Sharif Ali bin al-Hussein
Encyclopedia
Sharif
Ali Bin al-Hussein was born in 1956, in Baghdad
, Iraq
. He is currently the leader of the Iraqi Constitutional Monarchy
political party
and claims to be the legitimate heir to the position of King of Iraq, based on his relationship to the last monarch, the late King Faisal II.
, Sharif Ali's parents settled in Iraq where Badia's sister was queen consort. He was born in Iraq and his maternal first cousin was Faisal II of Iraq
, the last king of Iraq.
On July 14, 1958, when Colonel Abdul Karim Qassim
took control of the Kingdom of Iraq by a coup d'état
, the royal family was ordered to leave the palace in Baghdad
: King Faisal II; Crown Prince 'Abd al-Ilah
; Princess Hiyam, Abdul Ilah's wife; Princess Nafeesa, Abdul Ilah’s mother, Princess Abadiya, the king’s aunt; and several servants. When they all arrived in the courtyard, they were told to turn towards the palace wall, and they were all shot down by Captain Abdus Sattar As Sab’, a member of the coup led by Colonel Abdul Karim Qassim
. Nuri as-Said
, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Iraq, was killed by supporters of Colonel Abdul Karim Qassim
on July 15, 1958.
Ali bin al-Hussein's mother Princess Badia, the daughter of King Ali and aunt of King Faisal II, her husband Sharif al-Hussein bin Ali, and their three children spent a month in the embassy of Saudi Arabia
in Baghdad. The coup leaders insisted that they leave Iraq and travel to Egypt
on ordinary passport
s. They lived for a while in Lebanon
and finally in London
, where Ali bin al-Hussein built up a successful career in investment banking
.
in Lebanon
and an MA in economics
from a university in the United Kingdom
.
. In 1991, he quit his job managing investment funds and became a member of the Iraqi National Congress
, which had the purpose of fomenting the overthrow of Hussein.
On October 28, 2003, representing the Iraqi National Conference Bloc, Sharif Ali Bin al-Hussein met Syria
's Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa
in Damascus
. They agreed on viewpoints that included ending the occupation and forming an Iraqi government in a way that both satisfied the Iraqi people's aspirations and maintained Iraqi unity.
Sharif
Sharīf or Chérif is a traditional Arab tribal title given to those who serve as the protector of the tribe and all tribal assets, such as property, wells, and land. In origin, the word is an adjective meaning "noble", "highborn". The feminine singular is sharifa...
Ali Bin al-Hussein was born in 1956, in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. He is currently the leader of the Iraqi Constitutional Monarchy
Iraqi Constitutional Monarchy
The Iraqi Constitutional Monarchy is a monarchist political party in Iraq led by Sharif Ali Bin al-Hussein.Al-Hussein is related to the Hashemite royal family which ruled Iraq until 1958...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
and claims to be the legitimate heir to the position of King of Iraq, based on his relationship to the last monarch, the late King Faisal II.
Early life
After the loss of MeccaMecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
, Sharif Ali's parents settled in Iraq where Badia's sister was queen consort. He was born in Iraq and his maternal first cousin was Faisal II of Iraq
Faisal II of Iraq
Faisal II was the last King of Iraq. He reigned from 4 April 1939 until July 1958, when he was killed during the "14 July Revolution" together with several members of his family...
, the last king of Iraq.
On July 14, 1958, when Colonel Abdul Karim Qassim
Abdul Karim Qassim
Abd al-Karim Qasim , was a nationalist Iraqi Army general who seized power in a 1958 coup d'état, wherein the Iraqi monarchy was eliminated. He ruled the country as Prime Minister of Iraq until his downfall and death in 1963....
took control of the Kingdom of Iraq by a coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
, the royal family was ordered to leave the palace in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
: King Faisal II; Crown Prince 'Abd al-Ilah
'Abd al-Ilah
Crown Prince Abd al-Ilāh of Hejaz, GCB, GCMG, GCVO was a cousin and brother-in-law of King Ghazi of the Kingdom of Iraq. Abdul Ilah served as Regent for King Faisal II from April 4, 1939 to May 2, 1953, when Faisal came of age...
; Princess Hiyam, Abdul Ilah's wife; Princess Nafeesa, Abdul Ilah’s mother, Princess Abadiya, the king’s aunt; and several servants. When they all arrived in the courtyard, they were told to turn towards the palace wall, and they were all shot down by Captain Abdus Sattar As Sab’, a member of the coup led by Colonel Abdul Karim Qassim
Abdul Karim Qassim
Abd al-Karim Qasim , was a nationalist Iraqi Army general who seized power in a 1958 coup d'état, wherein the Iraqi monarchy was eliminated. He ruled the country as Prime Minister of Iraq until his downfall and death in 1963....
. Nuri as-Said
Nuri as-Said
Nuri Pasha al-Said was an Iraqi politician during the British Mandate and during the Kingdom of Iraq. He served in various key cabinet positions, and served seven terms as Prime Minister of Iraq....
, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Iraq, was killed by supporters of Colonel Abdul Karim Qassim
Abdul Karim Qassim
Abd al-Karim Qasim , was a nationalist Iraqi Army general who seized power in a 1958 coup d'état, wherein the Iraqi monarchy was eliminated. He ruled the country as Prime Minister of Iraq until his downfall and death in 1963....
on July 15, 1958.
Ali bin al-Hussein's mother Princess Badia, the daughter of King Ali and aunt of King Faisal II, her husband Sharif al-Hussein bin Ali, and their three children spent a month in the embassy of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
in Baghdad. The coup leaders insisted that they leave Iraq and travel to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
on ordinary passport
Passport
A passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....
s. They lived for a while in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and finally in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where Ali bin al-Hussein built up a successful career in investment banking
Investment banking
An investment bank is a financial institution that assists individuals, corporations and governments in raising capital by underwriting and/or acting as the client's agent in the issuance of securities...
.
Education
Ali bin al-Hussein earned his high school diploma from Brummana High SchoolBrummana High School
Brummana High School is a secondary school in Lebanon. It is located in the village of Brummana, situated in Metn, Mount Lebanon, east of the capital city Beirut.This school was established in 1873, by the Quaker Theophilus Waldmeier...
in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and an MA in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
from a university in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Political movement
Ali bin Al-Hussein remained an opponent of the rule of Iraqi dictator Saddam HusseinSaddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
. In 1991, he quit his job managing investment funds and became a member of the Iraqi National Congress
Iraqi National Congress
The Iraqi National Congress is an umbrella Iraqi opposition group led by Ahmed Chalabi. It was formed with the aid and direction of the United States government following the Gulf War, for the purpose of fomenting the overthrow of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.-History:INC was set up following the...
, which had the purpose of fomenting the overthrow of Hussein.
On October 28, 2003, representing the Iraqi National Conference Bloc, Sharif Ali Bin al-Hussein met Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
's Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa
Farouk al-Sharaa
Farouk al-Sharaa , also known as Farouq al-Sharaa is a Syrian politician and diplomat. He is one of the most prominent officials in the Syrian government and served as foreign minister of Syria from 1984 until 2006 when he became Vice President of Syria. Sharaa still holds the...
in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
. They agreed on viewpoints that included ending the occupation and forming an Iraqi government in a way that both satisfied the Iraqi people's aspirations and maintained Iraqi unity.
Awards
- He was awarded the Royal Order of the Drum by Kigeli V, the former king of RwandaRwandaRwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
, for his goal of establishing a way out of Iraq's political crisis and of ending the tragic ordeal of a people who lived under terror and tyranny.
Quotes
- "It would have been the perfect transition from dictatorship to democracy," he said. "It would have been a way to unite the country around a figure whose history transcended sect and ethnicity." In 2003, Sharif Ali bin al-Hussein said, he pressed American officials to bring him in as soon as Saddam Hussein fell.
- "I don't believe there is a military solution right now in Iraq for either side, for the Americans or the insurgents," he said. "We must start with negotiations."
- "The majority of the people welcome the return of the monarchy because they believe that the monarchy is the system that will guarantee the reunification of Iraqi society"
- "We should not open chapters of revenge, but we should open a chapter of justice"
- "There is no risk of a breakup of Iraq. There is no risk of a civil war."
External links
- Sharif Ali bin al-Hussein
- Iraq: Cousin Of Last Iraqi King Says Monarchy Would Provide Stability
- The King Is Dead (Has Been for 46 Years) but Two Iraqis Hope: Long Live the King!
- Iraqi royal urges quick transition
- Al-Shara confers with Iraqi figures
- Al-Sharif Ali: Iraqi resistance prolongs occupation
- Mixed reception for Iraqi royal
- Grandson of the Last Iraqi King Plans to Return to Baghdad
- CAN THE IRAQI EXILES REMAKE IRAQ? At Home Abroad