Abd al-Hazir is a lore enthusiast and adventurer, scribing about a lot of his experiences in the world of Sanctuary. He is used as a tool for Blizzard to describe Diablo lore on the official Diablo III webpage.
This is an introductory line from the famous Writings of Abd al-Hazir:
- "Abd al-Hazir is a renowned gentleman, historian, and scholar. He has recently taken up the unprecedented task of investigating, researching, and compiling information about the unique locales and denizens of our world."
On his travels, he has among other things travelled the Tardein wastes (desert close to Caldeum) and met Franklin Burroughs, the Dune Thresher-hunter, he has travelled deep into the Kehjistan jungles meeting the ancient Witch Doctors, he has travelled West to Khanduras, seeing New Tristram and all kinds of horror, he has travelled north to the Barbarian homelands, finding Arreat Crater where the proud Mount Arreat once stood.
His last report to the editorial team in Caldeum was done a few months ago, after discovering Dark Cultists in Khanduras.
Among his works he counts the Xiansai Chronicles and the Writings of Abd al-Hazir.
It is unknown if he will become a NPC in Diablo III or not.
Speculation and Meta-Info
In Arabic, the most common translation of "Abd" translates literally as "Worshiper of God" or "Worshiper," and "al-Hazir" means "The Warner." His name thus roughly translates to Worshiper of The Warner. It is unknown whether the Eastern countries of Sanctuary use Arabic or a similar language, but we may find a greater use of Arabic names and connotations in the game.
"Abd" can also be translated differently depending on circumstance and where in the Arabic (real) world it's used. It can also be used to describe a "slave" or a "servant". This would imply he is the "Servant of The Warner".
The Warner could be a prophet or a deity of some sort in Diablo 3. There is evidence that Adb's parents were religious, though he is not. It could also refer to Abd's role in foreshadowing the dark times ahead, a prevalent theme in many of his writings.
Bashiok Revelation
On 25 November 2009, Bashiok made a comment in a blue post [1], hinting strongly that the name is simply a tribute to the "mad arab" Abdul Alhazred from HP Lovecraft's books.
References
Almost everything known about Abd comes from his own writing: