Muhammad Najib ar-Ruba'i

Muhammad Najib Ar-Ruba'i (Arabic: محمد نجيب الربيعي‎) (also spelled Al-Rubai) (1904–1965) was the first President of Iraq (Chairman of Sovereignty Council) from July 14, 1958 to February 8, 1963.[1]

Muhammad Najib Ar-Ruba'i
1st President of Iraq
In office July 14, 1958 – February 8, 1963
Prime Minister	Abd al-Karim Qasim
Preceded by	Faisal II (as the King of Iraq)
Succeeded by	Abdul Salam Arif
Personal details
Born	14 July 1904 Baghdad, Baghdad Vilayet, Ottoman Empire
Died	1965 (aged 60–61) Baghdad, Iraq
Nationality	Iraqi
Occupation	President of Iraq (1958–63)

Muhammad Najib in 1942

Together with Abdul Karim Qassim,[2] he was one of the leaders of the coup that toppled King Faisal II in 1958. On October 7, 1959 there was an unsuccessful assassination attempt on him by twenty-two-year-old Saddam Hussein.

While Qassim became prime minister and held most of the power, Rubai 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. Rubai represented the Sunni community.

In 1963, Qassim was deposed by another coup led by Abd as-Salam Arif. Ar-Rubai had to retire from politics.

Ar-Ruba'i died in 1965.

References

1. Cahoon, Ben (2000). "Iraq - Chronology" (web). worldstatesmen.org. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
2. "Iraq PROFILE" (web). U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 2008-05-25.