# Muhammad Najib ar-Ruba'i

_President of Iraq (1904-1965)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/muhammad-najib-ar-ruba-i
Last updated: 2026-10-31

> 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. Together with Abdul Karim Qasim, he was one of the leaders of the 14 July Revolution that toppled King Faisal II and the Hashemite Iraqi monarchy in 1958.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 14 July 1904 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1193377#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Baghdad ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1193377#P19))
- **Died:** 6 December 1965 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1193377#P570))
- **Place of death:** Baghdad ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1193377#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Ottoman Iraq; Kingdom of Iraq ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1193377#P27))
- **Occupation:** politician; military officer; president ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1193377#P106))
- **Political party:** independent politician ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1193377#P102))
- **Positions held:** President of Iraq (14 July 1958 – 8 February 1963) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1193377#P39))

## About

While Qasim 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.

In 1963, Qasim was deposed in the Ramadan Revolution. This led Ar-Ruba'i to retire from politics, and he eventually died in 1965.

## Questions

**When was Muhammad Najib ar-Ruba'i born?**  
Muhammad Najib ar-Ruba'i was born on 14 July 1904 in Baghdad.

**What positions has Muhammad Najib ar-Ruba'i held?**  
Positions held by Muhammad Najib ar-Ruba'i include: President of Iraq (1958–1963).

## Related

- [Saddam Hussein](https://diginpl.com/people/saddam-hussein)
- [Jalal Talabani](https://diginpl.com/people/jalal-talabani)
- [Barham Salih](https://diginpl.com/people/barham-salih)
- [Fuad Masum](https://diginpl.com/people/fuad-masum)
- [Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr](https://diginpl.com/people/ahmed-hassan-al-bakr)
- [Abdul Salam Arif](https://diginpl.com/people/abdul-salam-arif)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Muhammad Najib ar-Ruba'i](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Najib_ar-Ruba%27i) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q1193377](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1193377) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: الربيعي.jpg by حكومة الجمهورية العراقية (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%B9%D9%8A.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Muhammad Najib ar-Ruba'i, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: الربيعي.jpg — حكومة الجمهورية العراقية, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Muhammad Najib ar-Ruba'i". DigiNepal. Last updated 31 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/muhammad-najib-ar-ruba-i. Retrieved 8 November 2026.