Sarton acknowledged that Julian Ribera was the leading Spanish Arabist. Since May 2006, el-Hamalawy maintained a blog on the website "The Arabist". In 1982 he finished five years of Middle Eastern studies as Arabist/Economist at Leipzig University. The subspecific name, "philbyi", is in honor of British Arabist Harry St. John Bridger Philby. I, including Britain and France, whose imperial interests converged with the Arabist cause, offered support. In 1871, Jerusalem was visited by the explorer and Arabist Sir Richard Francis Burton. He was an Arabist, and translated works of Avicena.