juno-labs/simple_wikipedia huggingface dataset:
Vice President of Afghanistan

The **Vice President of Afghanistan** is the second highest political position in Afghanistan. Vice Presidents are elected on the same ticket as the President. A Presidential candidate nominates two candidates for Vice President before the election.

|Title|Name|Inaugurated|Left Office|Notes||||||
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
||Vice Chair||Hedayat Amin Arsala||22 December 2001||19 June 2002||Pashtun, representative of the Rome Group|
||Vice Chair||Mohammed Fahim||22 December 2001||19 June 2002||Tajik and Defense Minister of the United Islamic Front|
||Vice Chair||Sima Samar||22 December 2001||19 June 2002||Hazara, Female and Rome Group representative|
||Vice Chair||Mohammad Mohaqiq||22 December 2001||19 June 2002||Hazara and Commandar in the United Islamic Front|
||Vice Chair||Ahmed Shakar Karkar||22 December 2001||19 June 2002||Uzbek and leader in the United Islamic Front|
||Vice President||Hedayat Amin Arsala||19 June 2002||7 December 2004||Appointed for interim term, Pashtun mandate|
||Vice President||Mohammed Fahim||19 June 2002||7 December 2004||Appointed for interim term, Tajik mandate|
||Vice President||Nematullah Shahrani||19 June 2002||7 December 2004||Appointed for interim term, Uzbek mandate|
||Vice President||Karim Khalili||19 June 2002||7 December 2004||Appointed for interim term, Hazara mandate|
||Vice President||Abdul Qadir||19 June 2002||6 July 2002||Appointed for interim term, Pashtun mandate, assassinated|
||First Vice President||Ahmad Zia Massoud||7 December 2004||19 November 2009||Elected in the same ticket with Karzai|
||Second Vice President||Karim Khalili||7 December 2004||29 September 2014||Elected in the same ticket with Karzai|
||First Vice President||Mohammed Fahim||19 November 2009||9 March 2014||Elected in the same ticket with Karzai|
||First Vice President||Yunus Qanuni||31 March 2014||29 September 2014||Appointed for interim term|
||First Vice President||Abdul Rashid Dostum||29 September 2014||Incumbent||Elected in the same ticket with Ghani|
||Second Vice President||Sarwar Danish||29 September 2014||Incumbent||Elected in the same ticket with Ghani|

## Other websites

- Vice Presidents of Afghanistan
- Vice Presidents in 2004

## Infobox (political post)

- **post**: Vice Presidents
- **body**: the
Afghanistan, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
- **insigniasize**: 100px
- **insigniacaption**: Emblem of Afghanistan, Official Emblem
- **termlength**: Five years, renewable once
- **incumbent**: _Vacant_
- **incumbentsince**: 17 August 2021
- **formation**: February 19, 1978 (Republic)
 December 7, 2004 (Islamic Republic)
- **inaugural**: Sayyid Abdullah (Republic)
 Ahmad Zia Massoud (Islamic Republic)
- **appointer**: Direct election
- **website**: [http://www.president.gov.af/english/cabinet.mspx Office of the Vice Presidents]
- **image2**: File:Danish in September 2014.jpg
- **imagesize**: 150px
Muhammad Qasim Fahim

Field Marshal **Muhammad Qasim Fahim** (9 October 1957 – 9 March 2014; ) also known as "Marshal Fahim Khan") was an Afghan military commander, and politician. He was the Vice President of Afghanistan from November 2009 until his death in March 2014. He was the Defense Minister of the Afghan Transitional Administration, beginning in 2002. He also served as Vice President of Afghanistan from June 2002 to December 2004. Marshal Fahim was a member of Afghanistan's  Tajik ethnic group.

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **honorific-prefix**: <small>Field Marshal</small>
- **name**: **Muhammad Qasim Fahim**
- **native name**: مارشال محمد قسیم فهیم
- **caption**: Muhammad Qasim Fahim
- **order**: First Vice President of Afghanistan
- **term start**: 19 November 2009
- **term end**: 9 March 2014
- **president**: Hamid Karzai
- **predecessor**: Ahmad Zia Massoud
- **successor**: Yunus Qanuni
- **birth date**: 9 October 1957
- **birth place**: Omarz, Panjshir, Afghanistan
- **death date**: (aged 56 or 57)
- **death place**: Kabul, Afghanistan
- **residence**: Kabul, Afghanistan
- **allegiance**: Afghanistan
- **branch**: Afghan National Army, Afghanistan National Army
- **serviceyears**: 1978-2002
- **commands**: Northern Alliance
KHAD, State Security Agency
- **battles**: Soviet war in Afghanistan, Russian war in Afghanistan
Civil war in Afghanistan (1996–2001), Pakistan war in Afghanistan
Afghanistan war, War against Taliban
Karim Khalili

**Abdul Karim Khalili** (born 1950) is a former Vice President of Afghanistan. He was in office from 2004 to 2014, under Hamid Karzai. Khalili was first Vice President in 2002.  He was elected as running mate of Hamid Karzai in 2004. Since 1989 he has been one of the main leaders of the Hezbe Wahdat political party of Hazara people.

Khalili was born in Wardak Province and attended a religious school. He participated actively in the Afghan resistance during Soviet Invasion. He also served as Minister of Finance of Afghanistan during the Mujahideen government in the early 1990s.

## Infobox (politician)

- **name**: Abdul Karim Khalili
- **image**: File:Karim Khalili - 2018 (39297711844) (cropped).jpg
- **caption**: Karim Khalili in 2016
- **order**: Second Vice President of Afghanistan
- **term start**: 7 December 2004
- **term end**: 29 September 2014
- **president**: Hamid Karzai
- **predecessor**: Ahmed Shakar Karkar
- **successor**: Sarwar Danish
- **party**: Hezbe Wahdat
- **nationality**: Afghanistani
- **blank1**: Ethnicity
- **data1**: Hazara people, Hazara
Chief Justice of Afghanistan

The **Chief Justice** of Afghanistan is the head of the Afghan Supreme Court. The incumbent chief justice is Abdul Salam Azimi.

## List of chief justices, 2001-present

- Faisal Ahmad Shinwari (2001–2006), was member of the Islamic Dawah Organisation of Afghanistan
- Abdul Salam Azimi (2006–present), a former professor at the University of Arizona in the United States

## List of chief justices before 2001

- Abdul Salam (under Taliban rule)
- Abdul Karim Shadan (pre-Taliban)
Abdul Salam Azimi

**Abdul Salam Azimi** (Pashtu:عبدالسلام عظیمی  (Januaury 1936 – 22 January 2026) was an Afghan politician and lawyer. He was the Chief Justice of Afghanistan.  He was the Acting Head of the Afghan Supreme Court. He was considered a moderate and wears western-style clothing including suits and ties. Azimi was a former professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha in the United States.  He was an ethnic Pashtun of the Alizai tribe. Azimi was born in Farah Province.

Azimi died on 22 January 2026 at the age of 90.
Noshaq

**Noshaq** (or **Nowshak**) is the highest mountain in Afghanistan.  It is the second highest independent peak of the Hindu Kush after Tirich Mir (). Noshaq is located in the northeastern corner of the country along the Durand line.  It is the westernmost  peak in the world. The north and west sides of the mountain are in Afghanistan. The south and eastern sides are in Pakistan. Easy access to the middle of Noshaq would be in Chitral, Pakistan
Registan Desert

The **Registan Desert**, also known as **Rigestan Desert**, is a desert in Afghanistan.  It is between Helmand and Kandahar provinces in southwestern Afghanistan. It is a sandy desert with small, red sandhills about  high, plains that are covered with sand, and open rocky and clay areas. There are a few Baluchi and Pashtun nomads there. The desert is starting to go over surrounding agricultural areas.
Helmand River

The **Helmand River** (also spelled _Helmend, Helmund, Hirmand_; Pashto/Persian:   **', Greek: **' (_Etýmandros_), Latin: __) is the longest river in Afghanistan. The name means "dammed, having a dam".  Helmand Province is named after the river.

The Helmand river stretches for . It rises in the Hindu Kush mountains,  about  west of Kabul (), passing north of the Unai Pass. It crosses south-west through the desert of Dashti Margo, to the Seistan marshes and the Hamun-i-Helmand lake region around Zabol at the Afghan-Iranian border ().

## References

- Frye, Richard N. (1963). _The Heritage of Persia_. World Publishing company, Cleveland, Ohio. Mentor Book edition, 1966.
- Toynbee, Arnold J. (1961). _Between Oxus and Jumna_. London. Oxford University Press.
- Vogelsang, W. (1985). "Early historical Arachosia in South-east Afghanistan; Meeting-place between East and West." _Iranica antiqua_, 20 (1985), pp. 55–99.

## Infobox (river)

- **name**: Helmand River
- **image**: Helmandrivermap.png
- **image size**: 200
- **image alt**: Helmand River drainage basin
- **image caption**: Map of the Helmand River drainage basin
- **map**: Helmand River Basin Sub.png
- **map size**: 200
- **map alt**: Helmand River drainage basin
- **map caption**: Map of the Helmand River drainage basin
- **source1 location**: Hindu Kush mountains
- **mouth location**: Lake Hamun
- **basin size**: Sistan Basin
- **tributaries left**: Arghandab River
- **tributaries right**: Khash River
Chagay River
Saif Ali Khan

**Saif Ali Khan** (born 16 August 1970) is an Indian actor of Bollywood. He was born to Sharmila Tagore, great-grandniece of Rabindranath Tagore.

In January 2025, Khan was hospitalized in Mumbai after being stabbed multiple times during a home invasion.

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: Saif Ali Khan
- **image**: Saif Ali Khan snapped at Imperial Hotel, New Delhi 05.jpg
- **nationality**: Indian
- **spouse**: Amrita Singh (m. 1991–2004) (divorced)
- **partner**: Kareena Kapoor (2007-present)
Official residence

An **official residence** is the residence that a head of state or head of government has.  They may actually live elsewhere, but the country makes this available to them.  In federal countries, the local leader may also have an official residence.
Uhwudong

**Uhwudong** (, c. 1430 - October 18 1480), also written as **Eoudong** or **Eowudong**, was a Korean Joseon Dynasty gisaeng, writer, poet, and dancer. She lived during the reign of King Yejong and King Seongjong. She was also called **Eeulwudong**.

famous for divorced from royal family wife. she was said to be charming, witty, very beautiful, and very smart. Her personal life has inspired movies, a TV series, operas, and many novels. She is one of Koreas modern popular cultural icons.

## Popular culture

In the late 20th century, Uhwudong's story was of interest in both North Korea and South Korea. There are books, movies and operas about her.

In late 1985, a movie _Eoudong_ was released. It starred Lee Bo-hee in the title role. Another movie, _Kim Mun-hee_, was released on May 23, 1987. In 2007, KBS released a TV series entitled _King and I_ starring Kim Sa-rang.

## Related pages

- Shin Saimdang
- Yu Gamdong
- Heo Chohui
- Hwang Jinyi

## Other websites

- Uhwudong at naver.com
- Uhwudong at daum.net
- Uhwudong: Korean historical persons information
Van der Waals force

In chemistry, the **Van der Waals force** is a type of intermolecular force that attracts molecules together. An intermolecular force is a relatively weak force between molecules. Van der Waals forces are the weakest type of intermolecular force. They are named after the Dutch scientist Johannes Diderik van der Waals (1837–1923).

Negatively charged electrons orbit around molecules or ions. The electrons shift their orbits to create slightly different charges from one end of the molecule to the other as a response to each other. These slight differences are called _partial charges_, described by using the variables δ<sup>- </sup>or δ<sup>+</sup>.

Van der Waals force is sometimes used loosely to mean for _all_ intermolecular forces. Van der Waals forces are weaker than covalent bonds and usually weaker than hydrogen bonds, but they play a important role in supramolecular chemistry, enzymes, polymer science, nanotechnology, surface science, and condensed matter physics. Van der Waals forces define many properties of organic compounds, including their ability to dissolve.
Michel Wachenheim

**Michel Wachenheim**, (born 16 January 1951 at Saint-Maur-des-Fossés) is a French ambassador and permanent representative of France at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Graduate from _École Polytechnique_ (promotion 1972) and _École nationale de l'aviation civile_ (promotion 1975), Michel Wachenheim starts his career in 1977 at the air traffic department. In 2007, he becomes Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Transport Dominique Bussereau. The 1st of September 2009, he becomes French ambassador and permanent representative of France at the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Michel Wachenheim is married, has three children and is _Officier de la Légion d'honneur_. The 2009-2010 promotion of the _institut de formation universitaire et de recherche du transport aérien_ (research and training air transport institute) bears his name.

## Further reading

- Académie nationale de l'air et de l'espace and Lucien Robineau, _Les français du ciel, dictionnaire historique_, Le Cherche midi, June 2005, 782 p. (), p. 527, _Wachenheim, Michel_
- Who’s Who in France, 2012, 2307 p. (), notice « Wachenheim, Michel ».

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: Michel Wachenheim
- **birth date**: 16th of January 1951
- **birth place**: Saint-Maur-des-Fossés
- **nationality**: France, French
- **citizenship**: France
- **known for**: Ambassador
- **education**: Aerospace engineer
- **alma mater**: École Polytechnique
 École nationale de l'aviation civile
- **occupation**: France, French public servant
Closeted

**Closeted** and **in the closet** are metaphors used to describe lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) people who for some reason have not disclosed their sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex characteristics. People who have declared this identity are said to have "come out of the closet."

## Reading list

- _Epistemology of the Closet_ (reprinted 1992) by Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, .
- Dossie Easton, Janet Hardy, _When Someone You Love Is Kinky_,  Greenery Press, 2000. .

## Other websites

- Empty Closets - Coming Out Resources and a Safe Place to Chat
- The Human Rights Campaign's Coming Out Guides
- The Human Rights Campaign is the leading agency of the National Coming Out Project
Iolanta

**Iolanta** (sometimes ***Iolanthe***) () is a one-act opera. The libretto was written by Modest Tchaikovsky. It is based on the Danish play _Kong Renés Datter_ (_King René’s Daughter_) by Henrik Hertz. The story is a account of the life of Yolande de Bar. The play was translated by Fyodor Miller and adapted by Vladimir Zotov. The music was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The opera received its premiere in St. Petersburg on 18 December 1892 at the Mariinsky Theatre on a double-bill with the ballet _The Nutcracker_.
Stephen Root

**Stephen Root** (born November 17, 1951) is an American actor, comedian and voice artist. He is best known for doing many voices in movies and TV shows. He voiced Bill Dauterive and Buck Strickland in _King of the Hill_, Zeb Zoober in _The Country Bears_, and Junjie in _Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness_.
Goose step

The **goose step** is a kind of marching done by the military. It is usually done in formal parades and other ceremonies. While marching together, the troops swing their legs high off the ground, while keeping their knees unbended (so that their legs are straight). It resembles the walking style of a goose.

The march comes from the Prussian army in the mid-18th century. It was called the **Stechschritt** (meaning, "piercing step") or **Stechmarsch**. It is still used today by the armed forces of nearly 30 countries.

## Other websites

- Black-and-white video of the march
James Hong

**James Hong** (traditional Chinese: 吳漢章, Wú Hànzhāng; born February 22, 1929) is an American stand-up comedian, character actor, voice artist, and comedian. He is perhaps best known as the voice of Mr. Ping in the _Kung Fu Panda_ franchise. He played Gong Gong in _Everything Everywhere All at Once_. In 1980, Hong appeared in the film _Airplane!_

## Family

Hong and his family came out in an around-the-world mountain biking travel adventure called Full Cycle: A World Odyssey. The Hong family rode their mountain bikes on a trail near the Hollywood sign. James' daughter named April was born in 1975.

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: James Hong
- **image**: James Hong 2014.jpg
- **caption**: James Hong in 2014
- **birth place**: Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
- **occupation**: Actor, voice actor, producer, director
- **alma mater**: University of Minnesota
- **children**: 3
- **years active**: 1954–present
- **spouse**:
Kung Fu Panda Holiday

***Kung Fu Panda Holiday***, also known as ***Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special***, is a 2010 American television special, based on the _Kung Fu Panda_ franchise. It premiered on NBC on November 24, 2010.

It features the voices of Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong, and Jack McBrayer. The special's premiere broadcast drew 5.925 million viewers.

_Kung Fu Panda Holiday_ got mostly positive reviews.

## Storyline

One day, Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) assigns Master Po (Jack Black) to host the upcoming annual Winter Feast that's to be held at the Jade Palace with every single Kung Fu master. But Po declines because he's gonna spend Christmas with Mr. Ping (James Hong) instead.

## Voice cast

- Jack Black as Po
- Dustin Hoffman as Shifu
- Angelina Jolie as Tigress
- Seth Rogen as Mantis
- Lucy Liu as Viper
- David Cross as Crane
- James Hong as Mr. Ping
- Jack McBrayer as Wo Hop
- Dan Fogler as Zeng
- Jackie Chan as Monkey
- Jonathan Groff as Master Rhino
- Conrad Vernon as Boar

## Other websites

]

## Infobox (television film)

- **name**: Kung Fu Panda Holiday
- **director**: Tim Johnson (film director), Tim Johnson
- **producer**: Melissa Cobb
- **writer**: [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0342917/ Jonathan Groff]
Jon Pollack
- **starring**: Jack Black
Angelina Jolie
Dustin Hoffman
Jack McBrayer
Jackie Chan
Seth Rogen
David Cross
Lucy Liu
James Hong
Dan Fogler
- **music**: Henry Jackman
- **editing**: C. K. Horness, C.K. Horness
Marcus Taylor
- **studio**: DreamWorks Animation
Pacific Data Images
- **network**: National Broadcasting Company, NBC
- **runtime**: 25 minutes
- **country**: United States
- **language**: English
- **preceded by**: _Secrets of the Furious Five_
- **followed by**: _Kung Fu Panda 2_
Lockheed C-130 Hercules

The **Lockheed C-130 Hercules** is a military transport aircraft. The aircraft was first introduced (made available) in 1957. It is still used today by over 60 countries worldwide in active service. There are over 40 models and types of the C-130.

## Accidents

The C-130 Hercules has had a low accident rate in general. The Royal Air Force recorded an accident rate of about one aircraft loss per 250,000 flying hours over the last 40 years, placing it behind Vickers VC10s and Lockheed TriStars with no flying losses.

## Further reading

- Borman, Martin W. _Lockheed C-130 Hercules._ Marlborough, UK: Crowood Press, 1999. .
- Diehl, Alan E., PhD, Former Senior USAF Safety Scientist. _Silent Knights: Blowing the Whistle on Military Accidents and Their Cover-ups._ Dulles, Virginia: Brassey's Inc., 2002. .
- Donald, David, ed. "Lockheed C-130 Hercules". _The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft_. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1997. .
- Eden, Paul. "Lockheed C-130 Hercules". _Encyclopedia of Modern Military Aircraft._ London: Amber Books, 2004. .
- Frawley, Gerard. _The International Directory of Military Aircraft, 2002/03_. Fyshwick, ACT, Australia: Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 2002. .
- Olausson, Lars. _Lockheed Hercules Production List 1954–2011_. Såtenäs, Sweden: Self-published, 27th Edition March 2009. No ISBN.
- Reed, Chris. _Lockheed C-130 Hercules and Its Variants_. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, 1999. .

## Infobox (aircraft)

- **name**: C-130 Hercules
- **image**: Lockheed C-130 Hercules.jpg
- **caption**: A United States Air Force C-130E
- **alt**: Straight-wing, four-engine turboprop-driven aircraft overflying water
- **type**: Tactical airlifter
- **national origin**: United States
- **introduction**: December 1956
- **status**: In service
- **primary user**: United States Air Force
- **produced**: 1954–present
- **number built**: 2,500+ as of 2015
Fayzabad, Badakhshan

**Fayzabad** (also spelled **Feyzabad**, **Fazelabad** or **Faizabad**) () is the provincial capital and largest city in Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan.  There are around 50,000 people. It is the main commercial and administrative center of the Pamir region.

## Geography

Fayzabad is in northeast Afghanistan. The city is located on the right bank of the Kokcha River.

## Economy

Fayzabad has been separate from other parts of the country because of the lack of paved roads. There are two active bazaars in the city where items as different as cotton, cotton cloth and goods, salt, sugar, tea, indigo, and cutlery are traded.

## Demographics

The majority of the people are Tajiks.  There also are some Pashtun, Uzbek and Turkmen.

## Culture

There are a number of mosques and shrines of historical importance in the city.

## Public services

The city has several schools including an all-girls school. There is also a hospital which is considered the best in the province, and a police station. There is a guest house called Lapis Lazuli for expatriates.
Bactria–Margiana Archaeological Complex

The **Bactria–Margiana Archaeological Complex** (or **BMAC**, also known as the **Oxus civilization**) is the modern archaeological name for a Bronze Age culture of Central Asia, dated to around 2300–1700 BCE.  It existed in present-day Turkmenistan, northern Afghanistan, northeastern Iran, southern Uzbekistan and western Tajikistan.

## Discovery

Its sites were discovered and named by the Soviet archaeologist Viktor Sarianidi (1976). _Bactria_ was the Greek name for the area of _Bactra_ (modern Balkh), in what is now northern Afghanistan.  _Margiana_ was the Greek name for the Persian satrapy of Margu, in today's Turkmenistan.

## Excavations

Sarianidi's excavations from the late 1970s onward found many buildings in many sites. Reports were mostly published in Soviet journals, until the last years of the Soviet Union.  The findings were unknown to the Western world until Sarianidi's work was translated in the 1990s.
Uzbek language

**Uzbek** (_O'zbek tili_ or _O'zbekcha_ in Latin script, Ўзбек тили or Ўзбекча in Cyrillic script, أۇزبېك تیلی in Arabic script) is a Turkic language. It is the official language of Uzbekistan. It has about 40 million native speakers. It is spoken by the Uzbeks in Uzbekistan and elsewhere in Central Asia. Uzbek belongs to the southeastern Turkic or Karluk family of Turkic languages.

## Infobox (language)

- **name**: Uzbek
- **nativename**: _Oʻzbekcha_, _Oʻzbek tili_, Ўзбекча, Ўзбек тили, اوزبیکچه, اوزبیک تیلی
- **states**: Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Russia, China
- **ethnicity**: Uzbeks
- **speakers**: 32 million
- **date**: 2017
- **ref**: e18
- **familycolor**: Altaic
- **fam1**: Turkic languages, Turkic
- **fam2**: Common Turkic languages, Common Turkic
- **fam3**: Karluk languages, Karluk
- **ancestor**: Middle Turkic languages, Middle Turkic
- **ancestor2**: Khorezmian language (Turkic), Khorezmian
- **ancestor3**: Chagatai language, Chagatai
- **nation**:
 (3rd official language)
- **script**: Latin script, Latin, Cyrillic alphabet, Cyrillic and Arabic alphabet, Arabic (used in Afghanistan and China), Uzbek Braille
(Uzbek alphabets)
- **iso1**: uz
- **iso2**: uzb
- **iso3**: uzb
- **lc1**: uzn
- **ld1**: Northern
- **lc2**: uzs
- **ld2**: Southern Uzbek language, Southern
- **lingua**: 44-AAB-da, db
- **glotto**: uzbe1247
- **glottorefname**: Uzbek
- **notice**: IPA
- **agency**: :ru:Ташкентский государственный университет узбекского языка и литературы имени Алишера Навои, Tashkent State University of Uzbek language and literature
- **map**: Idioma uzbeko.png
- **mapalt**: A map, showing that Uzbek is spoken throughout Uzbekistan, except the western third (where Karakalpak dominates) and northern Afghanistan
- **mapcaption**: Dark blue = majority; light blue = minority
Turkmen language

**Turkmen** (, Cyrillic: , Persian: ) is the national language of Turkmenistan. It is spoken by about 7,000,000 people in Turkmenistan and by an about 380,000 more people in Northwestern Afghanistan and 500,000 in Northeastern Iran.

## Literature

The leading Turkmen poet is Magtymguly Pyragy, who wrote in the 1700's.

## Infobox (language)

- **name**: Turkmen
- **nativename**: , , تورکمن
- **states**: Turkmenistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Stavropol krai (Russia)
- **speakers**: ca. 4 million
- **date**: 1998
- **familycolor**: Altaic
- **fam1**: Turkic languages, Turkic
- **fam2**: Oghuz languages, Oghuz
- **iso1**: tk
- **iso2**: tuk
- **iso3**: tuk
- **lingua**: part of Oghuz languages, 44-AAB-a
- **notice**: IPA
Nuristani languages

The **Nuristani languages** (زبان نورستانی) are one of the three groups in the Indo-Iranian language family. The other two languages being Indo-Aryan and Iranian. They are spoken mainly in the Nuristan Province of eastern Afghanistan and Chitral District of northwestern Pakistan. The speakers of the Nuristani languages are known as Nuristani people.

## Languages

- Askunu (Ashkun) 2,000 speakers
- Kamkata-viri (Bashgali, includes the dialects Kata-vari, Shekhani, Kamviri & Mumviri) 24,200 speakers
- Vasi-vari (Prasuni) 2,000 speakers
- Tregami (Gambiri) 1,000 speakers
- Waigali (Kalasha-ala) 2,000 speakers
- Zemiaki 500 speakers (traditionally classified as a dialekt of Indo-Aryan Nangalami-Grangali, belongs here according to Grjunberg 1999)

## Infobox (language family)

- **name**: Nuristani
- **region**: Nuristan (Afghanistan), Chitral District, Chitral (Pakistan)
- **familycolor**: Indo-European
- **fam2**: Indo-Iranian languages, Indo-Iranian
- **fam1**: Indo-European languages, Indo-European
- **ethnicity**: Nuristanis
Telephone numbers in Afghanistan

Area codes in Afghanistan are two digits long. It is common to write phone numbers as **(0xx) yyy-yyyy**, where **xx** is the area code. The 0 prefix is for long-distance dialing from within the country. International callers should dial **+93 xx yyyyyyy**.

Area codes for common cities are:

- **020 yyy yyyy**: Kabul
- **030 yyy yyyy**: Kandahar
- **040 yyy yyyy**: Herat
- **050 yyy yyyy**: Mazar-i-Sharif
- **060 yyy yyyy**: Jalalabad
Helmand Province

**Helmand** (Pashto/Dari: هلمند) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation.

Helmand is the world's largest opium-producing region.  It makes 75% of the world's total production. This is more than all of Burma, which is the second largest producing nation after Afghanistan. Afghan opium accounts for more than 90% of the global supply.

The current governor is Mohammad Golab Mangal (since March 2008).

Much of the fighting between NATO and Taliban forces is taking place in this province. Helmand is said to be a Taliban stronghold.

## Border with Pakistan

Helmand has a southern border with the Balochistan province of Pakistan. Many domestic and international observers have criticized Pakistan's efforts towards securing the border against Taliban insurgents.

## Cities

- Lashkar Gah
- Sangin
- Musa Qala

## Demographics

The population is 1,441,769. The area is 58,584 square kilometres. Pashtuns are the majority estimated at 92% of the population. There are also Balochs who are in the south.  Also there are small numbers of Hazara, Brahui and Tajik.

## Districts

|style="width:125px" align="left"|District|style="width:125px" align="left"|Capital|style="width:100px" align="right"|Population|style="width:100px" align="right"|Area|align="right"|Notes|
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|Baghran||129,947||||||||
|Dishu||29,005||||||||
|Garmsir||107,153||||||||
|Nahri Saraj||166,827||also known as **Nahre Saraj**||||||
|Kajaki||119,023||||||||
|Khanashin (Reg)||17,333||||||||
|Lashkargah||201,546||||||||
|Musa Qala|Musa Qala|138,896||||||||
|Nad Ali||235,590||||||||
|Nawa-I-Barakzayi||89,814||||||||
|Nawzad||108,258||||||||
|Sangin|Sangin|213,901||||||||
|Washir||31,476||||||||

## Infobox (settlement)

- **name**: Helmand
- **native name lang**: ps
- **settlement type**: Provinces of Afghanistan, Province
- **image skyline**: Aerial photograph of Kandahar Province in 2011.jpg
- **image caption**: Helmand River and the town of Grishk
- **image map**: Helmand in Afghanistan.svg
- **map caption**: Map of Afghanistan with Helmand highlighted
- **pushpin relief**: yes
- **coor pinpoint**: Capital
- **subdivision type**: Country
- **seat type**: Capital
- **seat**: Lashkargah
- **leader title**: Governor
- **leader name**: Maulvi Abdul Ahad Talib
- **leader title1**: Deputy Governor
- **leader name1**: Mulavi Hizbullah
- **unit pref**: Metric
- **area total km2**: 58584
- **population total**: 1,472,162
- **population as of**: 2021
- **population density km2**: auto
- **blank name sec1**: Languages of Afghanistan, Main languages
- **blank info sec1**: Pashto language, Pashto
 Dari language, Dari
- **timezone1**: Afghanistan Time
- **utc offset1**: +4:30
- **iso code**: AF-HEL
Ghazni Province

**Ghazni**  () () is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the east of the country. Its capital is Ghazni City.

## Demographics and geography

The major ethnic groups in the province are Hazaras, Pashtuns and Tajiks. There are also some Burki, and Uzbeks. Ghazni is made up of 19 districts.

|District name|District Center|Ethnical data(%)|
| --- | --- | --- |
|Ab Band|Haji Khel|100% Pashtun|
|Ajristan|Sangar|97% Hazara, 3% Pashtun|
|Andar|Miray|100% Pashtun|
|Dih Yak|Ramak|89% Pashtun, 11% Tajik|
|Gelan|Janda|100% Pashtun|
|Ghazni|Ghazni|50% Tajik, 25% Hazara, 25% Pashtun|
|Giro|Pana|100% Pashtun|
|Jaghatu|Gul Bahawari|88% Hazara, 22% Pashtun|
|Jaghori|Sange-e-Masha|100% Hazara|
|Khogyani|Khogyani|100% Pashtun|
|Khwaja Umari|Kwaja Umari|45% Hazara, 35% Tajik and 20% Pashtun|
|Malistan|Malistan|100% Hazara|
|Muqur|Muqur|65% Pashtun, 35% Hazaras|
|Nawa|Nawa|100% Pashtun|
|Nawur|Du Abi|100% Hazara|
|Qarabagh|Qarabagh|60% Hazara, 40% Pashtun|
|Rashidan|Rashidan|96% Pashtun, 4% Hazara|
|Waghaz|Waghaz|100% Pashtun|
|Zana Khan|Dado|100% Pashtun|

Some Sikhs and Hindus also live in Ghazni province. During the Taliban regime they fled the country. With the current administration they have returned to Ghazni city.

## Infrastructure

Band E Sardeh Dam is located in Andar District near the border with Paktika Province.  It creates a large water reservoir that is important to the irrigation of the Kahnjoor farming zone.

## Related pages

- Ghazni

## Infobox (settlement)

- **name**: Ghazni
- **native name lang**: fa
- **settlement type**: Provinces of Afghanistan, Province
- **image skyline**: Snow covered mountains in Ghazni.jpg
- **image caption**: Snow-covered mountains in Ghazni province
- **image map**: Ghazni in Afghanistan.svg
- **map caption**: Map of Afghanistan with Ghazni province highlighted
- **coor pinpoint**: Capital
- **subdivision type**: Country
- **seat type**: Capital
- **seat**: Ghazni
- **leader title**: Governor
- **leader name**: Ishaq Akhundzada
- **leader title1**: Deputy Governor
- **leader name1**: Sayed Hanif (Ebadah Agha)
- **unit pref**: Metric
- **area total km2**: 22460
- **population total**: 1386764
- **population as of**: 2021
- **population density km2**: auto
- **timezone1**: Afghanistan Time
- **utc offset1**: +4:30
- **iso code**: AF-GHA
- **blank name sec1**: Languages of Afghanistan, Main languages
- **blank info sec1**: Dari and Pashto
Ghazni

**Ghazni** (Persian/Pashto: غزنی - _Ġaznī_; historically known as غزنین / _Ġaznīn_ and غزنه / _Ġazna_) is a city in central-east Afghanistan. It is the capital of Ghazni Province at present.

Just like other cities of Afghanistan, Ghazni is very old and has seen many historic military invasions.

### Education

The city has a number of public schools.

### Resources

Ghazni City is located in an area of extreme drought. In 2007, one of the gates on a fifty-year-old dam on the Jikhai River broke.  This worried the people of Ghazni city about the water supply. The dam serves as a good source of irrigation water to Ghazni City and the surrounding agricultural areas. Nearby rivers have a history of flooding  and causing severe damage and death, though efforts have begun to fix this.

## Notables from Ghazni

- Sadiq Ali Khan Tanoli (sons named Feroz Khan, Sanjay Khan, Akbar Khan (director), Indian film actors,
- Hajweri Ghaznawi
- Mahmud of Ghazni
- Sanai
- Hassan Ghaznavi
- Faiz Muhammad Katib Hazara
- Farrukhi Sistani, Manuchehri Damaghani, Abul-fazl Bayhaqi (royal poets and writers who lived during the Ghaznavids period)

## Points of interest

- Citadel
- Minarets of Ghazni
- Palace of Sultan Mas'ud III
- Tomb of Sebuktigin
- Mausoleum of Sultan Mahmud
- Mausoleum of Sanai
- Museum of Islamic Art
- Tapa Sardar Excavations

## Related pages

- Ghazni Province

## Infobox (settlement)

- **name**: Ghazni
- **native name**: غزنی
- **settlement type**: Cities of Afghanistan, City
- **image skyline**: Ghazni City, 2010.jpg
- **image caption**: The Old City of Ghazni
- **pushpin map**: Afghanistan
- **pushpin label position**: above
- **pushpin mapsize**: 300px
- **pushpin map caption**: Location in Afghanistan
- **subdivision type**: List of sovereign states, Country
- **subdivision type1**: Provinces of Afghanistan, Province
- **subdivision name1**: Ghazni Province
- **elevation m**: 2219
- **population total**: 270,000
- **population as of**: 2018
- **population urban**: 270,000
- **timezone**: UTC+4:30
Pashayi languages

**Pashayi** - also known as **Pashai** - are a group of Dardic languages spoken by the Pashai people in parts of Kapisa, Laghman, Nuristan, Kunar, and Nangarhar Provinces in northeastern Afghanistan.

It is spoken by over 216,842 people who are mostly Muslim. Most of them are bilingual in Pashto.  Only 25% are able to read.  The Pashai language was not written prior to 2003.

## Infobox (language)

- **name**: Pashayi
- **states**: Afghanistan
- **speakers**: 108,000
- **date**: 1982
- **familycolor**: Indo-European
- **fam2**: Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan
- **fam3**: Dardic languages, Dardic
- **lingua**: 59-AAA-a
- **lc1**: aee
- **ld1**: Northeastern
- **lc2**: glh
- **ld2**: Northwestern
- **lc3**: psi
- **ld3**: Southeastern
- **lc4**: psh
- **ld4**: Southwestern
- **notice**: Indic
Kushan Empire

The **Kushan or Kaswan Empire** was first formed in the early 1st century AD. It was located in Afghanistan, most of Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and parts of northwest India.

The Kushan were a branch of the Yuezhi or tibetian confederation. Previously a nomadic people living in eastern Central Asia, the Yuezhi moved southwest and settled in ancient Bactria.

## Infobox (former country)

- **native name**:

- **conventional long name**: Kushan Empire
- **common name**: Kushan Empire
- **era**: Classical Antiquity
- **event start**: Kujula Kadphises unites Yuezhi tribes into a confederation
- **year start**: 30
- **event end**: Subjugated by the Sasanian Empire, Sasanians, Gupta Empire, Guptas and Hepthalites
- **year end**: 375
- **p1**: Indo-Greek Kingdom
- **flag p1**: Map_of_the_Indo-Greeks.png
- **p2**: Indo-Parthian Kingdom
- **flag p2**: Map_of_the_Indo-Parthians.png
- **p3**: Indo-Scythians
- **flag p3**: Map_of_the_Indo-Scythians.png
- **p4**: Northern Satraps
- **flag p4**: Map_of_the_Northern_Satraps_(Northern_Sakas).jpg
- **p5**: Western Satraps
- **flag p5**: Map_of_the_Western_Satraps.png
- **p6**: Maha-meghavahanas
- **flag p6**: Map_of_the_Maha-Meghavahanas.png
- **s1**: Sasanian Empire
- **flag s1**: Derafsh_Kaviani_flag_of_the_late_Sassanid_Empire.svg
- **s2**: Kushano-Sasanian Kingdom
- **flag s2**: Map_of_the_Kushano-Sasanian_Kingdom.svg
- **s3**: Nagas of Padmavati
- **s4**: Kidarites
- **flag s6**: Kidarite_Tamga.png
- **s6**: Nagas of Vindhyatabi
- **image map**: File:Map of the Kushan Empire.png
- **map width**: 270
- **image map caption**: Map of Kushan empire at its greatest extent.
- **capital**: Peshawar, Puruṣapura
Taxila, Takṣaśilā
Mathura
- **common languages**: Koine Greek, Greek (official until )
Bactrian language, Bactrian (official from )
Gandhari Prakrit
- **religion**: Hinduism
Mahayana, Buddhism
Zoroastrianism
- **demonym**: Kushanas
- **currency**: Kushan Coinage, Kushan drachma
- **government type**: Monarchy
- **leader1**: Kujula Kadphises <small>(first)</small>
- **year leader1**: 30–80
- **leader2**: Kipunada <small>(last)</small>
- **year leader2**: 350–375
- **title leader**: Emperor
- **stat year1**: 200 (low-end estimate of peak area)
- **stat area1**: 2000000
- **stat year2**: 200 (high-end estimate of peak area)
- **stat area2**: 3.5-4000000
Buddhas of Bamiyan

The **Buddhas of Bamiyan** ( – _but hay-e bamiyan_) were two 6th century monumental statues of standing Buddhas carved into the side of a cliff. They are in the Bamyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan.

They were dynamited and destroyed in March 2001 by the Taliban.  Japan and Switzerland, among others, have said they would help rebuild the statues.

The Buddhas are located 130 kilometers (81 miles) northwest of Kabul and stand at 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) above sea level. Scientists used carbon dating to find out when they were built. The smaller Buddha, which is 38 meters (125 feet) tall, was made around the year 570 CE. The bigger Buddha, which is 55 meters (180 feet) tall, was made around the year 618 CE. This means they were built during the time when the Hephthalites controlled the area.

The statues were an advanced form of Greco-Buddhist art in Gandhara. The larger statue, called "Salsal" ("the light shines through the universe"), was seen as male. The smaller statue, "Shah Mama" ("Queen Mother"), might have been female, but it’s uncertain. The smaller one was built first, then the bigger one. Both statues were reliefs, meaning their backs were connected to the cliff. The main structures were carved from sandstone, while details were shaped using mud mixed with straw and covered in stucco. Most of this coating has worn away over time. The faces, hands, and robes were painted to make them more expressive—the bigger one was painted red, while the smaller one had many colors. The statues’ lower arms were made from the same mud-straw mix, supported with wood, and their upper faces may have had large wooden masks.

## Infobox (unesco world heritage site)

- **part of**: Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamyan Valley
- **image**: Buddha of Bamiyan.jpg
- **caption**: Taller Buddha of Bamyan before 2001
- **location**: Bamyan Province, Bamyan, Afghanistan
- **area**: 105 ha
- **buffer zone**: 225.25 ha
- **criteria**: Cultural: i, ii, iii, iv, vi.
- **id**: 208-001
- **year**: 2003
- **danger**: 2003-present
- **locmapin**: Afghanistan
Tahirid dynasty

The **Tahirid dynasty** () was a Arabian Sunni Islamic dynasty that ruled the Abbasid province of Khorasan from 821 to 873.  It also ruled the city of Baghdad from 820 until 891. The capital in Khorasan was first located at Merv. Later it moved to Nishapur.

## Infobox (former country)

- **native name**: _Tâheriyân_
- **conventional long name**: Tahirid Dynasty
- **common name**: Tahirids
- **era**: Medieval
- **status**: Nominally part of the Abbasid Caliphate
- **government type**: Emirate
- **year start**: 821
- **year end**: 873
- **p1**: Abbasid Caliphate
- **flag p1**: Black flag.svg
- **s1**: Saffarid Empire
- **flag s1**: Saffarid dynasty 861-1003.png
- **image map**: Tahirid Dynasty 821 - 873 (AD).png
- **image map caption**: Provinces governed by the Tahirids
- **capital**: Merv, later Nishapur
- **common languages**: Persian language, Persian ()
Arabic language, Arabic ()
- **religion**: Sunni Islam
- **leader1**: Tahir ibn Husayn
- **year leader1**: 821
- **title leader**: Emir
- **stat year1**: 800 est.
- **stat area1**: 1000000
Marilyn Chambers

**Marilyn Ann Chambers** (April 22, 1952 – April 12, 2009) was an American pornographic actress, exotic dancer and fashion model. She was born Marilyn Ann Briggs in Providence, Rhode Island. She was raised in Westport, Connecticut. She was notable for performing in many pornographic movies, including _Behind the Green Door_ and mainstream movies, including _Rabid_. Chambers died in Santa Clarita, California due to cerebral hemorrhage and aneurysm cause by heart disease.
Sistan

**Sīstān** () is a border region in eastern Iran (Sistan and Baluchestan Province) and southern Afghanistan (Nimroz, Kandahar and Zabul provinces).

Sistan was once the homeland of Sakas, a Scythian tribe of Iranic origin. The Saffarids, one of the early Iranian dynasties of the Islamic era, were first from Sistan.

## References

- Britannica
Saffarid dynasty

The **Saffarids** or the **Saffarid dynasty** () was one of the first Post - Islamic -Afghan - led Empires   The Saffarid dynasty was born in Zaranj, Today's Afghanistan. They ruled in Sistan from 861–1002.  Sistan was a historical region in southeastern Iran, southwestern Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan. The Saffarid empire was led by an Afghan called Yaqub ibn layth saffar who has worked as a coppersmith (Arabic: ṣaffār, hence the dynasty's name).

Using his ties and relations to the various Afghan Tribes, he became a warlord and formed a disciplined army of volunteers and mercenaries.

He Captured Sistan and expanded rapidly, taking Khorasan, Kerman, Fars, Sindh, Makran, and parts of Baluchistan.

The Saffarid Set the stage for later Afghan and Persian dynasties like:

Ghaznavids (Afghanistan - based empire)

Samanids ( Uzbekistan - based empire

Buyids  ( Iran - Iraq - based empire

## Infobox (former country)

- **conventional long name**: Saffarid Dynasty
- **common name**: Saffarid Dynasty
- **era**: Medieval
- **government type**: Monarchy
- **year start**: 861
- **year end**: 1002
- **p1**: Tahirid dynasty
- **flag p1**: Tahirid Dynasty 821 - 873 (AD).png
- **s1**: Samanid dynasty
- **flag s1**: Samanid dynasty (819–999).GIF
- **image map**: Saffarid dynasty 861-1003.png
- **image map caption**: Saffarid Emirate at its Greatest Extent
- **capital**: Zaranj
- **common languages**: Persian languages
- **origin.**: BALUCHS
- **leader1**: Ya'qub bin Laith as-Saffar
- **leader2**: Khalaf I
- **year leader1**: 867–879
- **year leader2**: 963–1002
- **title leader**: Saffarid dynasty#Rulers of the Saffarid dynasty, Emir
Bukhara

**Bukhara** (;  ; ) is the capital of the Bukhara Province of Uzbekistan. It is the nation's fifth-largest city. It had about 263,400 people at the 2009 census. People have lived in the area for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time.  The city is on the Silk Road. That made it a center of trade, scholarship, culture, and religion. The historic center of Bukhara, which has many mosques and madrassas, is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. There are many Uzbeks and Tajiks. The city has Jews and other ethnic minorities.

## Names

Bukhara was called _Bokhara_ in 19th and early 20th century English publications and as _Buhe/Puhe_ () in Tang Chinese.

## Transportation

- Bukhara Airport
The M37 highway connects the city to most of the major cities in Turkmenistan including Ashgabat.

## Notable people

Many important people lived in Bukhara in the past. Most famous of them are:

- Muhammad Ibn Ismail Ibn Ibrahim Ibn al-Mughirah Ibn Bardizbah al-Bukhari (810-870) - Islamic scholar and compiler of hadiths
- Avicenna (Abu Ali ibn Sina) (980-1037) - physician and person of encyclopedic knowledge
- Bal'ami: Abolfazl Muhammad and his son Abu-Ali Mohammad, two famous viziers of Samanid kings, historians and patrons of art and literature
- Abubakr Narshakhi (10th century) - historian who wrote History of Bukhara
- Hazrat Syed Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari(c. 595-690 AH, 1199-1291 CE)
- Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari (1318–1389)
- Amir Kulal (died in 1370)
- Kiromi Bukhoroi
- An Lushan
- Sadriddin Ayni (1878–1954)
- Abdurauf Fitrat
- Oksana Chusovitina

## Infobox (settlement)

- **official name**: Bukhara
- **native name**: Buxoro / Бухоро
- **pushpin map**: Uzbekistan
- **pushpin label position**: bottom
- **pushpin mapsize**: 250
- **pushpin map caption**: Location in Uzbekistan
- **subdivision type**: Countries of the world, Country
- **subdivision type1**: Regions of Uzbekistan, Region
- **subdivision name1**: Bukhara Region
- **established title**: Founded
- **established date**: 6th Century BC
- **established title2**: First mention
- **established date2**: 500
- **government type**: City Administration
- **leader title**: Hakim (Mayor)
- **leader name**: Qiyomiddin Rustamov
- **area total km2**: 39.4
- **population as of**: 2009
- **population total**: 263400
- **population urban**: 283400
- **population metro**: 328400
- **population density km2**: auto
- **timezone**: GMT +5
- **elevation m**: 225
- **postal code type**: Postcode
- **postal code**: 2001ХХ
- **area code**: (+998) 65
- **registration plate**: 20 (previous to 2008)
 80-84 (2008 and newer)
- **website**: http://www.buxoro.uz/
Lashkar Gah

**Lashkar Gah** () (), also called **Bost**, is a city in southern Afghanistan and the capital of Helmand Province. It is located in Lashkar Gah district, and is between the Helmand and Arghandab rivers. The city has a population of 201,546 as of 2006.

Lashkar Gah is linked by major roads with Kandahar to the east, Zaranj to the west, and Herat to the north-west.

## Sports

Football is the popular sport in Lashkar Gah. The Lashkar Gah Football Stadium was rebuilt in 2006.  It can hold around 10,000 spectators. Currently, 13 registered cricket teams play at the new Karzai Stadium in Lashkar Gah.

## Infobox (settlement)

- **official name**: Lashkargah
- **native name**: لښکرګاه
- **settlement type**: City
- **image caption**: From top left to right: Sunset over the Helmand River; Lashkargah Mosque; Lashkargah streets; Mirwais Nika Park.
- **pushpin map**: Afghanistan
- **pushpin label position**: bottom
- **pushpin mapsize**: 300
- **pushpin map caption**: Location in Afghanistan
- **subdivision type**: Country
- **subdivision type1**: Provinces of Afghanistan, Province
- **subdivision name1**: Helmand Province
- **subdivision type2**: District
- **leader title**: Mayor
- **leader name**: Matiullah Baheer
- **elevation m**: 773
- **population total**: 201,546
- **population as of**: 2006
- **population urban**: 276,831
- **timezone**: UTC+4:30
- **blank name**: Köppen climate classification, Climate
- **blank info**: Desert climate#Hot desert climates, BWh
Greater Khorasan

**Greater Khorasan** or **Ancient Khorasan** () (also written _Khurasan_) is a historical region of Greater Iran.  It also included parts of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikstan
Al-Farabi

**Al-Farabi** (persian: ابو نصر محمد بن محمد فارابي,  / ;)  known in the West as **Alpharabius** (c. 872 in Fārāb – between 14 December, 950 and 12 January, 951 in Damascus), was a Persian scientist and philosopher of the Islamic world. He was also a cosmologist, logician, and musician.
Al-Biruni

_Abū al-Rayḥān Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad al-Bīrūnī** (born 5 September 973 in Kath, Khwarezm, died in the year 13 December 1052 in Ghazni), known as **Alberonius** in Latin and **Al-Biruni_' in English, was a Persian-Chorasmian Muslim scholar and polymath of the 11th century.

Al-Biruni was one of the greatest scholars of the medieval Islamic era and was well versed in physics, mathematics, astronomy, and natural sciences.  He did a lot of work as a historian, chronologist and linguist.

Historians differ over Al-Biruni's religious affiliation, since he does not say whether he was Sunni or Shia; rather, he only identified as a Muslim. According to historian Walter J. Fischel, Al-Biruni was "the greatest Muslim Hebraist".