al-Watwat

Jamal al-Din al-Watwat (632–718 AH / 1235–1318 CE) was an Egyptian scholar, bookseller, and man of letters best known for his encyclopedic compendium Mabahij al-Fikr wa Manahij al-Ibar and his literary work Ghurar al-Khasais al-Wadiha al-Muqaffa al-Kabir+1.

Life and Career

Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Yahya ibn Ali al-Ansari, given the kunya Abu Abd Allah and the title Jamal al-Din, was born in Egypt in Dhu al-Hijjah 632 AH al-Muqaffa al-Kabir. Known by the epithet al-Watwat and the occupational surname al-Kutubi, he worked in Cairo as a copyist and bookseller (warraq) al-Muqaffa al-Kabir+1. He was recognized by contemporaries, including the grammarian Abu Hayyan al-Gharnati and the traditionist Abd al-Karim, for his profound knowledge of books and their market value al-Muqaffa al-Kabir. Abd al-Karim reported hearing al-Watwat recite an elegy he had composed for Chief Judge Taqi al-Din al-Allami al-Muqaffa al-Kabir. Al-Saruji also listed al-Watwat among the teachers of Izz al-Din Ibn Jama'a al-Durar al-Kamina fi Aya….

Literary Activity and Standing

Al-Watwat was noted for his fine prose, compilations of literary anthologies, and marginal glosses on Ibn al-Athir's chronicle al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh al-Muqaffa al-Kabir+1. He authored the celebrated epistolary collection Ayn al-Futuwwa wa Mir'at al-Muru'a, which drew written responses and praise from prominent contemporary literary figures, including Ibn Abd al-Zahir, Ibn Daniyal, Ibn al-Nahhas, Ibn al-Naqib, and al-Siraj al-Warraq al-Durar al-Kamina fi Aya…. Contemporary poets occasionally exchanged humorous verses with him; Ibn Daniyal composed lines teasing him when he had conjunctivitis, and Ibn Abd al-Zahir drafted a satirical decree investing an authority over birds that punned on his moniker (watwat, meaning bat) al-Muqaffa al-Kabir+1.

His four-volume compendium Mabahij al-Fikr wa Manahij al-Ibar, which surveyed cosmology, geography, and the natural world, was praised by Salah al-Din al-Safadi, who remarked on the immense effort and care al-Watwat invested in its preparation al-Alam lil-Zirikli+1.

An earlier friendship with Ibn al-Khuwayyi while the latter resided in al-Mahalla soured after Ibn al-Khuwayyi was appointed chief judge of Egypt; when al-Watwat approached him for assistance and was turned down, al-Watwat solicited differing legal opinions (fatawa) from Egyptian scholars against the judge and compiled them into a book al-Muqaffa al-Kabir.

Death

Al-Watwat died during the last ten days of Ramadan 718 AH (November 1318 CE) in Cairo and was buried in the al-Qarafa cemetery al-Muqaffa al-Kabir+1. Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani records his age at death as seventy-six al-Durar al-Kamina fi Aya….