al-Akhfash al-Asghar
- Died
- 315 AH
- Born in
- -
al-Akhfash al-Asghar (c. 235–315 AH / 849–927 CE) was an Iraqi grammarian and philologist based in Baghdad, recognized for transmitting foundational grammatical texts and composing works such as a commentary on the treatise of Sibawayh.
Identity and Early Life
His full name was Abu al-Hasan 'Ali ibn Sulayman ibn al-Fadl al-Baghdadi. The epithet al-Akhfash refers to a person having small eyes with impaired vision. He was designated al-Asghar (or al-Saghir, "the younger") to distinguish him from earlier grammarians sharing the same title, notably al-Akhfash al-Akbar (Abu al-Khattab 'Abd al-Hamid ibn 'Abd al-Majid) and al-Akhfash al-Awsat (Abu al-Hasan Sa'id ibn Mas'ada). He was born around 235 AH (849 CE).
Studies, Travels, and Teaching
In Baghdad, al-Akhfash studied under leading authorities of both the Basran and Kufan grammatical traditions, including Abu al-Abbas al-Mubarrad, Abu al-Abbas Thalab, Fadl al-Yazidi, and Abu al-Ayna al-Darir. He became a principal transmitter of al-Mubarrad's magnum opus al-Kamil (The Complete Book), annotating his own transmitted copy. In 287 AH (900 CE), he traveled to Egypt, where he taught until 300 AH (912 CE; another report gives 306 AH). He subsequently moved to Aleppo before returning to settle in Baghdad.
Among those who transmitted from him were Abu Ja'far al-Nahhas, Abu Ubayd Allah al-Marzubani, al-Mu'afa ibn Zakariyya al-Jariri, and 'Ali ibn Harun al-Qarmisini.
Scholarly Standing and Personal Life
Al-Akhfash was regarded by biographers as trustworthy (thiqa) in his transmissions. His student al-Marzubani noted that while he was skilled in Arabic philology, he was not wide-ranging in historical reports (akhbar) and grew irritable when questioned persistently on grammatical points. Although al-Marzubani doubted he authored original treatises, bibliographers recorded several titles under his name, including Kitab al-Tathniya wa-l-Jam' (The Book of the Dual and Plural).
In Baghdad, al-Akhfash engaged in a famous rivalry with the poet Ibn al-Rumi. Exploiting the poet's notorious superstition, al-Akhfash would arrive early at his doorstep to utter words of bad omen, provoking Ibn al-Rumi to compose several satires against him in his poetry collection.
Later Life and Death
In his final years, al-Akhfash endured severe poverty in Baghdad. He was supported by the vizier and calligrapher Abu Ali ibn Muqla, who interceded with the supreme vizier Ali ibn Isa ibn al-Jarrah to secure him an official allowance. When the vizier harshly refused the request in a public assembly, al-Akhfash was deeply grieved. Reduced to destitution, he consumed raw turnips (saljam), which seized his heart and caused his sudden death in Baghdad in 315 AH (927 CE), around the age of eighty; conflicting reports place his death in Sha'ban or Dhu al-Qa'da, and one variant date gives 316 AH.
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List of Works
al-Ikhtiyarayn: al-Mufaddaliyat wa al-Asmaiyat is an early Arabic poetic anthology and commentary that brings together and annotates selections from two early compilations of ancient Arabic poetry: al-Mufaddaliyat and al-Asmaiyat. The compilation draws on verses from pre-Islamic and Islamic-era poets, providing genealogical details, historical context for each composition, and linguistic analysis of rare terms alongside the poetic text.