Ibn Bahij
- Died
- 497 AH
- Born in
- -
Abu 'Imran Musa ibn Bahij (fl. late 5th century AH / early 12th century CE, d. after 496 AH / 1102 CE) was an Andalusi scholar, preacher, and poet from Almería who settled in Egypt, best known for his apologetic poem al-Qasida al-Wudahiya in defense of Aisha .
Life and scholarly career
His full name is recorded as Abu 'Imran Musa ibn Muhammad ibn 'Abd Allah al-Andalusi al-Maghribi, and in some transmission chains as Musa ibn 'Ubayd Allah or Musa ibn Muhammad ibn 'Ubayd Allah . Originally from Almería in al-Andalus, he traveled east and settled in Egypt . Biographers describe him as an ascetic preacher (wa'iz), jurist (faqih), Quran reciter (muqri'), and scholar of literature .
While in Egypt, students received his devotional works directly from him. The Andalusi scholar Abu 'Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn 'Abbas al-Murshani met Ibn Bahij in Egypt in 496 AH (1102–1103 CE) and read to him his mukhammasa (five-line stanza poem) describing the rites and actions of the Hajj pilgrimage . The Quran reader Abu al-Tahir 'Abd al-Mun'im ibn Mawhub al-Yazani also heard Ibn Bahij recite his poetry in Egypt and transmitted his famous ode on Aisha .
Literary reception
Ibn Bahij composed ascetic poetry (zuhd) that circulated widely; the ascetic Abu 'Umar, known as Ibn Yamnalash, frequently recited verses by him on pious devotion and contentment . His short twelve-verse ascetic poem rhyming in lam was preserved through Andalusi chains documented by Ibn Khayr al-Ishbili .
His most widely transmitted composition is al-Qasida al-Wudahiya, written from the first-person perspective of Aisha to articulate her merits, her marriage to the Prophet ﷺ, and her divine exoneration in the Quran, while responding to detractors . Verses from this ode were recorded by Abu Tahir al-Silafi in his Mu'jam al-Safar, and the text continued to be transmitted with continuous authorization through later scholars, including Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani .
Answer updated
List of Works
Al-Qasida al-Wudahiya fi Madh al-Sayyida Aisha Umm al-Muminin is an Arabic devotional and apologetic poem composed in praise of the Prophet Muhammad's wife Aisha bint Abi Bakr and in defense of her standing. Written from Aisha's first-person perspective, the poem articulates her merits and status while offering a rebuttal of detractors.