Burhanuddin Rabbani

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President of Afghanistan
Burhanuddin Rabbani برهان الدين رباني‎

In office June 28, 1992 – September 27, 1996
Preceded by	Sibghatullah Mojaddedi
Succeeded by	Mohammed Omar (as leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan)
In office November 13, 2001 – December 22, 2001
Preceded by	Mohammed Omar (de facto)
Succeeded by	Hamid Karzai

Born	1940 Badakhshan, Afghanistan
Political party	Jamiat-i-Islami, United National Front
Religion	Sunni Islam

Burhanuddin Rabbani (Persian: برهان الدين رباني - Burhânuddîn Rabbânî) (born 1940), an ethnic Tajik, is a former President of Afghanistan. Burhanuddin Rabbani is the leader of Jamiat-e Islami Afghanistan (Islamic Society of Afghanistan). He also served as the political head of the United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan (UIFSA), an alliance of various political groups who fought against Taliban rule in Afghanistan. He served as President from 1992-1996 until he was forced to leave Kabul because of the Taliban takeover of the city. His government was recognized by many countries, as well as the United Nations.

1 Early years
2 Jamiat-e Islami
3 Later years
4 References
5 External links

Rabbani, son of Muhammed Yousuf, was born in 1940 in Badakhshan, northern Afghanistan. After finishing school in his native province, he went to Darul-uloom-e-Sharia (Abu-Hanifa), a religious school in Kabul. When he graduated from Abu-Hanifa, he went to Kabul University to study Islamic Law and Theology. During his four years at Kabul University he became well known for his works on Islam. Soon after his graduation in 1963, he was hired as a Professor at Kabul University. In order to enhance himself, Rabbani went to Egypt in 1966, and he entered the Al-Azhar University in Cairo. In two years, he received his masters degree in Islamic Philosophy.

Rabbani returned to Afghanistan in 1968, where the High Council of Jamiat-e Islami gave him the duty of organizing the University students. Due to his knowledge, reputation, and active support for the cause of Islam, in 1972, a 15-member council selected him as head of Jamiat-e Islami of Afghanistan; the founder of Jamiat-e Islami of Afghanistan, Ghulam M. Niyazi was also present. Jamiat-e Islami was primarily comprised of Uzbeks and Tajiks.^[1]

In the spring of 1974, the police came to Kabul University to arrest Rabbini for his pro-Islamic stance, but with the help of his students the police were unable to capture him, and he managed to escape to the country side.

When the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979, Rabbani helped lead Jamiat-e Islami in resistance to the invasion. Rabbani's forces were the first mujahideen elements to enter Kabul in 1992 and defeat the Communists.

After the war, Rabbani became the president of Afghanistan but fell out of favor with his former allies, the Taliban. After four years of civil war, he was forced to flee Kabul as the Taliban took over the capital. However, supported by an organization that became known as the Northern Alliance, Rabbani continued to resist the new Afghan government, and the civil war continued. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, he agreed to cooperate with American and NATO forces to remove the Taliban from power. With help from coalition troops, Kabul was soon captured and Rabbani became the first president. Soon after, he relinquished control to Hamid Karzai and he is now a politician in Afghanistan, heading the Jamiat-e Islami party.

^ Rogers, Tom (1992). The Soviet Withdrawal from Afghanistan: Analysis and Chronology. Greenwood Press, p. 27.

Preceded by Sibghatullah Mojadeddi	President of Afghanistan 1992–1996	Succeeded by Mohammed Omar de facto
Preceded by Mohammed Omar de facto	President of Afghanistan 2001	Succeeded by Hamid Karzai