Muhammad Najib ar-Ruba'i
President of Iraq from 1958 to 1963
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Muhammad Najib ar-Ruba'i (Arabic: مُحَمَّد نَجِيب الرَّبِيعِيّ; also spelled Al-Rubaiy; 1904–1965) was an Iraqi military officer and politician who served as the first president of Iraq, from 14 July 1958 to 8 February 1963.[1] Together with Abdul Karim Qassim,[2] he was one of the leaders of the 14 July Revolution that toppled King Faisal II and the Hashemite Iraqi monarchy in 1958.
Muhammad Najib ar-Ruba'i | |
|---|---|
مُحَمَّد نَجِيب الرَّبِيعِيّ | |
Al-Rubaiy in 1960 | |
| 1st President of Iraq | |
| In office 14 July 1958 – 8 February 1963 | |
| Prime Minister | Abd al-Karim Qasim |
| Preceded by | Faisal II (as the King of Iraq) |
| Succeeded by | Abdul Salam Arif |
| Chairman of the Sovereignty Council of Iraq | |
| In office 14 July 1958 – 8 February 1963 | |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished Abdul Salam Arif (as Chairman of the National Council for the Leadership of the Revolution) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 July 1904 |
| Died | 1965 (aged 60–61) |
| Party | Independent politician |
| Occupation | Politician, President of Iraq (1958–63) and Chairman of the Sovereignty Council of Iraq (1958–1963) |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Mandatory Iraq (1924–1932) Kingdom of Iraq (1932–1958) Iraqi Republic (1958–1963) |
| Branch/service |  Iraqi Ground Forces |
Years of service | 1924–1963 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant General |
| Battles/wars | |
While Qassim became prime minister and held most of the power, Ar-Ruba'i was elected head of state with the title of Chairman of the Sovereignty Council. The Sovereignty Council had a representative from each of the communal/ethnic groups. Ar-Ruba'i represented the Sunni community.[citation needed]
In 1963, Qassim was deposed in the Ramadan Revolution. This led Ar-Ruba'i to retire from politics, and he eventually died in 1965.
