al-Irbili, Baha al-Din
- Died
- 692 AH
- Born in
- Erbil
Baha al-Din al-Irbili (625–692 AH / 1228–1293 CE) was an Iraqi chancery scribe, man of letters, and scholar from Irbil who served in the administrative bureau in Baghdad, known for his biographical work Kashf al-ghumma fi ma'rifat al-a'imma and his literary epistle Risalat al-tayf.
Early life and background
His full name was Abu al-Hasan 'Ali ibn 'Isa ibn Abi al-Fath al-Shaybani al-Irbili, also known as 'Ali ibn Fakhr al-Din 'Isa. He was born in Jumada al-Akhira, or Rajab, 625 AH (1228 CE)—though a later compiler records 620 AH (1223 CE)—and grew up in Irbil. His father, a Kurdish commander, served as the governor of Irbil and oversaw his early upbringing and education until he attained proficiency in epistolography, prose composition, and poetry.
Career and administrative service
He began his administrative career in Irbil as a scribe for its governor, Ibn Salaya. He later relocated to Baghdad, where he entered official service in the chancery (diwan al-insha') under the administration of the vizier Ala al-Din Ata Malik Juwayni (Sahib al-Diwan). During the tenure of the Jewish administration of Sa'd al-Dawla, his professional fortunes receded, but they recovered following that period; he maintained his standing and remained secure from political dismissals and confiscations until his death. In Baghdad, he maintained an open scholarly circle (majlis) twice daily, at the beginning and end of the day, where scholars assembled to debate and discuss diverse branches of knowledge.
Scholarly standing and transmission
Biographers describe him as a dignified, generous administrator and a distinguished master of ornate prose and verse with expertise in history. Although he adhered to Twelver Shi'ism, he conducted himself with courtesy toward Sunni scholars and engaged harmoniously with their doctrinal discussions. Among the scholars who heard and transmitted his poetry were Ali ibn Anjab Ibn al-Sa'i, Ibn al-Kazaruni, and Ibn al-Futi. The scholar Isma'il ibn Musa ibn al-Qasim ibn Tarjam al-'Alawi studied and read his biographical compendium on the Shi'i Imams, Kashf al-ghumma fi ma'rifat al-a'imma, under his direct instruction in 679 AH (1280 CE), a work completed between 678 and 687 AH. His literary epistle Risalat al-tayf was also widely transmitted and preserved among his compositions.
Death and legacy
He died in Baghdad in his seventies on 3 Jumada al-Akhira 692 AH (May 1293 CE); alternate reports date his death to Friday, 14 Jumada al-Akhira, or 13 Jumada al-Ula of the same year, with one source placing it in 693 AH. He was buried in the sanctuary of the Imams Musa al-Kazim and Muhammad al-Jawad in Baghdad. He left a substantial fortune estimated at approximately one million dirhams; his son Abu al-Fath inherited the estate, but depleted it entirely and later died in poverty in Irbil.
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List of Works
al-Tadhkira al-Fakhriyya (The Memorial Dedicated to Fakhr) is an Arabic literary compendium (adab) compiled in 671 AH (1272–1273 CE). The book gathers selections of poetry and prose organized by thematic descriptions, accompanied by linguistic commentary and biographical notices of contemporary literary figures.
Risalat al-Tayf (The Epistle of the Phantom) is an Arabic literary work in belles-lettres and epistolography, composed in a blend of ornate prose and verse.