ABU ISHAK AL-MARWAZI.

Abû Ishak Ibrahîm Ibn Ahmad Ibn Ishak al-Marwazi, doctor of the sect of 4 as-Shâfi, was the greatest mufti and professor of his time. He learned the principles of jurisprudence from Abû 'l-Abbas Ibn Soraij; and having attained great excellence in this science, he succeeded Ibn Soraij as chief of the Shafites in Irak. He composed many works, and commented the Mokhtasar, or Abridgment of the Doctrine of as-Shâfî, by al-Muzani. He was for a long time professor and mufti at Baghdad, and a great number of his pupils attained eminence. It was after him that the street of Marwazi, in that quarter of Baghdad called the Grant of ar-Rabi (1), received its name. Towards the end of his life, he set out for Egypt, where he finished his days the 9th Radjab, A. H. 340 (A. D. 951), and was interred near the tomb of the imam as-Shâfi; some say he died a little before midnight, on Sunday, 11th Rajab of the same year.-Marwazi means belonging to Marw as-Sháhján, one of the four capitals of Khorasan, the others being Naisapûr, Herat, and Balkh. This city was so named in order to distinguish it from Marw ar-Rûd: Sháh-ján is a Persian word, which signifies the soul of the king; for shah means king, and ján soul; the custom of the Persians being to place the consequent before the antecedent, when in the relation of annexion (2). This city was founded by Alexander Zû 'l-Karnain (3), and is the seat of the government of Khorasan. In forming the relative adjective from Marw, az is added, as in Razi, derived from Rai, and Istakharzi, from Istakhar; this is one way of its formation; but according to the opinion of those who have studied the subject, such relatives are only used when speaking of human beings; in all other cases, the must not be added. Therefore one may say of a man, he is a Marwazi; and of a garment or other thing, it is Marwi; some say, however, that the may be added in all cases, and that the difference in the form of the relative makes no difference in its signification. The remainder of our observations concerning these two cities will be found in the Life of the kâdi Abù Hâmid Ahmad Ibn Aâmir al-Marwarrûdi.

(1) Some particulars respecting the Grant of Rabt will be found in the Life of ar-Rabi Ibn Yunus.

(2) See de Sacy's Grammaire Arabe, vol. II, p. 47, for the explanation of these terms.

(3) Marw as-Shahjan is probably the ancient Antiocha Margianæ, founded by Alexander the Great, and then called Alexandria; having been ruined afterwards, it was rebuilt by Antiochus, son of Seleucus, who gave it his own name.

ABU ISHAK AL-ISFARAÏNI.

The master Abû Ishak Ibrahîm Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ibrahim Ibn Mihran alIsfaràïni, surnamed Rokn ad-din (column of religion) doctor of the sect of as-Shafi, was an able divine in scholastic and dogmatic theology. The hâkim Abu Abd Allah (1) has spoken of him in these terms: "The generality of the shaikhs of Naisàpur took lessons from him in theology, and his learning was acknowledged by the people of Irak and Khorasan; he is the author of some impor"tant works; among others that great one entitled : Jámi 'l-Jalí, a treatise

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on the dogmas of religion, and a refutation of the impious, which I have seen in five volumes. The kadi Abù 't-Tayib at-Tabari, being at Isfaràïn, took "lessons from him in the principles of jurisprudence, and it was for him that "the celebrated college of Naisàpûr was founded (2)." Abû 'l-Hasan Abd alGhafir al-Farisi cites his name in his continuation of the History of Naisàpùr, and speaks of him thus: "He was one of those learned men who attained the rank "of Mujtahid (3) by reason of his profound knowledge in the sciences, and of "his possessing all the necessary qualifications for being an imam (or chief of a sect). This doctor, the ornament of the East, used to say: I wish I may "die at Naisàpûr, so that all its inhabitants may pray over me:'and it was "there he died, on the 10th Muharram, A. H. 448 (A. D. 1027). His body was “afterwards removed to Isfaràïn, where it was buried in the chapel which bears "his name." The shaikh Abù 'l-Kàsim al-Koshairi frequented his lessons, and the hâfiz Abu Bakr al-Baihaki, and other writers, quote frequently in their works traditions derived from him. He had heard the lectures of Abu Bakr alIsmaïli (4), in Khorasan; those of Abù Muhammad Dàlaj Ibn Ahmad as-Sajazi (5), in Irak; and also those of their contemporaries. We shall speak of Isfaràïn in the article on the shaikh Abù Hamid Ahmad Ibn Muhammad al-Isfarâïni.

(1) The Life of the hâkim Abù Abd Allah will be found amongst those of the Muhammads.

(2) This is an important fact for the literary history of the Moslims; it being generally supposed that their first college was founded at Baghdad, by Nizâm al-Mulk, A. H. 459 ( A. D. 1066).

3. Those doctors who followed the opinions of no other sect, but judged for themselves, were called Mujtahid. (De Sacy's Chrestomathie Arabe, t. I, p. 169).

(4) Abu Bakr Ahmad Ibn Ibrahim Ibn Ismail Ibn al-Abbàs al-Ismaili, one of the great doctors of the sect of as-Shafi, was highly celebrated for his writings and his knowledge of the law and the traditions, a great quantity of which he picked up in his travels. He composed: 1, A Commentary on the Jami Sahih, or Collection

of authentic Traditions, by Termedi; 2, a Mojam,

which treated probably of the traditionists, and the right orthography of their names; 3, a Musnad, or Collection of Traditions traced up to the Khalif Omar a correct and excellent work, but voluminous. Ismaïli had for pupils his son, Abû Saad, and all the doctors of Jorjân; he died in Rajab, A. H. 371 (A. D. 982), aged 94 years. (Tabakåt as-Shåfyin. Tab. al-Fokaha. Abulfedæ Annales, tom. II, p. 551.)

و مسند

عمر

(5) The imam Abû Muhammad Dalaj Ibn Ahmad as-Sajazi (of Sejestan), celebrated mufti and first traditionist of his day. This doctor was also an extensive trader, and became the richest merchant of his time by his commercial expeditions. Part of his wealth was employed in founding annuities for deserving persons in Mekka, Irak, and Sejestan: he was particularly liberal to men of learning. He died A. H. 331 (A. D. 962), aged 91. Dârakutni, a celebrated doctor, relates that Dalaj bought the house in Mekka which belonged to al-Abbas, uncle of Muhammad, for thirty thousand dinars. (Yâfi's Miraât al-janân; Man., No. 637, fol. 264, verso.)

ABU ISHAK AS-SHIRAZI.

The shaikh Abu Ishak Ibrahim Ibn Ali Ibn Yusuf as-Shîrâzi al-Firûzabâdi, sur- 3 named Jamal ad-din (beauty of religion), dwelt in Baghdad, and studied jurisprudence under many eminent men; he was an assiduous pupil of Abu 't-Tayib at-Tabari, and profited by his lessons, he then acted as his substitute, and was appointed by him director of repetitions (or under-tutor) of the class; after which he became the first imam of his time in Baghdad. Nizâm al-Mulk, having founded the college (called Nizamiyah) in that city, offered its direction to Abû Ishak ; and, on his refusal, appointed to that place Abû Nasr Ibn as-Sabbagh, author of the Shamil; this doctor filled the situation for a short period; then Abû Ishak consented to accept it, and held it till his death: I have given the details relating to this in the life of Ibn as-Sabbagh, to which I therefore refer the reader. Abû Ishak wrote a number of instructive and useful books, such as the Muhaddab, a treatise on the doctrines of his sect; the Tanbih, or Call, a work on jurisprudence; the Loma, or Glimpses, with a commentary, wherein the dogmas of religion are treated of; the Nokat, or shrewd Devices on controversial subjects; the Tabsirah, or Monitor; the Maúnah, or Succour; the Talkhis, or Summary, a Treatise on Dialectics, etc. The number of those who profited by his instruction was very great. He composed some good poetry, of which I shall give the following verses:

I asked of men: Where is a true friend to be found? Their answer was: To such there is no way; -cling, if thou canst, to the robe of the noble-minded; for the man of noble mind is seldom met with in the world.

It is related by the shaikh Abu Bakr Muhammad at-Tortûsi (whose life shall be given later), that a clever poet of Baghdad, called Aâsim, made the following pretty verses in praise of Abû Ishak (to whom God be merciful):

Thou seest his body worn away by his active mind; it bears the marks of that ardour which fires his soul; when the human mind is great with lofty thoughts, a body lean and worn is no disgrace.

Abû Ishak was a man of the utmost devotion, and rigidly attentive to his religious duties: his merits were countless. He was born at Fîrûzabâd, A. H. 393 (A. D. 1003), and died in Baghdad on the eve of Sunday, 21st of the second Jumâda (according to as-Samani in his Zail, but others say the first Jumȧda), A. H. 476 (A. D. 1083), and was buried the next morning in the cemetery at the gate of Abrez. The following elegy was made on his death by Ibn Nâkiyà, whose life will be found among those of the Abd Allahs:

A fatal event hath struck our eyes with consternation (1) and hath caused our tears to flow mingled with blood! What hath happened to fortune? She cannot collect her strength, since the loss of her favoured son, Abû Ishak. Say: He is dead! but his memory hath not died; it will live and endure while Time doth run his course.

Muhibb ad-din Ibn an-Najjar (2) mentions Abû Ishak in his History of Baghdad, and speaks of him in these terms: "He was the imam of the sect of as-Shafì, and one of those men of merit whose reputation spread abroad; in learning and "self-denial he excelled every person of his time; and most of the learned in the great cities were his pupils. Born and bred at the town of Firûzabàd, in the province of Faris, he went to Shiraz, where he studied under Abu Abd Allah

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al-Baidàwi (3) and Ibn Râmin (4); from thence he proceeded to Basrah, where "he had al-Jawzi (5) for master; in the month of Shawwâl, A. II. 445, he en"tered Baghdad to study under Abû 't-Tayib at-Tabari. He was born A. H. 393.” 6" I asked him," said Abù Abd Allah al-Humaidi, "the date of his birth, and he mentioned to me some circumstances which point out the year 396 (A. D. 1006), as he said that he set out to travel in search of learning in the year "410 (6), and went to Shiraz: others however place his birth in 395, but God "knows it best." On his death, his pupils sat in solemn mourning in the Nizamiyah college, and after that ceremony, Muwyyad al-Mulk, son of Nizâm

al-Mulk, appointed Abù Saad al-Mutawalli to the vacant place, but when Nizâm al-Mulk heard of it, he wrote to disapprove of that nomination, adding that the college should be shut up during a year, on account of Abû Ishak's death; he then blamed the person who had undertaken to fill his place, and ordered the sheikh Ibn as-Sabbagh to profess in his stead. --"Firúzabád is a town in the province of Fâris, and it is believed by some to be the same city which is "called Jûr;" so says Abû Saad as-Samâni in his work the Ansáb : some persons pronounce the name of this town Fairúzabád.

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(1) The expression is very frequently used by later writers; it signifies literally: the day of his resurrection is come; which means that his trouble and consternation are as great as if the day of judgment were already present. (See other examples in Macrizi's Histoire des Mamlouks, t. I, p. 98). The Persians use the word in a similar sense.

(2) The hâfiz Abû Abd Allah Muhammad Ibn Mahmûd Ibn al-Hasan Ibn Hibat Allah Ibn al-Muhâsin, surnamed Ibn an-Najjar, was born at Baghdad A. H. 578 (A. D. 1183); at the age of ten he began to learn the traditions, and when he had reached his fifteenth year, he was able to continue his studies without assistance alb After having learned a great number of traditions and mastered the seven different manners of reading the Koran, he undertook a long journey, and spent twenty-seven years in visiting Syria, Egypt, Hijâz, and the cities of Ispahân, Harrân, Herât, and Naisapûr; during his travels he carefully noted down whatever information he could collect from the illustrious and the obscure, from the high and the lowis

,He was a man of deep and extensive knowledge, humble and pious عن من دب ودرج ونزل وشرج

remarkable for his self-denial and holy life. He died, A. H. 643 (A. D. 1245), at Baghdad, and was interred in the cemetery of the Martyrs, by the gate of Harb. The best known of his works is the Supplement, in sixteen volumes, to the History of Baghdad by the Khatib Abû Bakr Ahmad al-Baghdadi. Ibn Kadi Shohba, who has furnished us with most of the above details, gives a list of sixteen other works by the same author. (Tabakåt as-Shâfyin. See also Hamaker's Specimen Catalogi, etc., p. 247; and Bibliothèque Orient., NAGGIAR.)

(3) Abu Abd Allah Muhammad Ibn Ahmad al-Baidawi, doctor of the sect of as-Shafi, was born at al-Baidà, a large town in the district of Istakhar, eight parasangs from Shîrâz. He studied jurisprudence in the city of Amol, and then went to Baghdad, where he received lessons from Abû Hâmid al-Isferâïni and other celebrated doctors, and became himself professor and mufti. He was well learned in the doctrines of his sect, and skilled in controversy, logic, and dogmatic theology. He died suddenly at Baghdad, A. H. 424 (A. D. 1033).—Among other celebrated men born at al-Baida, was the kâdi Nasr ad-din Abù l-Khair Abd Allah Ibn Omar alBaidawi, author of the well known Commentary on the Koran: he died at Shirâz, A. H. 691 (A. D. 1292 ). Tab. as-Shafyin, Tab. al-Fokâhaj.

4 The shaikh Abu Ahmad Abd al-Wahhab Ibn Muhammad Ibn Omar Ibn Muhammad Ibn Råmin, native of Baghdad, and pupil of the celebrated ad-Dâraki; he was deeply learned in jurisprudence and dogmatic theology, on which latter subject he wrote some esteemed works. Died A. H. 430 A. D. 1039 ).

(3) I have as yet met with no information respecting this doctor.

(6) It appears by this that students began to travel at the age of fourteen or fifteen after having acquired whatever instruction their native place could afford, they went to different countries, studying successively in each, under doctors and professors of repute; they sometimes continued this wandering life for

many years.