al-Umr wa al-Shayb li-Ibn Abi al-Dunya
- Author died
- 281 AH
- Editions
- Maktabat al-Rushd
al-ʿUmr wa al-Shayb (The Lifespan and Gray Hair) is a treatise by the Baghdadi scholar and educator Ibn Abi al-Dunya (208–281 AH / 823–894 CE) addressing the themes of old age, the onset of gray hair, human lifespan, and related legal and ethical reports .
Title and Transmission
The book is cited in biographical and bibliographical literature under slight variations of its title. al-Suyuti lists it in his transmission catalogue Anshab al-Kathab fi Ansab al-Kutub under the expanded title Kitab al-ʿUmr wa al-Shayb wa al-Kibar (The Book of Lifespan, Gray Hair, and Old Age), tracing its transmission back through a chain connecting Masʿud ibn al-Hasan al-Thaqafi, Abu ʿAmr ibn Abi ʿAbd Allah ibn Mandah, al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn Yuh, and Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ʿUmar al-Lanbani to Ibn Abi al-Dunya . Sibt Ibn al-Jawzi mentions it in Mirʾat al-Zaman simply as al-ʿUmr , while Isma'il Pasha al-Babani records it in Hadiyyat al-ʿArifin as Kitab al-Shayb wa al-Taʿmir .
Contents and Scope
Compiled according to the author's characteristic method of assembling hadiths, early legal traditions (athar), and historical anecdotes with their chains of transmission (isnad), the work covers subjects relating to longevity, senescence, and the moral and physical implications of aging:
- Gray hair and moral deterrence: The work cites narratives encouraging reflection upon gray hair as an admonition against disobedience, such as a report in which Umar ibn al-Khattab asks his son whether his gray hairs do not deter him from transgressions .
- Rulings and practices of hair dyeing (khidab): It compiles reports detailing early views and practices regarding hair dyeing. These include narrations regarding dyeing with black (al-sawad), featuring a report attributed to ʿUmar stating that black dye provides deterrence against enemies and solace to one's spouse . It also records the practices of early figures such as al-Husayn ibn Ali, Abdullah ibn Ja'far, and ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn al-Aswad dyeing with wasmah (woad leaves), as well as scholars who dyed their hair with black or shifted to henna and katam .
- Veneration of the elderly: The collection includes ethical traditions regarding the treatment of older people, such as a report transmitted from Yahya ibn Saʿid warning against humiliating a person with gray hair .
- Reports on long-lived individuals: The work documents longevity accounts, ranging from prophetic traditions concerning ancient lifespans, such as that of the prophet Noah, to accounts of centenarians and elders reflecting on the passage of time .
Modern Editions
The text was edited and annotated by Dr. Najm ʿAbd al-Rahman Khalaf and published in a single volume by Maktabat al-Rushd in Riyadh (first edition, 1412 AH / 1992 CE) .
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