66 6 " has not gone there, send some one else.'"-Yahya Ibn Manda used often to repeat these lines of a poet : I wondered how a man could purchase error at the price of true direction; but he who purchases worldly goods at the price of his religion is more to be wondered at. But still more wonderful is the man who sacrifices his religion to obtain the wordly advantages possessed by another; he is yet a greater loser than the two former. He was born at Ispahân on tuesday morning, the 19th of Shawwal, 434 (1st of June, A. D. 1043), and he died there on the feast of the Sacrifice, 512 (24th March, A. D. 1119). After his death, the Manda family never produced a man like him. -Ibn Nukta (vol. III. p. 101) says, in the Ikmål al-Ikmâl, that his death took place on Saturday, the 12th of Zû 'l-Hijja, 511, and that his father Abd al-Wahhâb was born in the year 386 (A. D. 996) and died in the mont hof the latter Jumâda, 475 (Oct.-Nov. A. D. 1082).—We have marked the orthography of his ancestors' names in our article on his grandfather Abû Abd Allah Muhammad (1). (1) The passage here indicated is not to be found in our manuscripts. IBN SAADUN AL-KORTUBI Abu Bakr Yahya Ibn Saadûn Ibn Tammâm Ibn Muhammad al-Azdi al-Kortubi member of the Arabian tribe of Azd and a native of Cordova), bore the title of Sâin ad-Din (preserver of the faith) and was one of the imams (or great masters), who, in latter times, were well versed in the Koranic readings, the sciences connected with the koranic text, the Traditions, grammar, philology, etc. He left Cordova in the flower of his youth and proceeded to Egypt. In Alexandria, he heard the lessons of Abu Abd Allah Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Ibn Ibrâhîm ar-Râzi and, in Misr (Old Cairo), those of Abû Sadik Murshid Ibn Yahya Ibn al-Kâsim al-Madani al-Misri (a native of Medina who had settled in Egypt). There also he studied under Abû Tâhir Ahmad VOL. IV. 8 Ibn Muhammad al-Ispahâni, generally known by the appellation of as-Silafi (vol. I. p. 86) and other masters. In the year 517 (A. D. 1123-4), he arrived in Baghdad and read the Koran under the direction of the shaikh Abu Muhammad Abd Allah Ibn Ali al-Mukri (teacher of the Korán-readings), who was generally known by the designation of Ibn Bint as-shaikh Abi Mansûr al-Khaiyat (the son of the daughter of the shaikh Abu Mansûr the tailor). He heard from the lips of that professor the contents of a great number of books, one of which was Sibawaih's Kitâb (vol. II. p. 396). He read Traditions under Abû Bakr Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Bâki al-Bazzâr, surnamed Kâdi 'l-Mâristân (the kâdi of the infirmary), Abù 'l-Kâsim Ibn al-Hosain (), Abù 'l-Izz Ibn Kâdis and other masters. He was religious and devout, remarkable for such gravity and dignity of bearing as inspired respect. As a Traditionist he was a sure authority, veracious and trustworthy; his talents were great, his words few, his good actions numerous and his discourse instructive. He resided at Damascus for some time and then went to inhabit Mosul, whence he removed to Ispahân. From that he returned to Mosul and all the shaikhs (or eminent doctors) of the time went to hear his lessons. The hâfiz Ibn as-Samâni (vol. II. p. 156) mentions him in the Zail and says: "I met him in Damascus, where he gave lessons which (even) the "shaikhs under whom Abû Abd Allah ar-Râzi had studied, went to hear. I myself selected some choice passages out of his lectures. Having asked him the date "and place of his birth, he replied that he was born in the year 486 (A. D. 1093-4) "at Cordova, a city in Spain."-I read in a book that his birth took place in the year 487, but the former date is the true one. Our shaikh the kâdi Bahâ ad-Dîn Abù 'l-Mahâsin Yûsuf Ibn Râfi Ibn Tamîm generally known by the surname of Ibn Shaddâd and kâdi of Aleppo, took pride in stating that he had learned Traditions and Korân-readings from Abû Bakr al-Kortubi. To this we shall recur in our article on Ibn Shaddad. 'We used," said he, "to read (the Korân) under him at Mosul, and, every day, we saw a man come in, salute him without sitting down, hand "him a packet the contents of which were unknown to us and then retire. We "tried to discover what was in it, and at length found out that it was a fowl ready 66 66 66 plucked which the shaikh purchased, every day, from that man, for his own use, and which, on returning to his house, he cooked with his own hands." The same kâdi states, in his Dalail al-Ahkâm, that he read (the Korân) under him during the space of eleven years and finished in the year 567 (A. D. 1171-2). The shaikh Abu Bakr al-Kortubi often repeated the following verses, tracing them, through a regular series of transmitters, up to the author, the katib Abû 'l-Khair al-Wâsiti : The pen of fate writes out what is to happen; so, whether we move or remain quiet, it is just the same. How foolish in thee to toil for sustenance! is not sustenance granted even to the embryo in the womb? He said also: "The following verses were repeated to us by Abû 'l-Wafâ Abd ar“Razzâk Ibn Wahb Ibn Hassân, who stated that they were recited to him in Old Cairo 66 66 Abû by Abu Abd Allah Muhammad Ibn Manî (), who gave them as having been composed by himself: "I have a device by which calumny may be averted, but no device can serve against a liar. "No stratagem of mine can avail against him who says things of his own invention. The shaikh Abu Bakr al-Kortubi died al Mosul, on the day of the festival of the Sacrifice, 567 (4th August, A. D. 1172). YAHYA IBN YAMAR Abû Sulaimân, or, as some say, Abû Saîd, Yahya, the son of Yamar al-Adwâi alWashki, was a grammarian of Basra and a Tâbi (one of those who had received lessons from a companion of Muhammad). He met (and knew) Abd Allah Ibn Omar (vol. 1. p. 567), Abd Allah Ibn al-Abbâs (vol. I. p. 89), and others (of the Companions). Katâda Ibn Diâma as-Sadûsi (vol: II. p. 513) and Ishak Ibn Suwaid al-Adawi handed down Traditions on his authority. He was one of the chief Korân-readers (1) of Basra, and it was from him that Abd Allah Ibn Abi Ishâk learned the manner of reading (that book). He removed to Khorâsân and was appointed kâdi at Marw. The text of the Korân, the rules of grammar and the various dialects of the Arabs were equally familiar to him. He acquired his knowledge of grammar from Abû 'l-Aswad ad-Duwali (vol. I. p. 662). It is related that, when Abû 'l-Aswad drew 1. up the chapter on the agent and patient (the subject and object of the verb), a man of the tribe of Laith added thereto some chapters and, having found, on examination, that there existed, in the language of the (desert) Arabs, some expressions which could not be made to enter into that (section), he stopped short and abandoned the work. It is possible that this person was Yahya Ibn Yamar who, having contracted an alliance, by oath, with the tribe of Laith, was considered as one of its members. He was a Shiite of the primitive class, one of those who, in asserting the superior merit of the People of the house (2), abstained from depreciating the merit of those (Companions) who did not belong to that family. Aâsim Ibn Abi 'n-Najûd (vol. II. p. 1) the Korân-reader, related as follows: "Al-Hajjaj Ibn Yûsuf (vol. I. p. 356), being informed that Yahya Ibn Yamar declared al-Hasan and al-Husain "to be of the posterity of the Apostle of God, and that he was then in Khorâsân, "wrote to Kutaiba Ibn Muslim (vol. II. p. 514), the governor of that province, ordering him to send Yahya to him. This was done and, when Yahya stood in his presence, he said to him: Do you pretend that al-Hasan and al-Husain were of "the posterity of the Apostle of God? by Allah! I shall cast (to the ground) that part of you which has the most hair on it (3), unless you exculpate yourself.' If I do so', said Yahya, shall I have an amnesty?' 'You shall', 66 66 666 66 6 replied al-Hajjâj. 'Well', said Yahya, God, may his praise be exalted! said: "And we gave unto him (Abraham) Isaac and Jacob; we directed them all; and Noah "had we before directed, and, of his posterity, David and Solomon, and Job, and Joseph, and Moses, and Aaron; thus do we reward the virtuous; and Zakarias, "' and John, and Jesus, and Elias; all of them were righteous. (Korân, sur. 6, "verse 84.) Now, the space of time between Jesus and Abraham is greater that which separated al-Hasan and al-Husain from Muhammad, on all of whom be the blessing of God and his salvation!'-Al-Hajjâj answered: I must admit that you "have got out of the difficulty; I read that before but did not understand it. 66 6 66 6 This quotation was most appropriate; how admirable the talent disployed by Yahya in adducing that passage! How finely he applied it! Then," said Aâsim, “al-Hajjâj "said ot him: Where were you born?'- Yahya answered: At Basra.'-' Where "were you brought up?'-In Khorâsân.'-' And this pure Arabic (which you speak), "how did you come by it (4)?'- It was God's gift.'It was God's gift.'- 'Tell me if I commit faults in speaking. '-'Yahya remained silent, but as al-Hajjaj insisted on having an answer, he at length said: 0 Emir! since you ask me, me, I must say that you exalt "what should be depressed and depress what should be exalted (5). 'That, by 66 6 166 · 66 6 you, Allah! is a grave fault. He then wrote these words to Kutaiba: When this, my letter, reaches take Yahya Ibn Yamar for your kâdi. Salutation!"—Ibn Sallâm (vol. II. p. 486) stated that he heard Yûnus Ibn Habîb (6) relate as follows: Al-Hajjaj said to Yahya Ibn Yamar: Do incorrection in my you remark any "speech?'-'Yes; replied Yahya, in one point. What is that?' In ' 66 66 6 "he "reading the Korân. That were shameful indeed! what is it?'-' In reci"ting this verse: Say, if your fathers and your sons, and so forth to the words be “ ́ ́ more dear (ahabba) to you than God (Korân, sûr.9, verse 24), you pronounce ahabbo." *** Ibn Sallâm here observed: "It would appear from this that, as the phrase was long, al-Hajjaj forgot how it commenced. Al-Hajjaj then said: 'be assured that 664 you shall never hear me commit such a fault again.' Then," said Yûnus, "sent him to Khorâsân which, at that time, was governed by Yazid, the son of alMuhallab Ibn Abi Sufra. "God best knows which of these statements is exact.Ibn al-Jauzi (vol II. p. 96) says, in his Shuzûr al-Okûd (7): " In the year eighty"four of the Hijra (A. D. 703), al-Hajjâj banished Yahya Ibn Yamar because, on saying to him: Do I speak incorrectly,' he received this answer: 'You do; but the fault is scarcely perceptible. '-'I give you three days,' said al-Hajjâj, "and, if I find you, after that, in the land of Irâk, I shall put you to death.' In consequence of this, Yahya left the country. "-Abû Amr Nasr Ibn Ali Ibn Nûh Ibn Kais stated that the following relation was made to him by Othmân Ibn Mihsan): "The Commander of the faithful prononced a khotba at Basra and, in "this discourse, he said: Fear God! he that fears God incurs no huwára.' The congregation did not understand what he said and asked its meaning from Yahya Ibn Yamar. He answered that the word huwára signified loss and that the khalif "meant to say: He who fears God shall sustain no loss. "-Al-Kazzâz (vol. III. p. 85) says, in his Kitâb al-Jâmî : Hawârât means dangers; its singular is hawara. — Ar-Râzi said :" I related this to al-Asmâi (vol. II p. 123) and he answered: 'I "never heard that till this very moment, now that you have told it to me. The "'rare expressions of the language are really very numerous, but that one I never ́ ́ ́ heard. ' ”—Al-Asmâi related as follows: "My father told me that Yazîd, the son of al-Muhallab, wrote, when in Khorâsân, a letter to al-Hajjâj Ibn Yûsuf in which he said: We met the enemy and forced him to take refuge on the summit (orora) of the hill, and we are at the foot of it (al-hadhidh). '—' How,' said 'al-Hajjaj, did the son of al-Muhallab come by such words as these?' and, 66 - 66 |