Ibn Hamdun
- Died
- 562 AH
- Born in
- Baghdad
Ibn Hamdun (d. 562 AH / 1167 CE) was an Abbasid administrator, scholar, and man of letters from Baghdad, best known for his encyclopedic literary and historical anthology al-Tadhkira al-Hamduniyya.
Life and career
Abu al-Ma'ali Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Hamdun, also titled Baha' al-Din and Kafi al-Kufat, belonged to a prominent Baghdadi family of scribes and dignitaries. His lineage traced back to the Banu Taghlib of the Hamdanid dynasty. Both his father, Abu Sa'd al-Hasan, and his brothers, Abu Nasr and Abu al-Muzaffar, were recognized for their learning and administrative rank.
In 510 AH, Ibn Hamdun heard hadith from Isma'il ibn al-Fadl al-Jurjani. Among those who transmitted from him were his son Abu Sa'd al-Hasan, Ahmad ibn Tariq al-Karki, and Ahmad ibn Abi al-Baqa al-Aquli, while Imad al-Din al-Isfahani received poetry directly from him.
Ibn Hamdun held senior administrative positions under the Abbasid caliphs. He initially served as the inspector of the army (arid al-jaysh) under Caliph al-Muqtafi. Under Caliph al-Mustanjid, he was appointed head of the audit and control bureau (diwan al-zimam) and became an intimate companion (nadim) of the caliph.
Trial and death
Ibn Hamdun compiled his major literary and historical compendium, al-Tadhkira, in twelve volumes, drawing upon earlier historical records, literary lore, poetry, and anecdotes. Caliph al-Mustanjid reviewed certain historical narratives cited in the work and interpreted them as covert insults against the Abbasid dynasty. Consequently, the caliph dismissed Ibn Hamdun from his official post and had him imprisoned. Ibn Hamdun remained in prison until his death in early 562 AH (1167 CE).
Standing and poetry
Biographers commended Ibn Hamdun for his mastery of epistolary craft, expansive knowledge of literature, and generous character. Ibn Khallikan described al-Tadhkira as one of the finest compilations of history, adab, rare reports, and verse, noting that no later author had assembled an equivalent work and that it circulated widely. In addition to his administrative and compilatory work, Ibn Hamdun composed poetry, including epigrams and verse riddles.
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List of Works
al-Tadhkira al-Hamduniyya (The Hamdunid Memorial), also known as Tadhkirat Ibn Hamdun or Tadhkirat al-muhadara wa-tabsirat al-muhawara, is an extensive Arabic literary and historical compendium. The work gathers historical narratives, literary prose, poetry, proverbs, and entertaining anecdotes.