al-Naysaburi, Ibn Habib
- Died
- 406 AH
- Born in
- -
Ibn Habib al-Naysaburi (d. 406 AH / 1015–1016 CE) was a Khurasanian Quranic exegete, preacher, and man of letters, best known for his compilation on eccentric figures, ‘Uqala’ al-Majanin ("The Wise Madmen") .
Life and education
His full name was Abu al-Qasim al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn Habib ibn Ayyub al-Naysaburi, recorded in some sources as al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Habib . He was based in Nishapur . According to al-Sam'ani, he originally adhered to the Karrami school before converting to the Shafi'i madhhab .
Ibn Habib pursued his religious studies under several prominent scholars, hearing hadith and literature from Abu al-Abbas al-Asamm, Ibn Hibban, Muhammad ibn Salih ibn Hani', Abu al-Hasan al-Karizi, and his father Muhammad ibn Habib . In turn, a number of leading figures transmitted from him, including al-Bayhaqi, who studied under him in Nishapur and cited him extensively, Abu Ishaq al-Tha'labi, who was among his closest disciples, Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahid al-Hiri, Muhammad ibn Isma'il al-Farghani, and al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Sakkaki .
Scholarly contribution and standing
Ibn Habib achieved substantial prominence in Nishapur across multiple disciplines, particularly Quranic exegesis (tafsir), Quranic recitation (qira'at), grammar, military expeditions (maghazi), and belles-lettres (adab) . Abd al-Ghafir al-Farsi described him as the foremost scholar of his era in the meanings and sciences of the Quran, noting that his teachings spread widely and that he served as a master to many contemporaries . Abu Zakariyya al-'Anbari regarded him as the most celebrated exegete in Khurasan .
Beyond exegesis, he compiled ‘Uqala’ al-Majanin, an adab work documenting the biographies, witty sayings, and verses of ecstatics, passionate lovers, and ascetics perceived as eccentric or feigning madness . In hadith transmission, however, his standing was contested; al-Hakim al-Naysaburi declared him weak in a written note transmitted by Mas'ud ibn 'Ali al-Sijzi .
Death
Ibn Habib died in 406 AH (1015 or 1016 CE) . According to al-Dhahabi, his death occurred in Dhu al-Hijjah of that year, whereas 'Abd al-Ghafir al-Farsi recorded that he died on a Tuesday night in Dhu al-Qi'dah 406 AH .
Answer updated
List of Works
Uqala al-Majanin (The Wise Madmen) is a classical Arabic adab and biographical work that compiles the sayings, poetry, and accounts of individuals deemed eccentric, ecstatic, or feigning madness.