al-Jundi, Baha al-Din
- Died
- 732 AH
- Born in
- -
Baha al-Din al-Jundi (d. c. 732 AH / 1331–1332 CE) was a Yemeni historian, jurist, and teacher, best known for his biographical chronicle of Yemen, al-Suluk fi Tabaqat al-Ulama wa al-Muluk ("The Path through the Generations of Scholars and Kings") .
Life and Career
Abu Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Yusuf ibn Ya'qub al-Janadi (also vocalized al-Jundi) al-Saksaki al-Kindi hailed from al-Janad in Yemen, located fifty-eight parasangs from Sanaa . He pursued religious education in Yemen, studying subjects such as the law of inheritance (fara'id) under scholars including Yusuf ibn Imran al-Harazi .
Al-Jundi held several official and educational posts throughout his career, serving as a teacher (mudarris), judge (qadi), and market inspector (muhtasib) in the port city of Aden . During the years 710 and 711 AH, he taught for several months at a madrasa erected by Hasan ibn Ali ibn Rasul in the village of 'Ukar over his father's mausoleum, before returning to al-Janad . His travels across Yemeni regions included a visit to Wusab in 720 AH .
Scholarly Standing and Death
Al-Jundi is regarded as one of the authoritative and reliable historians of Yemen . His primary work, al-Suluk fi Tabaqat al-Ulama wa al-Muluk (also cited as Tarikh al-Jundi or Tabaqat al-Jundi), became a central historical source for the region, documenting the biographies of Yemeni scholars, jurists, judges, and ruling dynasties from the early Islamic era down to his own time .
Al-Jundi died around 732 AH (1331–1332 CE) .
Answer updated
List of Works
al-Suluk fi Tabaqat al-Ulama wa al-Muluk is a biographical chronicle documenting the lives of scholars, jurists, and political rulers of Yemen from the dawn of Islam through the early eighth century AH. The work aims to preserve the historical memory of prominent regional figures, combining detailed biographies of religious scholars with concise accounts of political leadership.