claudia Cardinale (born 1938), Italian actress of Tunisian descent
• Lotfi Abdelli (born 1970), Tunisian actor

Comedians[edit]

• Ahmed Helmy (born 1969), Egyptian comedian, actor, film producer, television presenter and a renowned television personality
• Duraid Lahham (born 1934), Syrian comedian and director
• Ronnie Khalil (born 1977), American stand-up comedian of Egyptian descent
• Ramy Youssef (born 1991), American stand-up comedian and writer of Egyptian descent
• Remy Munasifi (born 1980) American comedian of Iraqi-Lebanese descent
• Tima Shomali (born 1985), Jordanian producer, director, writer, and comedian

Musicians[edit]

• Amr Diab (born 1961), Egyptian singer and composer of geel music
• Amal Murkus (born 1968), Arab-Palestinian singer
• Ahmed Mekky (born 1980), Egyptian actor, writer, director, rapper and singer
• Ahlam (born 1968), Emirati singer
• Asmahan (born 1912), Syrian singer and actress^[5]
• Assala Nasri (born 1969), Syrian singer
• Farid al-Atrash (born 1910), Syrian singer
• Fairuz (born 1935), Lebanese singer
• Frank Zappa, (half Arab father) musician
• Fredwreck, Palestinian hip-hop producer
• Haifa Wehbe, Lebanese former beauty pageant contestant, singer and actress
• Hussain Al Jassmi, Emirati singer
• Kadim Al Sahir, Iraqi singer, composer, and songwriter
• Klay BBJ (born 1989), Tunisian rapper
• Karl Wolf, Lebanese singer
• Khaled, Algerian singer
• DJ Khaled, Palestinian rapper, music producer
• Lydia Canaan, Lebanese, singer-songwriter, recording artist
• Latifa (born 1968), Tunisian singer
• Mohammed Assaf (born 1989), Palestinian singer
• Mai Selim, Jordanian singer and actress
• Maryem Tollar, Egyptian singer who primarily sings Arabic songs
• Massari, Lebanese singer
• Myriam Fares, Lebanese singer, dancer, actress and entertainer
• Naser Mestarihi, (Jordanian father) Hard rock musician
• Nancy Ajram, Lebanese singer
• Omar Khorshid, Egyptian instrumental guitarist
• Paul Anka, Lebanese singer-songwriter
• Sammy Hagar, (partially Lebanese) rock musician and former lead singer of Van Halen
• Saad Lamjarred (born 1985), Moroccan singer
• Shadia Mansour, Palestinian singer and rapper
• Shatha Hassoun (born 1981), Iraqi-Moroccan singer
• Shakira, Colombian singer of Lebanese descent
• Tiffany Darwish aka Tiffany, American pop singer of Lebanese descent
• Umm Kulthum (c.1900–1975), Egyptian singer^[6]
• Wafah Dufour, (Saudi Arabian father), supermodel and singer
• Elissa, Lebanese singer
• Tamer Hosny, Egyptian singer, actor, composer, director and songwriter
• Tamer Nafar (born 1979), Palestinian rapper, actor, screenwriter and social activist
• Yasmine Hamdan (born 1976), Lebanese singer
• Majida El Roumi, Lebanese singer

Fashion designers[edit]

Cultural figures[edit]

Writers[edit]

• Abbas Mahmud al-Aqqad (1889–1964), Egyptian thinker and writer
• Charles Corm (Lebanese) (1894–1963), writer, businessman and philanthropist
• Abdel Rahman Shokry (born 1886), Egyptian poet
• Al-Khansa (7th century), Arabian poet
• Al-Mutanabbi (915–965), poet from Samawah (modern Iraq)
• Amin Maalouf (born 1949), Lebanese author
• Antarah ibn Shaddad (fl.580), Pre-Islamic Arabian hero and poet
• Fadwa Touqan (1917–2003), Palestinian Poet, known for her representations of resistance to Israeli occupation in contemporary Arab poetry
• Mahmoud Darwish (1941–2008), Palestinian poet and author
• Ibrahim Touqan (1905–1941), Palestinian poet and college professor
• Imru’ al-Qais (c.501–c.544), Arabian poet
• Khalil Gibran or Gibran Khalil Gibran (1883–1931), Lebanese-American writer, philosopher, and painter
• Naguib Mahfouz (1911–2006), Egyptian novelist^[7]
• Naomi Shihab Nye (born 1952), Palestinian-American writer
• Sinan Antoon (born 1967), Iraqi poet and novelist
• Taha Hussein (1889–1973), Egyptian writer^[8]
• Edward Said, Palestinian literary theorist and outspoken Palestinian activist
• Helen Thomas, Lebanese reporter, columnist and White House correspondent
• Nader El-Bizri, Lebanese philosopher, historian of science, and architect
• Ismail al-Faruqi, Palestinian philosopher and authority on Islam and comparative religion
• Mona Simpson, (Syrian father Abdulfattah Jandali) novelist
• Lorraine Ali, Iraqi reporter, editor, culture writer, and music critic for Newsweek
• Mohamed Ali al-Nasiri, Iraqi journalist
• Wafaa Abed Al Razzaq (born 1952), Iraqi poet and writer
• Mo Gawdat (born 20 June 1967), Egypt

Artists[edit]

See list of Arab artists

Other[edit]

• Rima Fakih, Lebanese, Miss USA 2010
• Valerie Domínguez Tarud, Lebanese, previous Miss Colombia
• Dina Azar, Miss Lebanon 1995
• Gabrielle Bou Rached, Miss Lebanon 2005
• Sonia Fares, Miss Lebanon 1969
• Nadine Wilson Njeim, Miss Lebanon 2007
• Georgina Rizk (born 1953), Miss Lebanon 1970/Miss Universe 1971
• Christina Sawaya, Miss Lebanon 2001/Miss International 2002
• Rosarita Tawil, Miss Lebanon 2008
• Moustapha Akkad, Syrian film producer and director

Entrepreneurs[edit]

• Ahmed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (1968–2010), UAE businessman
• Al-Waleed bin Talal (born 1955), member of the Saudi royal family, and world’s 19th richest person in 2010
• Mohamed Alabbar, UAE businessman
• John Zogby, Lebanese founder and current President/CEO of Zogby International
• Naguib Sawiris, 62nd richest person on earth in a 2007 list of billionaires, reaching US$10.0 billion with his company Orascom Telecom Holding
• Najeeb Halaby, Syrian father of Queen Noor of Jordan Lisa Elhalabi, Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration; CEO, and chairman of Pan Am
• Manuel Moroun, owner of CenTra, Inc., the holding company which controls the Ambassador Bridge and Michigan Central Depot
• Jacques Nasser, Lebanese, former president and CEO of Ford Motor Company
• John J. Mack, Lebanese, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Morgan Stanley
• Charles Corm, Lebanese, exclusive agent of over 50 major U.S. brands including Ford Motor Company
• Ray R. Irani, Palestinian, Chairman and CEO of Occidental Petroleum
• Carlos Ghosn, Lebanese, Chairman and CEO of Renault and Nissan

• Ahmed Kaddour, Lebanese professional boxer, from NBC show The Contender
• Alaa Abdelnaby, NBA player for the Portland Trail Blazers, Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, and the Sacramento Kings
• Bill George, NFL player and Hall of Famer
• Drew Haddad, Indianapolis Colts
• Doug Flutie, (Lebanese father) NFL Player of the Buffalo Bills and San Diego Chargers
• Gavin Maloof, owns the Sacramento Kings
• George Maloof, Sr., owned the NBA’s Houston Rockets^{[citation needed]}
• Jeff George, quarterback for several NFL teams
• Jim Harrick, UCLA’s coach
• Joe Robbie, former owner and founder of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins
• John Jaha, sports athlete, of the MLB Milwaukee Brewers
• Justin Abdelkader, American ice hockey forward playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL)
• Omar Sheika, Palestinian professional boxer, four-time world title challenger.
• Riyad Karim Mahrez, Algerian professional footballer for Manchester City F.C. and Premier League champion (seasons:2015-2016, 2018-2019)
• Rich Kotite, NFL coach
• Rocco Baldelli, Syrian professional baseball Red Sox
• Rony Seikaly, Lebanese former NBA Player, now DJ
• Nasser Al-Attiyah, Qatari 2012 Olympic skeet bronze medallist, and racing driver
• Mostapha al-Turk, Lebanese retired MMA fighter that competed in the UFC
• Mohamed Salah, Egyptian professional footballer for Liverpool F.C. and twice Premier League Golden Boot winner
• Omar Al Somah, Syrian professional footballer for Al Ahli Saudi FC and three-time Saudi Pro League top scorer
• Omar Abdulrahman

Militants[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]