Ameen Rihani (1876-1940) was a writer, political activist, intellectual, and poet who wrote in both English and Arabic. Born in Lebanon, he immigrated to New York as a child, where, along with Kahlil Gibran, he became part of the literary and artistic community. He is the author of numerous works, including The Book of Khalid.

Ameen Albert Rihani, professor of Arab American literature at Notre Dame University in Lebanon, has edited and published numerous works devoted to the mahjar (émigré) community in the United States. He currently serves as chairman of the board of the Ameen Rihani Organization.

Roger Allen is the Sascha Jane Patterson Harvie Professor Emeritus of Social Thought and Comparative Ethics, School of Arts and Sciences, and professor emeritus of Arabic and comparative literature at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author and translator of numerous books, including A Sleepless Eye: Aphorisms from the Sahara by Ibrahim al-Koni.