al-Samawal ibn Yahya al-Maghribi
- Died
- 570 AH
- Born in
- -
al-Samawal ibn Yahya al-Maghribi (d. c. 570 AH / 1174–1175 CE) was a mathematician, physician, and author of Jewish descent who converted to Islam, noted for his mathematical expertise and his polemical treatise Badhl al-Majhud fi Ifham al-Yahud.
Early Life and Family
His full name was al-Samawal ibn Yahya ibn Abbas al-Maghribi, and he bore the kunya Abu Nasr. He was also referred to as al-Samawal ibn Yahuda. His father was the Jewish scholar Rabbi Yehuda ibn Ayyub from the city of Fez in the far west of North Africa, who composed Hebrew poetry and was known in Arabic as Abu al-Baqa ibn Yahya ibn Abbas. His mother was from Basra, belonged to the Levite lineage, and was educated in Torah sciences and Hebrew scribal arts.
Al-Samawal was raised in Baghdad, where he studied medicine, mathematics, and religious texts. During his early career, he composed algebraic treatises in which he critiqued the mathematical arguments of his contemporary, the grammarian Ibn al-Khashshab.
Travels, Career, and Conversion
Al-Samawal traveled extensively in the central and eastern Islamic lands, visiting Mosul, Diyar Bakr, and Azerbaijan. He settled in the city of Maraghah, where he entered the service of the local Pahlawan rulers and their emirs, practicing medicine. He raised a family there, and his children subsequently followed his profession in medicine.
He formally converted to Islam following a dream in which he saw the Prophet ﷺ on the night of Friday, 29 Dhu al-Hijjah 558 AH. After his conversion, he authored Badhl al-Majhud fi Ifham al-Yahud (The Exertion of Effort in Silencing the Jews), wherein he utilized scriptural analysis and rational argumentation to challenge Rabbinic traditions and demonstrate biblical alteration. In the field of medicine, he authored the practical manual al-Mufid al-Awsat. Later in life, he completed his mathematical work I'jaz al-Muhandisin in Safar 570 AH.
Standing and Death
Al-Samawal was recognized for his sharp intellect and proficiency in the mathematical sciences. The physician and scholar Muwaffaq al-Din Abd al-Latif al-Baghdadi noted that he reached a mastery in arithmetic unmatched by anyone in his era and attained the furthest degree in the discipline of algebra. A marginal note preserved by Ibn al-Najjar records that al-Samawal compiled a personal catalog enumerating eighty-five compositions spanning arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, medicine, and literature.
Al-Samawal died in Maraghah around 570 AH (c. 1174–1175 CE); another report places his death around 576 AH. Abd al-Latif al-Baghdadi stated that he died while still a young man.
Answer updated
List of Works
Badhl al-Majhud fi Ifham al-Yahud (Exertion of Effort in Silencing the Jews) is a polemical treatise designed to critique Judaism and argue for the truth of Islam. To establish compelling proofs directly from the premises of Jewish interlocutors, the work utilizes rational argumentation alongside direct textual analysis of the Hebrew scriptures, seeking to demonstrate altered doctrines and contradictions within Jewish traditions.
Ghayat al-Maqsud fi al-Radd ala al-Nasara wa al-Yahud (The Ultimate Aim in Refuting Christians and Jews) is an apologetic and polemical treatise dedicated to refuting Judaism and Christianity. The work utilizes rational arguments and biblical textual criticism to address theological opponents, expose perceived doctrinal corruptions and contradictions, and hold them accountable to their own principles and scriptural texts.