Ibn al-Athir, Diya al-Din Abu al-Fath

Diya al-Din Abu al-Fath Ibn al-Athir (558–637 AH / 1163–1239 CE) was an Arab vizier, epistolographer, and literary critic from Jazirat Ibn Umar, best known for his treatise on Arabic rhetoric and stylistics, al-Mathal al-Sa'ir fi Adab al-Katib wa al-Sha'ir (The Flowing Proverb on the Craft of the Scribe and the Poet) al-Mathal al-Sair fi Adab…+1.

Early Life and Education

He was Nasr Allah ibn Abi al-Karam Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Abd al-Karim ibn Abd al-Wahid al-Shaybani al-Jazari, titled Diya al-Din and carrying the kunya Abu al-Fath al-Wafi bil-Wafayat+1. He was born in Jazirat Ibn Umar on Thursday, 20 Sha'ban 558 AH (a variant report gives 25 Sha'ban), into a wealthy and prominent family belonging to the Banu Shayban al-Badi fi Ilm al-Arabiya+1. He was one of three distinguished scholar brothers, along with the traditionist and lexicographer Majd al-Din Ibn al-Athir and the historian Izz al-Din Ibn al-Athir, although relations between Diya al-Din and Izz al-Din were later marked by severe estrangement and estrangement al-Wafi bil-Wafayat+1.

He grew up in Jazirat Ibn Umar until relocating with his father and brothers to Mosul in Rajab 579 AH Wafayat al-Ayan+1. In Mosul, he pursued his education, memorizing the Quran, studying hadith, Arabic grammar, lexicography, and rhetoric (ilm al-bayan) Wafayat al-Ayan+1. He dedicated himself to memorizing vast amounts of ancient and modern Arabic poetry; as he noted in his work al-Washy al-Marqum, he thoroughly memorized the diwans of Abu Tammam, al-Buhturi, and al-Mutanabbi, repeatedly studying them for years to master rhetorical phrasing and the composition of literary motifs Majallat al-Buhuth al-Isl…+1.

Political Career and Travels

In Rabi' al-Awwal 587 AH, Ibn al-Athir traveled to the court of Sultan Saladin (Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi) al-Mathal al-Sair fi Adab…+1. Saladin's vizier, al-Qadi al-Fadil, introduced him into the sultan's chancery in Jumada al-Akhira of that year, where he remained until Shawwal al-Mathal al-Sair fi Adab…. Saladin's eldest son, al-Afdal Nur al-Din Ali, requested his services, and Saladin gave Ibn al-Athir the choice between remaining or entering his son's employment while keeping his stipend; Ibn al-Athir chose al-Afdal, who made him his personal counselor and vizier al-Mathal al-Sair fi Adab…+1.

Following Saladin's death, al-Afdal assumed independent rule over Damascus and delegated the full administration of state affairs to Ibn al-Athir al-Wafi bil-Wafayat+1. His harsh governance and poor relations with the local population alienated the residents of Damascus al-Wafi bil-Wafayat+1. When Damascus was seized from al-Afdal by his rivals, the populace sought to kill Ibn al-Athir, prompting the chamberlain Muhasin ibn Ajam to smuggle him out of the citadel secretly locked inside a storage trunk al-Wafi bil-Wafayat+1.

He subsequently accompanied al-Afdal to Egypt during the latter's regency over his nephew al-Mansur al-Wafi bil-Wafayat+1. When al-Adil I conquered Egypt and displaced al-Afdal to Sumaysat, Ibn al-Athir went into hiding out of fear of his enemies and fled Egypt separately in disguise, later joining al-Afdal at Sumaysat al-Wafi bil-Wafayat+1. In 607 AH, he parted with al-Afdal and joined the court of his brother al-Zahir Ghazi in Aleppo, but his tenure there was brief and ended in friction Majallat al-Buhuth al-Isl…+1. He traveled between Mosul, Erbil (which he visited around 611 AH), and Sinjar, before eventually settling in Mosul from 618 AH as the head of the chancery (diwan al-insha') under its ruler Nasir al-Din Mahmud Nuzhat al-Anam fi Tarikh …+1.

Scholarly Standing and Death

Ibn al-Athir was celebrated as one of the preeminent chancery scribes and prose stylists of his era, known for engaging in literary emulation and correspondence with al-Qadi al-Fadil Majallat al-Buhuth al-Isl…+1. His theoretical contributions culminated in al-Mathal al-Sa'ir fi Adab al-Katib wa al-Sha'ir, a two-volume work establishing the principles of rhetorical analysis and the craft of poetic and epistolary composition Majallat al-Buhuth al-Isl…+1. He also composed al-Jami al-Kabir fi Sinaat al-Manzum min al-Kalam wa al-Manthur, a systematic treatise on literary theory and Arabic stylistics Mujam al-Muallifin+1.

In 637 AH, the ruler of Mosul dispatched Ibn al-Athir on an official diplomatic mission to Baghdad, where he fell ill and died on Monday, 29 Rabi' al-Akhar 637 AH (November 1239 CE) al-Badi fi Ilm al-Arabiya+1.