Ibn Sharaf al-Qayrawani
- Died
- 460 AH
- Born in
- Kairouan
Ibn Sharaf al-Qayrawani (c. 390–460 AH / 1000–1068 CE) was an Ifriqiyan poet, prose stylist, and literary critic who served at the Zirid court in Kairouan before migrating to al-Andalus .
Lineage and Education
His full name was Abu Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Abi Sa'id ibn Ahmad ibn Sharaf al-Judhami al-Qayrawani; some sources record his father's name simply as Sa'id . The designation "Sharaf" was reportedly the name of his mother . He was born and raised in Kairouan, and biographers note that he was one-eyed .
In Kairouan, Ibn Sharaf studied jurisprudence and Islamic sciences under Abu al-Hasan al-Qabisi and, following al-Qabisi's death, under his student Abu 'Imran al-Fasi . He studied Arabic grammar and lexicography under al-Qazzaz, and acquired his literary training under the prominent prose writer Ibrahim al-Husri .
Court Career and Rivalry with Ibn Rashiq
Ibn Sharaf came to prominence after the head of the chancery, Ali ibn Abi al-Rijal, admired his panegyrics and introduced him to the Zirid ruler al-Mu'izz ibn Badis . Al-Mu'izz patronized him, appointing him as a court poet and close companion .
At court, an intense literary rivalry developed between Ibn Sharaf and his contemporary Ibn Rashiq al-Qayrawani, which the prince covertly encouraged . The two frequently engaged in poetic contests and polemical disputes, and Ibn Rashiq penned several satirical epistles attacking Ibn Sharaf and pointing out alleged flaws in his style . Despite the hostility, Ibn Rashiq praised Ibn Sharaf's remarkable facility in spontaneous composition and the speed with which he could produce poetry without preliminary drafting .
Displacement and Later Life in al-Andalus
When the Hilalian tribes devastated Kairouan and drove al-Mu'izz out of his capital, Ibn Sharaf fled with the court to al-Mahdiyya, where he continued to serve al-Mu'izz and his son Tamim . He subsequently traveled to Sicily, where he reunited and reconciled with Ibn Rashiq .
Ibn Sharaf urged Ibn Rashiq to accompany him to al-Andalus, but when Ibn Rashiq hesitated, Ibn Sharaf crossed over alone, accompanied by his seven-year-old son, Ja'far . In al-Andalus, he traveled among the Taifa kingdoms, visiting the courts of the Abbadids, the Banu Sumadih in Almería, and al-Ma'mun ibn Dhi al-Nun in Toledo .
Literary Standing and Death
Ibn Sharaf was acclaimed for his mastery of rhymed prose and his critical insight into Arabic poetic tradition . Ibn Bassam characterized his style as distinguished by sound phrasing, vast memorization, and imaginative originality, contrasting his robust diction with Ibn Rashiq's lighter elegance . Among his surviving writings is Rasa'il al-Intiqad ("Epistles of Criticism"), a critical work composed in the maqama form evaluating Arabic poets from the pre-Islamic era down to his own day . He also compiled Abkar al-Afkar ("First Fruits of Thought"), an anthology containing his own prose, poetry, proverbs, and narrative anecdotes .
Ibn Sharaf died in Seville in 460 AH (1068 CE), though al-Safadi noted an alternate report placing his death slightly earlier .
Answer updated
List of Works
Masa'il al-Intiqad (Questions of Criticism), also known as Rasa'il al-Intiqad or Risalat al-Intiqad, is an Andalusian-era Arabic literary treatise composed in the style of a maqama. Written in rhymed prose (saj'), the work provides concise critical assessments and impressions of Arabic poets and their verse spanning from the pre-Islamic era (Jahiliyya) to the contemporary age.