Ibn al-Ibri
- Died
- 685 AH
- Born in
- Malatya
Ibn al-Ibri (623–685 AH / 1226–1286 CE) was a Syriac Orthodox historian, physician, philosopher, and Maphrian of the East, best known for his universal chronicle Tarikh Mukhtasar al-Duwal (Abridged History of the Dynasties).
Name and early life
His birth name was Yuhanna, and his full name is given as Ghirighuriyus ibn Ahrun (or Harun) ibn Tuma al-Malati, also bearing the titles Jamal al-Din and Abu al-Faraj. He took the kunya Abu al-Faraj as an auspicious designation, though he had no children as he remained unmarried. He was born in Malatya in Diyar Bakr in 623 AH (1226 CE), though another report places his birth in 634 AH.
His father was a notable physician with expertise in philosophy who instructed him in the fundamentals of medicine and the sciences. Ibn al-Ibri studied the Syriac, Greek, and Arabic languages, as well as theology, mathematics, and philosophy. In 1243 CE, he and his father fled Malatya to Antioch following the Mongol advance, where he entered upon an ascetic monastic life. He also traveled to Tripoli and Damascus, where he found favor with the Ayyubid ruler al-Malik al-Nasir.
Ecclesiastical career
In 1246 CE, he was consecrated bishop of Gubos (Jubas) in the district of Malatya, adopting the clerical name Gregorios (Ghirighuriyus). He subsequently served as bishop for the Syriac Orthodox community in Aleppo. In 1264 CE, he was elevated to the rank of Catholicos or Maphrian of the East (Mafriyan), heading the Syriac ecclesiastical hierarchy across Iraq, Persia, and adjacent territories.
Standing
Ibn al-Ibri was widely recognized as a versatile scholar of history, medicine, and philosophy. Among his writings were an Arabic universal history entitled Tarikh Mukhtasar al-Duwal and a commentary on the medical canon of Ibn Sina. Certain Christian theologians expressed doubts regarding his theological orthodoxy, alleging that he favored the methodology and opinions of the philosophers.
Death
Ibn al-Ibri died in Maragha in Azerbaijan in 685 AH (1286 CE). His body was subsequently transferred to Mosul and buried at the Monastery of Mar Mattai (Dayr Mar Matta).
Answer updated
List of Works
Tarikh Mukhtasar al-Duwal (Abridged History of the Dynasties) is a universal history written in Arabic. The chronicle spans from the creation of the world down to the late 13th century CE (c. 1284 CE).