Draft:Yourguy Hakim, PhD

Yourguy Hakim (1910 – December 1992) was a Syrian diplomat and scholar. He wrote many articles as an expert on Islamic law for the Library of Congress in Washington DC. He served as the Syrian Ambassador to several countries, including Brazil, Korea, East Germany, and the United Nations. Hakim was also an expert in Islamic law and worked at the Library of Congress in Washington DC.

Early life and Education
Yourguy Hakim was born in 1910 in Antioch, Syria. He was the son of Hanna Hakim and Barbara Hakim. He was studious and disciplined in school. Though raised in poverty he excelled. He moved to Damascus when Antioch was transferred from Syria to Turkey by the French in 1939. Hakim attended the French speaking orthodox school in Damascus, where he learned to speak French fluently. He excelled academically and ranked as the number one student in Syria and France when he took the Baccalaureate exam. As a result, he was given an award from the French Governor of Syria. He was offered the opportunity to study any topic he desired.

Hakim studied Law at Damascus University and later worked as a grain administrator for the Syrian Government in Qamishli. He gained recognition for his honesty, attention to detail, and refusal to be bribed.

Diplomatic Career
After his tenure as a grain administrator, Yourguy Hakim joined the Syrian foreign service. He served as the Syrian Ambassador to various countries, including Brazil, Korea, East Germany, and the United Nations in New York. His diplomatic career allowed him to foster international relations and represent Syria on the global stage.

Contributions and Research
While in New York as the Syrian Ambassador to the United Nations, Hakim played a crucial role in helping his brother, Arcadius Hakim, MD, secure a position at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, affiliated with Harvard University.

Following a coup in Syria, Yourguy Hakim decided to settle in Oxon Hill, Maryland, where his brother Arcadius Hakim had been stationed while serving in the US Navy. He pursued a PhD in Islamic law at Georgetown University, specializing in the topic of predestination in Islam. His doctoral thesis, titled "Predestination in Islam - The Qadarite Doctrine: Development of Qadarite Doctrine Until the Fall of Umayyad Dynasty," delved into the historical and theological aspects of the subject.

Hakim's expertise in Islamic law led him to work at the Library of Congress in Washington DC, where he contributed significantly to the understanding and preservation of Islamic legal texts. He authored numerous books and scholarly articles on various aspects of Islamic law.

His first article written at the library of congress was on Criminal Procedure codes in selected countries in Africa and the Middle east in 1976.


 * https://lccn.loc.gov/2019668879
 * this document can also be found at https://purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo139930 opens in a new window https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.law/llglrdppub.2019668879I
 * In 1976 he also contributed to a 145 page book on "A compilation of bribery and extortion laws in OPIC countries"  https://lccn.loc.gov/2019668692
 * https://purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo139824 opens in a new window
 * https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.law/llglrdppub.2019668692

His second major contribution was a book on "Immigration laws of Charjah" in 1977.


 * https://lccn.loc.gov/2019668967
 * https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.law/llglrdppub.2019668967opens in a new window
 * https://purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo152722 opens in a new window
 * In 1979 he also contributed to a book on "Child custody in Egypt." with is collegue
 * Jwaideh, Zuhair E., author.
 * https://lccn.loc.gov/2019668979
 * In 1979 he wrote a book on "[United Arab Emirates: sovereign immunity]"https://lccn.loc.gov/2019669018
 * https://purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo160630
 * https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.law/llglrdppub.2019669018

In 1988 he wrote a manuscript for the Library of congress on "[United Arab Republic : Law no. 182 of June, 1960 on fighting narcotics and regulating commerce (Egypt)]."


 * https://purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo160628 opens in a new window
 * https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.law/llglrdppub.2019668988opens in a new window

LCCN Permalink

 * https://lccn.loc.gov/2019668988

Family and Personal Life
Yourguy Hakim was the son of Hanna and Barbara Hakim of Antioch, Syria. His father, Hanna, worked as an actor and barber. He had siblings, including an older sister named Olga, who married a man named Tranjan and had two sons, John Tranjan and Farid Tranjan, the latter being an engineering professor at UNC Charlotte. His younger brother, Arcadius Hakim, MD, became an otolaryngologist. Hakim also had a sister named Ivon Hakim, who worked as a seamstress, and a sister named Selva Hakim, who married into the Ekrek family.

Hakim held a strong affection for his nephews, John Hakim, MD, and Henry Hakim.

Legacy
Yourguy Hakim's contributions to diplomacy and Islamic law left a lasting impact. His work as a Syrian Ambassador and his expertise at the Library of Congress helped foster international relations and further understanding of Islamic legal principles.