Ibn al-Mazra
- Died
- 304 AH
- Born in
- -
Abu Bakr Ibn al-Mazra (d. 304 AH / 916–917 CE) was an Arab philologist, literary traditionist, and reciter from Basra, best known for his transmission of literary lore and his dictations (Amali Ibn al-Mazra).
Identity and Name
His full name was Abu Bakr Yamut ibn al-Mazra ibn Yamut al-Abdi al-Basri, hailing from the tribe of Abd al-Qays. He was the nephew—specifically the son of the sister—of the famous prose writer al-Jahiz.
His given name was Yamut (literally "he dies"), though he also took the name Muhammad, while Yamut remained the predominant designation in scholarly sources. He reportedly complained about the ominous nature of his given name, noting that when visiting the sick, he would omit his first name and introduce himself simply as "Ibn al-Mazra" to prevent patients from taking ill omens from his name.
Education and Travels
Ibn al-Mazra studied in Basra and transmitted Arabic philology, poetry, and historical anecdotes (akhbar) from major scholars of his era. Among his teachers were his maternal uncle al-Jahiz, Abu Uthman al-Mazini, Abu Hatim al-Sijistani, Abu al-Fadl al-Riyashi, Nasr ibn Ali al-Jahdami, and Abd al-Rahman, the nephew of al-Asma'i. In Quranic recitation, he studied under Muhammad ibn Umar al-Qasabi and Abu Hatim al-Sijistani.
Later in life, he left Basra and traveled extensively. He arrived in Baghdad in 301 AH as an elderly scholar and transmitted hadith and literary reports there. He also visited Egypt several times, making his final visit in 303 AH before departing for the Levant, where he stayed in Tiberias and Damascus.
Prominent scholars who transmitted from him included the reciter Ibn Mujahid, the adab author Abu Bakr al-Khara'iti, Ibn al-Anbari, al-Hasan ibn Rashiq, and Sahl ibn Ahmad al-Dibaji. His son, Abu Nadlah Muhalhil ibn Yamut, was also a recognized poet.
Standing and Death
Biographers regarded Ibn al-Mazra as a reliable authority (thiqah) and a master of literary lore, witty anecdotes (mulah), and philological reports.
According to Abu Sa'id ibn Yunus, he died in Damascus in 304 AH (916–917 CE) during the caliphate of al-Muqtadir. Another report related by Abu Sulayman Muhammad ibn Abd Allah states that he died in Tiberias in 303 AH.
Answer updated
List of Works
Amali Ibn al-Muzara is a short collection of literary dictations (amālī), historical anecdotes (akhbār), and poetic lore belonging to the amālī genre of Arabic adab literature.