I
Ibn Ab l-add
Izz al-Dn Ab mid Abd al-
amd b. Hibatallh b. Muammad
(b. Muammad) b. al-usayn b. Ab
l-add al-Madin al-Baghdd (d. 655
or 656/1257 or 1258), called Ibn Ab
l-add, was a Sunn-Mutazil theolo-
gian with Sh leanings and a poet, histo-
rian, and literary theorist, best known for
his twenty-volume commentary on Nahj
al-balgha (“Path of eloquence”), a compi-
lation of Al b. Ab lib’s (d. 40/661)
words. An official in the Abbsid state,
he held various administrative posts in the
capital, Baghdad, just before the Mongol
sack in Muarram 656/January 1258.
1. Career
Ibn Ab l-add was born on 1 Dh
l-ijja 586/30 December 1190 in
al-Madin (Ibn al-Fuwa, Majma, 1:214;
Ibn Kathr, 13:199), thirty-two kilometres
southeast of Baghdad. His family belonged
to the Shfi legal school, and his father
was a judge (Ibn al-S, 76). Early in
life, Ibn Ab l-add moved to Bagh-
dad, where he studied in the Nimiyya
Madrasa (Ibn Ab l-add, Shar al-Nahj,
14:280), the celebrated college of religious
sciences founded in 459/1067 by the
Saljk wazr Nim al-Mulk (d. 485/1092).
As an adult, Ibn Ab l-add participated
in the city’s scholarly and bureaucratic
circles. Ibn al-Alqam (d. 656/1258), the
Twelver Sh wazr of the last Abbsid
caliph, al-Mustaim (r. 640–56/1242–
58), offered him continuing patronage
(Ibn Kathr, 13:199), hence his moni-
ker al-ib (the companion) (al-afad,
al-Wf, 18:47). He also composed praise
poetry for the Abbsid caliphs al-Nir
(r. 575–622/1180–1225) and al-Mustanir
(r. 623–40/1226–42) (al-Mustaniriyyt,
“Poems on al-Mustanir,” passim, cited in
Ibn Kathr, 13:200).
Ibn Ab l-add held the following gov-
ernment positions (Ibn al-Fuwa, Majma,
1:213): He was first appointed secretary
in the Dr al-Tashrft, the office of robes
of honour, which were presented by the
caliph to subjects he wished to honour. In
629/1232 he was appointed secretary in
the Makhzan (treasury) and then in the
Dwn al-Khilfa (caliphal chancery), also
mentioned by Ibn Ab l-add (Shar al-
Nahj, 16:109). In 642/1244, he was made
mushrif (supervisor) of the lands of illa,
ibn ab l-add
the title perhaps indicating supervision of
taxes. He then served as aide to an official
named Amr Al al-Dn al-abars (sic)
and then became director of Baghdad’s
main hospital, al-Bmristn al-Aud.
His final post was as principal administra-
tor of the Baghdad libraries (Tihrn, 88).
According to some sources (al-Kutub,
1:609; al-afad, al-Wf, 11:251, 18:46;
Ibn Kathr, 13:200), Ibn Ab l-add
died in late 655/1257, just before the
Mongols sacked Baghdad. According to
other sources (Ibn al-Adm, 3:1214–5;
Ibn al-Fuwa, awdith, 1:240–1; Ibn
al-Fuwa, Majma, 1:214; al-Dhahab,
23:372), Ibn Ab l-add was living at the
time of the sack and took refuge with Ibn
al-Alqam (Tihrn, 1:88). Ibn al-Alqam
had corresponded with the invaders, who
kept him on as wazr (Rashd al-Dn, 64).
Ibn Ab l-add later presented himself
to the Twelver Sh scholar Nar al-Dn
al-s (d. 672/1274); the latter had been
emissary of the Nizr Ismls of Alamt
to the Mongols and had some influence
with the latter, who placed him and his
brother Muwaffaq al-Dn Ab l-Mal
al-Qsim (or Amad) Ibn Ab l-add in
charge of the Baghdad libraries (Tihrn,
1:88; for Muwaffaq al-Dn’s biography,
see Ibn al-Adm, 3:1214, Ibn al-Fuwa,
awdith, 1:241, and al-afad, al-Wf,
11:251). Ibn al-Alqam, Muwaffaq al-Dn,
and Abd al-amd Ibn Ab l-add (then
a little over seventy years of age) all died
within weeks of one another, in Jumd II
656/June 1258.
2. Beliefs
Ibn Ab l-add declared in one of his
books that he followed the Mutazila of
Baghdad (as opposed to those of Basra),
who deemed Ab Bakr’s caliphate valid,
yet professed the greater excellence (tafl)
79
of Al; he was thus a tafl Mutazil
Sunn (Shar al-Nahj, 1:7–9). He was,
however, also close to the Basran school
of Ab l-usayn al-Bar (d. 436/1044),
one of the two Mutazil schools surviv-
ing in his time (Madelung, 110; the other
school was that of Ab Hshim al-Jubb,
d. 321/933).
3. Works
A prolific author, Ibn Ab l-add has
sixteen titles to his credit, including col-
lections of his poetry and prose, as well
as commentaries on famous works of lit-
erature, literary criticism, theology, phi-
losophy, legal theory, logic, grammar, and
lexicography.
Seven titles are extant, of which the first
three listed here stand out and are quoted
widely by mediaeval scholars:
(1) Shar Nahj al-balgha (“Commen-
tary on the path of eloquence”), Ibn Ab
l-add’s magnum opus, is a twenty-vol-
ume commentary on al-Sharf al-Ra’s
(d. 406/1015–6) compilation of Al b.
Ab lib’s orations, epistles, and wisdom
sayings; some sources identify Ibn Ab
l-add by his authorship of this work.
It was presented to Ibn al-Alqam and
earned him the reward of one hundred
thousand (sic) gold dinars, a precious robe
of honour, and a stallion (Ibn al-Fuwa,
Majma, 1:214; al-Khwnsr, 5:20, with
Ibn Ab l-add’s verses expressing grati-
tude for the gifts). In addition to lexical
explanations, the work contains much
literary, historical, and theological mate-
rial, some of it derived from early works
now lost. The commentary elicited several
works in response, including the Twelver
Sh Ysuf al-Barn’s (d. 1186/1772)
critique Salsil al-add (“Chains of iron”).
(2) Al-Qaid al-sab al-alawiyyt (“Seven
poems on Al”) was presented to Ibn
80
al-Alqam (Tihrn, 1:88): two poems are
on the prophet Muammad’s conquests
of Khaybar and Mecca, focusing on Al’s
essential role in them; one in praise of
Muammad; one on the battle of the
Camel (36/656); and three in praise of Al.
(3) Al-Falak al-dir al l-Mathal al-sir
(“Celestial spheres encircling popular
proverbs”) is a work of literary criti-
cism written in thirteen or fifteen days in
633/1236 as a response—part endorse-
ment, part refutation—to iy al-Dn
Ibn al-Athr’s (d. 637/1239) al-Mathal
al-sir (“Popular proverbs,” cf. al-Falak,
34–5). Al-Falak al-dir generated further
responses: al-afad (al-Wf, 27:24) men-
tions a refutation by “one of the lumi-
naries” titled Qa al-dir (“Slashing the
spheres”); he also himself wrote a book
endorsing the refutation, titled Nurat
al-thir al l-Falak al-dir (“Aiding the
retaliator [in cutting down] the celestial
spheres”; edition published 1972).
The following four extant titles include
a volume of poetry and commentaries on
works of logic, grammar, theology, and
philosophy: (4) al-Mustaniriyyt are fifteen
poems in praise of the Abbsid caliph
al-Mustanir, with brief contextualising
introductions; (5) Shar al-yt al-bayyint
(“Commentary on the clear signs”) is a
commentary on a work on logic by Fakhr
al-Dn al-Rz (d. 606/1210); (6) Nam
al-Fah f l-lugha (“The classical language
text versified”) is a 785-line abridgement
of Thalab’s (d. 291/901) lexicographi-
cal work, dashed off in just twenty-four
hours (cf. al-Kutub, 1:609; al-afad,
al-Wf, 18:46; al-Baghdd 1:507; Esco-
rial MS 188, after Jibl, 19); (7) Shar (or
Talq) Muaal afkr al-mutaqaddimn wa-l-
mutaakhkhirn (“Commentary on the harvest
of thoughts of earlier and later [scholars]”)
is a commentary on the theological-
ibn ab l-add
philosophical work by Fakhr al-Dn al-
Rz (al-Kutub, 1:609; al-afad, al-Wf,
18:46; al-Baghdd, 1:507; al-Khwnsr,
5:21; Istanbul University Library MS
A3297, fols. 374a–464b).
Ibn Ab l-add’s apparently lost works
include nine titles: (8) Dwn, a collection
of poetry, lauded and quoted by several
scholars, on themes including prayer,
Mutazil theology, and elegy (al-Kutub,
1:609–11; al-afad, al-Wf, 18:46–9; Ibn
al-Fuwa, awdith, 1:241; al-Baghdd,
1:507); (9) Naq al-Mal f ilm al-ul,
a critique of a work on legal theory by
Fakhr al-Dn al-Rz (al-Kutub, 1:609;
al-afad, al-Wf, 18:46; al-Baghdd,
1:507; al-Khwnsr, 5:21); (10) al-Abqar
al-assn f l-tarkh wa-l-adab, a theological,
historical, and poetry anthology, includ-
ing his own prose and verse (al-Baghdd,
1:507; al-Khwnsr, 5:21); (11) Shar
al-Yqt, a commentary on a theologi-
cal text by Ibrhm b. Isq b. Ab Sahl
al-Nawbakht (fl. mid-fourth/tenth cen-
tury) (al-Baghdd, 1:507; al-Khwnsr,
5:21); (12) al-Itibr al l-Dhara f ul al-
shara, a three-volume commentary on
a work on jurisprudential principles by
al-Sharf al-Murta (d. 436/1044–5)
(al-Baghdd, 1:507; al-Khwnsr, 5:21);
(13) Shar mushkilt al-Ghurar, a com-
mentary on a theological work by the
Mutazil scholar Ab l-usayn al-Bar
(d. 436/1044) (al-Baghdd, 1:507;
al-Khwnsr, 5:21); (14) Talqa al Shar
al-Mufaal, a gloss on a grammar text
by the Mutazil scholar al-Zamakhshar
(d. 538/1144) focusing on principles
(ul) (al-Baghdd, 1:507; Tihrn, 1:89);
(15) al-Kalimt al-alf min kalm Al b. Ab
lib, a compilation of one thousand
aphorisms attributed to Al (al-Baghdd,
1:507); (16) Intiqd al-Mustaf, a critique
of the text on legal theory by al-Ghazl
ibn ab l-add
(d. 505/1111), mentioned only in a mod-
ern study (Ibrhm, 1:18–9).
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mid Abd al-amd al-Mad’in al-Baghdd
586–656 H, f Shar Nahj al-balgha, Baghdad
1987; Raf al-Shamr, al-Wujd al-ilh ind
Ibn Ab l-add, Baghdad 2010; mid Nir
al-lim, Ul al-fikr al-bayn al-arab. Ibn
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Tahera Qutbuddin
THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF ISLAM

THREE

Edited by
Kate Fleet, Gudrun Krämer, Denis Matringe,
John Nawas, and Everett Rowson

With

Roger ALLEN, Edith AMBROS, Thomas BAUER, Johann BÜSSOW,

Ruth DAVIS, Eve FEUILLEBOIS-PIERUNEK, Maribel FIERRO,
Najam HAIDER, Konrad HIRSCHLER, Nico KAPTEIN, Hani KHAFIPOUR,
Alexander KNYSH, Corinne LEFÈVRE, Scott LEVI, Roman LOIMEIER,
M’hamed OUALDI, D. Fairchild RUGGLES, Emilie SAVAGE-SMITH, Ayman
SHIHADEH, and Susan SPECTORSKY

LEIDEN • BOSTON
2018
Library of Congres Cataloging-in-Publication Data

A C.I.P. record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.

EI3 is published under the patronage of the international union of academies.

ADVISORY BOARD

Azyumardi Azra; Peri Bearman; Farhad Daftary; Emeri van Donzel; Geert
Jan van Gelder (Chairman); R. Stephen Humphreys; Remke Kruk; Wilferd
Madelung; Barbara Metcalf; Hossein Modarressi; James Montgomery;
Nasrollah Pourjavady; and Jean-Louis Triaud.

EI3 is copy edited by

Amir Dastmalchian, Linda George,

Alan H. Hartley, and Brian Johnson.

ISSN: 1873-9830
ISBN: 978-90-04-35663-4

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