identity indeed

يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ ارْجِعِي إِلَى رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي
(To the righteous soul will be said:) "O (thou) soul, in (complete) rest and satisfaction! Come back thou to thy Lord,- well pleased (thyself), and well-pleasing unto Him! Enter thou, then, among My devotees! Yea, enter thou My Heaven!

Prof. Dr. Said A. Ashour
1922 - 2009

Dr. Said Ashour was a professor of History in Cairo University; he authored some 22 books and published numerous papers and articles over his long career. Dr. Ashour was Chair of Medieval History for many decades at the History Departments of Cairo University, Beirut Arab University in Lebanon and Kuwait University. Dr. Ashour had extensive contacts and taught at Alexandria University and was a visiting Professor in several universities throughout the Middle East.

Ashour was amongst the first Muslim historians to specialize in the History of Crusades in the Middle-Ages and the European medieval history in general. Perhaps his two most known works are the encyclopedic "The Crusade Movement" in two parts and "The History of Europe in the Middle Ages". Scores of historians throughout Egypt and the Arabic Speaking world studied these massive texts in universities throughout the region. In the later stages of Ashour's career, he developed keen interest in social history; with his post graduate students he undertook the tremendous effort of manuscript verification, editing and the publication of the epic work of Middle Age historian Al Maqrizi on the manners and customs of the Mammlouki State. In Kuwait, Dr. Ashour, a Sunni Muslim, gained a great deal of recognition and admiration amongst the minority Shia'a community from his work on bridging the gap between Islam's two main sects. Ashour was a long serving Chairman of the Society of Arab Historians, an institute encompassing membership from the entire Arab World and beyond and has received numerous honors and awards including several of Egypt’s highest national honors from Presidents Nasser, Sadat & Mubarak.

Said Ashour was born in Cairo in 1922 and passed away on September 10, 2009, he is survived by his wife of over 60 years Samira ElDokky, his three Children Ashraf of Halifax, NS and Jeddah, Akram of Cairo and Ayman of Newton, MA and by his grandchildren, nephews and nieces and many students.

May Said Ashour rest in peace and may he receive God’s mercy and compassion.