Abdu al-Hamuli

Abdu al-Hamuli

A vocalist and renovator, al-Hamuli's influence has extended to affect Twentieth Century singers.
Date of birth1836, Tanta, Gharbeya
A chance meeting with a senior vocalist catapulted al-Hamuli into studying the fundamentals of music. His reputation was such that he formed his own group and was heard by Khedive Ismail who liked his voice and took him in to become part of his entourage. Hamuli traveled to Turkey, where he had the opportunity to listen to Turkish music. Later he would compose oriental music that appealed to both Egyptians and Turks alike.
His choice of songs was so refined that he would resort to statesmen/poets of the caliber of Mahmoud Sami al-Baroudi, Ismail Sabri Pasha, Abdurrahman Qurr'a (then Egypt's Mufti) and 'Aisha al-Taymouria.
Hamuli composed in keys never-before-used by other Egyptian composers.
He married the renowned singer Sokaina, known as Almaz.
Abdu al-Hamuli died on May 12, 1901

Mahmoud Yassin

Mahmoud Yassin
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The notion of art for art’s sake is as repugnant to Mahmoud Yassin as are claims that art is haram (proscribed). “Art, in whatever shape or form it takes, has a sublime message,” says veteran actor Yassin. “Apart from the aesthetic merit and artistic quality of the work, it must have a clear social and humanitarian function.”
With this as his philosophy throughout a career that spans more than five decades, the law school graduate has graced Egyptian cinema in over 150 films and starred in roughly 25 theater productions, as well as scores of radio and television dramas.
His personal experience with war as a child growing up in the small coastal city of Port Said, where he was born in 1941, has engrained in him a deep-seated belief in the need to promote social justice and a compassion for the underprivileged. During the 1956 tripartite aggression on his hometown, he had a first-hand encounter with living in a conflict zone.
Partial filmography
1969: A Touch of Fear
1972: Song on the pathway
1973: Night and rods
1974: Where is my mind?
1977: Sonya and the madman
1977: Mouths and rabbits
1979: Conqueror of the dark 1979:
1980: Attention, gentlemen
1981: Traveling without a road
1982: The Trial
1985: The pickpocket
1986: In-camera session
1987: The amulet
1988: Man against the law
1990: Return of the fugitive
1991: License to kill
1992: The scandal
1995: The assassination of Faten Tawfiq
1999: Girl from Israel
On September 29, 2004, Mahmoud Yassin was appointed by the World Food Program as ambassador against hunger, the first Arab to grace the position.

Mohammad Metwali al-Shaarawi

Date of birth
April 5, 1917; Daqahliyah; Egypt
Mini-biography
Memorized the Holy Quran as well as numerous poems as a youngster 1937: Joined Faculty of Arabic Language, Azhar University and shown interest in fighting British occupation, which put him jail more than once
1940: Graduated from Faculty of Arabic Language, Azhar University
1943: Obtained his teaching license
History of employment
Worked at Azhar institutes in Tanta (Gharbiyah), Zagazig (Sharqiyah) and Alexandria
1950: Moved to Saudi Arabia to work as professor of Sharia in Umm al-Qura University
1976: Appointed Minister of Awqaf (Islamic Endowments) and Azhar Affairs (until 1978)
Was the one who issued the ministerial decree establishing the first Islamic bank in Egypt
1987: Became Member of the Arabic Language Academy
Awards
Order of Merit – First Class to mark his retirement (1976)
Order of the Republic (1983)
12qState Merit Award (1988)
Honorary doctorate in Arts from the universities of Mansoura and Minufiyah
Published numerous books on interpreting the Quran, the foundations of Islam, Women in Islam, Islam and modern thinking, etc…
Died June 16, 1998