Ahmad ibn Dawud al-Judhami
- Died
- 597 AH
- Born in
- -
Ahmad ibn Dawud al-Judhami (527–597 AH / 1132–1201 CE; another report gives 598 AH / 1202 CE) was an Andalusian jurist, grammarian, and philologist, best known for his extensive commentary on Ibn Qutaybah's Adab al-katib entitled al-Intikhab fi sharh Adab al-kitab ("The Selection in Commentary on the Manners of the Scribe") .
Background and Education
His full lineage is Abu Ja'far Ahmad ibn Dawud ibn Yusuf ibn Hisham al-Judhami al-Saraqusti al-Baghi . His family was originally from Zaragoza (Saraqusta), where his ancestors had resided before migrating to the settlement of Baghat Ibn al-Haytham (Priego) within the territory of Granada in al-Andalus . He was born in 527 AH (1132 CE) .
Al-Judhami studied Arabic grammar, literature, and philology under the ascetic grammarian Abu Sulayman Dawud ibn Yazid al-Sa'di (d. 573 AH), under whom he read, verified, and collated literary texts . In addition to his primary focus on Arabic grammar, lexicography, and memorization of literary lore, he participated actively in other disciplines, including medicine, and composed verse .
Scholarly Standing
Al-Judhami is recognized for his contributions to Andalusian philological scholarship. His major commentary, al-Intikhab fi sharh Adab al-kitab, systematically addresses the chapters of Ibn Qutaybah's manual, drawing heavily on and critiquing earlier commentaries such as al-Iqtidab by Ibn al-Sayyid al-Batalyawsi, while incorporating numerous grammatical and poetic citations . He also authored a commentary on the Maqamat of al-Hariri .
Biographers praised the quality of his writings; Ibn Abd al-Malik al-Marrakushi recorded in al-Dhayl wa-l-takmilah that he was advanced in grammar and lexicography and excelled in both of his commentaries, while Ibn al-Abbar noted in al-Takmilah the utility of his commentary on Ibn Qutaybah's work .
Death
Al-Judhami died in Baghah in 597 AH (1201 CE), though an alternative transmission places his death in 598 AH (1202 CE) .
Answer updated
List of Works
al-Intikhab fi Sharh Adab al-Kitab is an Andalusian Arabic philological commentary on Ibn Qutaybah's classic manual Adab al-Kitab (or Adab al-Katib). The work gathers the linguistic and grammatical observations of earlier scholars on the text, explains its poetic evidence, and corrects textual and linguistic errors, serving as a concise personal reference and study aid.