Kahlil Gibran was a Lebanese-American writer, poet, and artist, known for his book The Prophet. Born in Bsharri, in the Ottoman-ruled Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate, Gibran immigrated with his family to the United States in 1895. He was enrolled in a school in Boston, where his creative talents were quickly recognized. He returned to Lebanon at the age of fifteen to study, but came back to the U.S. after personal losses.

His first drawings were displayed in Boston in 1904, and his initial book in Arabic was published in New York City in 1905. He later studied art in Paris with the financial support of benefactress Mary Haskell. Gibran settled in New York in 1911, where he published his first book in English, The Madman, in 1918. He gained literary fame with The Prophet, published in 1923, which became an international bestseller, translated into multiple languages.

Gibran's work often reflected his philosophical thoughts, combining elements of Nietzschean rebellion, Blakean pantheism, and Sufi mysticism. He contributed significantly to modern Arabic literature and is celebrated as a literary hero in Lebanon. His art is known for its spiritual and mythological symbolism. Gibran passed away at the age of 48 from cirrhosis and tuberculosis, leaving behind a legacy cherished worldwide.