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Abū Muḥammad ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muslim ibn Qutayba al-Dīnawarī al-Marwazī better known simply as Ibn Qutaybah ( ar-at, ابن قتيبة, Ibn Qutaybah; c. 828 – 13 November 889 CE / 213 – 15 Rajab 276 AH) was an Islamic
scholar A scholar is a person who pursues academic and intellectual activities, particularly academics who apply their intellectualism into expertise in an area of study. A scholar can also be an academic, who works as a professor, teacher, or researche ...
of Persian descent. He served as a
judge A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a panel of judges. A judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the barristers or solicitors of the case, assesses the credibility an ...
during the
Abbasid Caliphate The Abbasid Caliphate ( or ; ar, الْخِلَافَةُ الْعَبَّاسِيَّة, ') was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttal ...
, but was best known for his contributions to
Arabic literature Arabic literature ( ar, الأدب العربي / ALA-LC: ''al-Adab al-‘Arabī'') is the writing, both as prose and poetry, produced by writers in the Arabic language. The Arabic word used for literature is '' Adab'', which is derived from ...
.Abd Allah Abu Muhammad Abd Allah ibn Muslim al-Dinwari Ibn Qutaybah
from The Oxford Dictionary of Islam.
Oxford Reference Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print books ...
, Copyright © 2013.
Christopher Melchert, "Qur'anic Abrogation Across the Ninth Century." Taken from ''Studies in Islamic Legal Theory'', pg. 80. Ed.
Bernard G. Weiss Bernard G. Weiss (10 August 1933 – 8 February 2018) was a professor of languages and literature at the University of Utah. He has an extensive publication record and is recognized as one of the foremost scholars in Islamic law, Islamic theology ...
. Volume 15 of Studies in Islamic law and society / Studies in Islamic law and society.
Leiden Leiden (; in English and archaic Dutch also Leyden) is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. The municipality of Leiden has a population of 119,713, but the city forms one densely connected agglomeration w ...
:
Brill Publishers Brill Academic Publishers (known as E. J. Brill, Koninklijke Brill, Brill ()) is a Dutch international academic publisher founded in 1683 in Leiden, Netherlands. With offices in Leiden, Boston, Paderborn and Singapore, Brill today publishes 2 ...
, 2002.
He was an
Athari Atharī theology or Atharism ( ar, الأثرية: / , "archeological"), otherwise referred to as Traditionalist theology or Scripturalist theology, is one of the main Sunni schools of Islamic theology. It emerged as an Islamic scholarly moveme ...
theologian and
polymath A polymath ( el, πολυμαθής, , "having learned much"; la, homo universalis, "universal human") is an individual whose knowledge spans a substantial number of subjects, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific pro ...
who wrote on diverse subjects, such as
Qur'anic exegesis Tafsir ( ar, تفسير, tafsīr ) refers to exegesis, usually of the Quran. An author of a ''tafsir'' is a ' ( ar, مُفسّر; plural: ar, مفسّرون, mufassirūn). A Quranic ''tafsir'' attempts to provide elucidation, explanation, in ...
,
hadith Ḥadīth ( or ; ar, حديث, , , , , , , literally "talk" or "discourse") or Athar ( ar, أثر, , literally "remnant"/"effect") refers to what the majority of Muslims believe to be a record of the words, actions, and the silent approva ...
,
theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing th ...
,
philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. ...
, law and jurisprudence,
grammar In linguistics, the grammar of a natural language is its set of structural constraints on speakers' or writers' composition of clauses, phrases, and words. The term can also refer to the study of such constraints, a field that includes doma ...
,
philology Philology () is the study of language in oral and written historical sources; it is the intersection of textual criticism, literary criticism, history, and linguistics (with especially strong ties to etymology). Philology is also defined as ...
,
history History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
,
astronomy Astronomy () is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, g ...
,
agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people ...
and
botany Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek w ...
.


Biography

His full name is Abū Muḥammad ʿAbdullāh b. Muslim ibn Qutaybah ad-Dīnawarī. He was born in
Kufa Kufa ( ar, الْكُوفَة ), also spelled Kufah, is a city in Iraq, about south of Baghdad, and northeast of Najaf. It is located on the banks of the Euphrates River. The estimated population in 2003 was 110,000. Currently, Kufa and Najaf a ...
in what is now
Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
.John C. Lamoreaux, ''The Early Muslim Tradition of Dream Interpretation'', pg. 27. SUNY series in Islamic spirituality. Albany:
State University of New York Press The State University of New York (SUNY, , ) is a system of public colleges and universities in the State of New York. It is one of the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States. Led by ...
, 2002.
John C. Lamoreaux, "Sources on Ibn Bahlul's Chapter on Dream Interpretation." Taken from ''Augustine and His Opponents, Jerome, Other Latin Fathers After Nicaea, Orientalia'', pg. 555. Ed. Elizabeth A. Livingstone. Volume 33 of Studia patristica. Peeters Publishers, 1997. He was of Persian descent; his father was from
Merv Merv ( tk, Merw, ', مرو; fa, مرو, ''Marv''), also known as the Merve Oasis, formerly known as Alexandria ( grc-gre, Ἀλεξάνδρεια), Antiochia in Margiana ( grc-gre, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐν τῇ Μαργιανῇ) and ...
,
Khorasan Khorasan may refer to: * Greater Khorasan, a historical region which lies mostly in modern-day northern/northwestern Afghanistan, northeastern Iran, southern Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan * Khorasan Province, a pre-2004 province of Ira ...
. Having studied tradition and
philology Philology () is the study of language in oral and written historical sources; it is the intersection of textual criticism, literary criticism, history, and linguistics (with especially strong ties to etymology). Philology is also defined as ...
he became
qadi A qāḍī ( ar, قاضي, Qāḍī; otherwise transliterated as qazi, cadi, kadi, or kazi) is the magistrate or judge of a '' sharīʿa'' court, who also exercises extrajudicial functions such as mediation, guardianship over orphans and mino ...
in Dinawar during the reign of
Al-Mutawakkil Abū al-Faḍl Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad al-Muʿtaṣim bi-ʾllāh ( ar, جعفر بن محمد المعتصم بالله; March 822 – 11 December 861), better known by his regnal name Al-Mutawakkil ʿalā Allāh (, "He who relies on God") was ...
, and afterwards a teacher in
Baghdad Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon ...
where he was tortured and killed. He was the first representative of the school of Baghdad
philologist Philology () is the study of language in oral and written historical sources; it is the intersection of textual criticism, literary criticism, history, and linguistics (with especially strong ties to etymology). Philology is also defined ...
s that succeeded the schools of Kufa and
Basra Basra ( ar, ٱلْبَصْرَة, al-Baṣrah) is an Iraqi city located on the Shatt al-Arab. It had an estimated population of 1.4 million in 2018. Basra is also Iraq's main port, although it does not have deep water access, which is han ...
. He was known as a vocal opponent of "gentile" or ''
shu'ubi ''Shu'ubiyya'' ( ar, الشعوبية) was a literary-political movement which opposed the privileged status of Arabs within the Muslim community. The vast majority of the Shu'ubis were Persian. Terminology The name of the movement is derived fr ...
'' Islam, i.e. openness to non-Islamic wisdom and values.


Legacy

He was viewed by
Sunni Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a dis ...
Muslims as a hadith Master, foremost philologist, linguist, and man of letters. In addition to his literary criticism and anthologies, he was also known for his work in the problems of
Tafsir Tafsir ( ar, تفسير, tafsīr ) refers to exegesis, usually of the Quran. An author of a ''tafsir'' is a ' ( ar, مُفسّر; plural: ar, مفسّرون, mufassirūn). A Quranic ''tafsir'' attempts to provide elucidation, explanation, in ...
or Qur'anic interpretation. He also authored works on astronomy and legal theory. His book ''Uyun al-Akhbar'', along with the romantic literature of Muhammad bin Dawud al-Zahiri and
Ibn Abi Tahir Tayfur Abū al-Faḍl Aḥmad ibn Abī Ṭāhir Ṭayfūr (b. 204 AH/819 CE, d. 280 AH/August 893 CE) was a Persian linguist and poet of Arabic language. He was born in Baghdad. Tayfur was his father's name who was from Khorasan, Persia. He played an imp ...
, were considered by lexicographer
Ibn Duraid Abū Bakr Muhammad ibn al-Ḥasan ibn Duraid al-Azdī al-Baṣrī ad-Dawsī Al-Zahrani (), or Ibn Duraid () (c. 837-933 CE), a leading grammarian of Baṣrah, was described as "the most accomplished scholar, ablest philologer and first poet of t ...
to be the three most important works for those who wished to speak and write eloquently.
His work ''Taʾwīl mukhtalif al-ḥadīth'' was an influential early Atharite treatise that rebuked rationalists on the nature of Tradition. In his treatise, Ibn Qutayba censures the ''mutakallimūn'' (scholastic theologians) for holding contradictory and differing views on the principles of religion.


Works

He wrote more than 60 books, including : *''Gharīb al-Qur'an'', (var., ''Mushkil al-Qur'an''), lexical complexities in the Qur'an. *''Ta’wīl Mukhtalif al-Hadīth'', ( The Interpretation of Conflicting Narrations), defence of
hadith Ḥadīth ( or ; ar, حديث, , , , , , , literally "talk" or "discourse") or Athar ( ar, أثر, , literally "remnant"/"effect") refers to what the majority of Muslims believe to be a record of the words, actions, and the silent approva ...
s against Mu'tazilite critics. *''Kitāb Adab al-Kātib'' (“Ibn Kutaiba’s Adab al-Kātib,” ed. Max Grünert, Leiden, 1900) *''Kitāb al-Anwā’''. (Hyderabad, 1956) *''Kitāb al-Ma‘ānī al-Kabīr fī Abyāt al-Ma‘ānī''. 2 vols. (Hyderabad, 1949) *''Kitāb al-Ma’ārif'', short universal history, from Creation to the Jāhiliyya (pre-Islamic); with index of the Companions, famous jurists and masters of hadīth („Ibn Coteiba’s Handbuch de Geschichte“, ed., Ferdinand Wüstenfeld, Gottingen, 1850); (ed., Tharwat ‘Ukāshah, Cairo, 1960). *''Kitāb al-Shi‘r wa-al-Shu‘arā’'' (“Liber Poësie et Poëtarum,” ed., M. J de Goeje, Leiden, 1904) *''Kitab ‘Uyūn al-Akhbār''. 4 vols. (Cairo, 1925-30); biographic history of eminent figures.Arvide Cambra, L.M. (2014), "Kitab 'Uyun al-Akhbar of Ibn Qutayba (828-889)", Advances in Education Research (Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Applied Social Science, ICASS 2014), vol. 51, pp. 650-653. *''Kitāb al-Amwāl'' *''Kitāb al-‘Arab wa ‘Ulūmuhā''; history of Arab scholars *''Kitāb al-Ashriba''; alcoholic beverages. *''Kitāb Dalā’il al-Nubuwwa'', or ''A‘lām al-Nubuwwa'' on the Proofs of the Prophets. *''Kitāb Fad.l al-‘Arab ‘alā al-‘Ajam'', in praise of the Arabs over the Persians. *''Kitāb I‘rāb al-Qur’ān'', a philological commentary on the Qur'ān. *''Kitāb al-Ikhtilāf fī al-Lafz wa al-Radd ‘alā al-Jahmiyya wal-Mushabbiha'', a refutation of the Allegorizers and Anthropomorphists. (Egypt,several editions) *''Kitāb al-Ishtiqāq'' *''Kitāb Is.lāh. Ghalat'', corrections of ''Gharīb al-H.adīth'' by al-Qāsim ibn Salām. *''Kitāb Jāmi‘ al-Fiqh'', jurisprudence, dispraised as unreliable by al-T.abarī and Ibn Surayj, as was Ibn Qutayba’s al-Amwāl. *''Kitāb Jāmi‘ al-Nah.w al-Kabīr and Jāmi‘ al-Nah.w al-S.aghīr'' *''Kitāb al-Jarāthīm'', linguistics. *''Kitāb al-Jawābāt al-H.ād.ira''. *''Kitāb al-Ma‘ānī al-Kabīr'' *'' Kitāb al-Imāma wal-Siyāsa'' (disputed) *''Kitāb al-Masā’il wal-Ajwiba.'' *''Kitāb al-Maysar wal-Qidāh'', ('Dice and Lots'). *''Kitāb al-Na‘m wal-Bahā’im'', cattle and livestock. *''Kitāb al-Nabāt'', botany. *''Kitāb al-Qirā’āt'', ('The Canonical Readings'). *''Kitāb al-Radd ‘alā al-Qā’il bi Khalq al-Qur’ān'', ('Against the creationist claims about the Qur’an'). *''Kitāb al-Radd ‘alā al-Shu‘aybiyya'', ('Refutation of a sub-sect of the ‘Ajārida ‘At.awiyya, itself a sub-sect of the Khawārij). *''Kitāb al-Rah.l wal-Manzil''. *''Kitāb Ta‘bīr al-Ru’yā'', ('Interpretation of Dreams'). *''Kitāb Talqīn al-Muta‘allim min al-Nah.w'' on grammar. *''Kitāb ‘Uyūn al-Shi‘r'', on poetry.


See also

*
List of Islamic scholars A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to: People * List (surname) Organizations * List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America * SC Germania List, German rugby unio ...
*
List of Iranian scientists and scholars A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to: People * List (surname) Organizations * List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America * SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
*
Al-Zahiriyah Library The Zahiriyya Library ( ar, مكتبة الظاهرية, Maktaba al-Ẓāhirīyya), also known as the Madrasa al-Zahiriyya ( ar, مَدْرَسَة الظَّاهِرِيَّة, Madrasah aẓ-Ẓāhirīyah), is an Islamic library, madrasa, and m ...


Citations


References

* * * * * * *


External links

* A. Guellati, ''La notion d'adab chez Ibn Qutayba : étude générique et éclairage comparatiste'' (= ''Bibliothèque de l'Ecole des Hautes Etudes, Sciences Religieuses'' 169), Turnhout: Brepols, 2015, *
Imam Ibn Qutayba
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ibn Qutaybah 820s births 885 deaths 9th-century Iranian historians 9th-century Muslim scholars of Islam Atharis Scholars from the Abbasid Caliphate Arabic-language writers Persian Sunni Muslim scholars of Islam People from Kufa