Last week, professor Abdulrahim Abu Husayn passed away due to complications from a recent major surgery he had. He was one of AUB’s most notorious historians.
Dr. Abu Husayn was born in Nuba, Palestine in 1951. 20 years later he moved to Lebanon to study anthropology at the American University of Beirut (AUB) after receiving a USAID scholarship.
Dr. Abu Husayn’s exceptional academic performance earned him his scholarship. He was ranked amongst the top 10 in Jordan in the secondary education examination.
Eleven years after arriving at AUB, Dr. Abu Husayn attained his Ph.D. degree in history under the mentorship of Dr. Kamal Salibi.
After receiving his Ph.D., Dr. Abu Husayn continued his journey at AUB as an instructor and in 2002 he became a professor.
Dr. Abu Husayn established himself as an influential figure in Lebanese Ottoman history and authored many publications in English, Arabic, and Turkish.
He taught at AUB as well as many prestigious universities in the US and the Arab World. He debunked many myths surrounding Lebanese history by using Ottoman archives and his expert research skills.
In 2012, he founded and led AUB’s Center for Arts and Humanities through a grant from the Andrew Mellon Foundation.
He was inducted into the Turkish Historical Society in 2013 in recognition of his vast knowledge.
Throughout his 40 years of teaching, Dr. Abu Husayn left a special mark on his students. He mentored generations of scholars and left behind an everlasting source of knowledge.
