Akhlaq al-Wazirayn = Mathalib al-Wazirayn
- Author died
- 400 AH
- Editions
- Dār Ṣādir
Akhlaq al-Wazirayn (The Morals of the Two Viziers), also known as Mathalib al-Wazirayn (The Vices of the Two Viziers), is a polemical work composed by Abu Hayyan al-Tawhidi (d. c. 400 AH / 1010 CE) . The book exposes the faults, vices, and moral shortcomings of two prominent Buyid viziers: Abu al-Fadl Ibn al-Amid and his protégé al-Sahib Ibn Abbad .
Background and Composition
The book arose from al-Tawhidi's personal destitution and his disillusionment with the patronage of both ministers . After residing in Baghdad, al-Tawhidi traveled to Rayy, where he entered into the company of Ibn al-Amid and subsequently worked in the service of al-Sahib Ibn Abbad . Al-Tawhidi spent three continuous years copying texts for Ibn Abbad without receiving compensation or wages, while facing contempt, exclusion from court circles, and stern hostility .
Following his return to Baghdad, al-Tawhidi composed the book as an act of retaliation, severely attacking both officials despite their acknowledged standing in learning and letters . The work is cited across biographical and literary traditions under related titles, including Mathalib al-Wazirayn and Thalb al-Wazirayn .
Contents and Style
The work consists of extensive satire, biographical anecdotes, and transcripts of conversations highlighting what al-Tawhidi regarded as the moral defects, vanity, and pettiness of both viziers . He sought to strip them of their widespread reputation for generosity and literary refinement, depicting Ibn Abbad in particular as arrogant, foul-mouthed, envious, and prone to sycophancy from court panegyrists .
While both statesmen are censured, Ibn Abbad receives the greater proportion of the invective, reflecting the deeper personal enmity that marked al-Tawhidi's time under his direct service .
Modern Publication
In modern times, the text was edited by Ibrahim al-Kaylani and published in Damascus .
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