Gibran Khalil Gibran, later known as Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931), was a Lebanese-born writer of poetry and fiction and a well-known figure in the mahjar [emigré] school of Arab-American writers. He was born on 6 January 1883 in the town of Bisharri, Lebanon, near the grove of cedars on the edge of the Wadi Qadisha [The Holy or Sacred Valley] – a place which would appear in his writings as a major symbol of all that was sacred and mystical in his beloved homeland.

Gibran’s mother, Kamileh Istiphan Rahmeh, was a widow when she married her second husband, Khalil Gibran, father of the poet. Gibran’s full name in Arabic, therefore, was Gibran Khalil Gibran. As convention demanded, the middle name (in its standard …

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Citation: Bushrui, Suheil. "Khalil Gibran". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 27 September 2015 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=12577, accessed 29 March 2024.]

12577 Khalil Gibran 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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