Bilal Orfali Explained

Bilal Orfali is a Lebanese scholar of Arabic language and literature. He currently serves as Sheikh Zayed Chair of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the American University of Beirut.^{[1] [2]} He is considered an expert on Arabic prose and poetry, especially during the 10th century.^[3]

Life

Orfali earned a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts from the American University of Beirut in 2000, 2001 and 2003 respectively. He then went on to earn a Master of Philosophy in 2006 and a Doctor of Philosophy in 2009, both from Yale University.^{[4] [5]} Orfali is currently a professor of Arabic studies at AUB, while also having served as a visiting scholar at the prestigious Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey from 2011 to 2012.^{[3] [5]} He also serves as the director of the AUB's intensive CAMES summer program for Arabic language education.^[6]

Selected works

Abstracts

• "The Arabian Nights Encyclopedia," taken from Encyclopedias About Muslim Civilisations by Aptin Khanbaghi (ed), pgs. 25–26. Translated by Yasmeen Hanoosh. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2009.

Articles

• 2009 . The Works of Abū Manṣūr al-Tha'ālibī (350-429/961-1039) . Journal of Arabic Literature . . Leiden . 40 . 3 . 273–318 . 20720591 . Orfali . Bilal . 10.1163/008523709X12554960674539 .
• "A Sketch Map of Arabic Poetry Anthologies up to the Fall of Baghdad." Journal of Arabic Literature, vol. 43, # 1, 2012. Pgs. 29–59.^[7]

Edited works

• In the Shadow of Arabic: The Centrality of Language to Arabic Culture. Leiden: Brill Publishers, 2011. 1st ed., 572 pgs.^[8]
• Sufism, Black and White, with Nada Saab. Leiden: Brill Publishers, 2012. 1st ed., 570 pgs.^[9]
• Texts and Studies on the Qurʾān, with Gerhard Böwering and Devin J. Stewart. Leiden: Brill Publishers.^[10] ISSN 1567-2808

Original works

• The Comfort of the Mystics, with Gerhard Böwering. Leiden: Brill Publishers, 2013. 1st ed., 720 pgs.^[11]

External links

• Resume of Dr. Orfali at the American University of Beirut's official site.

Notes and References

1. Web site: AUB - Faculty Member Profile - Bilal Orfali. American University of Beirut. en-US. 2020-05-31.
2. http://www.alibris.com/search/books/author/Orfali,%20Bilal/aid/6139920 Bilal Orfali
3. http://www.ias.edu/files/pdfs/faculty-and-members-201112.pdf Faculty and Members
4. http://www.aub.edu.lb/fas/arabic/Pages/Orfali.aspx Bilal Orfali
5. http://www.ias.edu/people/cos/users/borfali Orfali, Bilal
6. "Foreigners and Lebanese expatriates soak up Lebanese culture and Arabic classes on campus," Al Bawaba (Middle East) Ltd., 2009.
7. http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/brill/jal/2012/00000043/00000001/art00002 A Sketch Map of Arabic Poetry Anthologies up to the Fall of Baghdad
8. http://www.brill.com/shadow-arabic-centrality-language-arabic-culture In the Shadow of Arabic
9. http://www.brill.com/sufism-black-and-white Sufism
10. Web site: Texts and Studies on the Qurʾān. 2023-01-05. Brill. en.
11. Book: Böwering. Gerhard. The Comfort of the Mystics: A Manual and Anthology of Early Sufism. Orfali. Bilal. 2015-01-08. Brill. 978-90-04-23362-1. en.