Abu Hayyan al-Tawhidi explained

Religion:Islam (Shafi'i)[1]
Era:Islamic golden age
(4th Islamic century)
Ali ibn Mohammed ibn Abbas
Abū Ḥayyān al-Tawḥīdī
Birth Date:923CE
Death Date:1023CE
Region:Iraq
Main Interests:Literature, and philosophy
Works:Al-Imtāʿ wa al-Mu’ānasa (Enjoyment and Conviviality)
Influences:Al-Jahiz

ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAbbās al-Baghdadi (923–1023) (Arabic: علي بن محمد بن العباس التوحيدي البغدادي) also known as Abū Ḥayyān al-Tawḥīdī (Arabic: أبو حيان التوحيدي) was an Arab[2] [3] or Persian[4] [5] and one of the most influential intellectuals and thinkers of the 10th century. Yāqūt al-Ḥamawī described him as "the philosopher of litterateurs and the litterateur of philosophers." However, he was neglected and ignored by the historians of his era. This neglect continued until Yāqūt wrote his book Muʿjam al-Udabāʾ (Arabic: معجم الأدباء), which contained a biographical outline of at-Tawḥīdī, relying primarily on what al-Tawḥīdī had written about himself.

Life

There are differing views on the dates of al-Tawḥīdī's birth and death. According to Tārīkh-i Sistān, he was born in 923 Near Baghdad or Fars.[6] Al-Tawḥīdī had a difficult childhood. He was born into a poor family who sold dates called tawḥīd (hence his surname), and spent much of his childhood as an orphan in the care of his uncle, who treated him poorly.

After completing his studies, al-Tawḥīdī worked as a scribe for various parties in various cities in the Muslim world. His last known regular assignment was for Ebn Saʿdān, for whom he worked from 980 until Saʿdān's execution in 985. During this time, he was a member of a literary circle centred around Abū Solaymān Manṭeqī Seǰestānī. Most of what is known about the circle is through al-Tawḥīdī's writings.[7]

After Saʿdān's execution, al-Tawḥīdī doesn't appear to have had regular work as a scribe, although he continued to write. During his final twenty years of life, he lived in poverty. He is known to have been alive in 1009, and likely died in 1023 in Shiraz.

Works

Al-Tawḥīdī was highly critical of himself and dissatisfied with much of his work. He burned many of his own books later in his life. Nevertheless, he left a set of literary, philosophical, and Sufi works, which were distinctive in the history of the Arabic literature. His most important works are:

References

Notes and References

  1. Pernilla Myrne. Discussing 'Ghayra' in Abbasid Literature: Jealousy as a Manly Virtue or Sign of Mutual Affection. 'Journal of Abbasid Studies'
  2. Web site: ABÛ HAYYÂN AL-TAWHÎDÎ - les traits de caractère des hommes et des animaux dans le Kitâb al-Imtâ' wa-I-mu'ânasa - Présenté, traduit de l'arabe et annoté par Faisal Kenanah - livre, ebook, epub - idée lecture.
  3. LES ÉCRITS d'ABŪ ḤAYYĀN AL-TAWḤĪDĪ: Problèmes de chronologie. 41604607. Bergé. Marc. Bulletin d'Études Orientales. 1977. 29. 53–63.
  4. Web site: Incest and Inbreeding . Encyclopaedia Iranica.
  5. Book: Van Gelder, Geert Jan . Close Relationships: Incest and Inbreeding in Classical Arabic Literature . I.B. Tauris . 2005 . 1850438552 . 40.
  6. Book: Meri. Josef W.. Medieval Islamic Civilization, Volume 1 An Encyclopedia. January 2006. Routledge. 978-0-415-96691-7. 798. Al-Tawhidi was probably born in Iraq or Fars sometime between AH 310/922 CE and AH 320/932 CE, and he died in Shiraz (Iran) in 414/1023..
  7. Web site: ABŪ ḤAYYĀN TAWḤĪDĪ – Encyclopaedia Iranica. 2021-02-11. iranicaonline.org.
  8. Web site: Arabic literature - Belles lettres and narrative prose. 2021-02-11. Encyclopedia Britannica. en.
  9. Kopf. L.. The Zoological Chapter of the Kitab al-Imta' wal-Mu'anasa of Abu Hayyan al-Tauhidi (10th Century). Osiris. 1956. 12. 390–466. 10.1086/368605. 147651396.