Ibn Qutaybah facts for kids

Abū Muhammad Abd-Allāh ibn Muslim ibn Qutayba al-Dīnawarī al-Marwazī, often called Ibn Qutaybah, was a famous Islamic scholar from Persia. He lived from about 828 to 889 CE. He worked as a judge during the Abbasid Caliphate, a powerful Islamic empire.

Ibn Qutaybah was known for being very knowledgeable in many different subjects. He wrote about Arabic literature, how to understand the Qur'an (called tafsir), the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (called hadith), and even astronomy and botany. He was truly a "polymath," meaning someone who was an expert in many fields.

The Life of Ibn Qutaybah

Ibn Qutaybah's full name was Abū Muḥammad ʿAbdullāh b. Muslim ibn Qutaybah ad-Dīnawarī. He was born in Kufa, a city in what is now Iraq. His family came from Merv in Khorasan, which is part of Persia.

He studied many things, including old traditions and philology, which is the study of language in historical texts. He became a qadi, or a judge, in a place called Dinawar. This was during the time of Caliph Al-Mutawakkil.

Later, he became a teacher in Baghdad, where he eventually passed away. He was a leading figure in the "Baghdad school" of language experts. He was also known for believing strongly in Islamic traditions. He was cautious about mixing in ideas from other cultures too much.

His Important Contributions

Many Sunni Muslims saw Ibn Qutaybah as a great expert in hadith. He was also considered a top language scholar and a man of letters. Besides his writings on literature, he was famous for his work on understanding the Qur'an. This is called Tafsir.

He also wrote books about astronomy and Islamic law. One of his most important books was Uyun al-Akhbar. Experts believed this book was essential for anyone who wanted to speak and write well.

Ibn Qutaybah had wise thoughts on how a good government should work. He once said:

There can be no government without an army,
No army without money,
No money without prosperity,
And no prosperity without justice and good administration.

—Ibn Qutaybah on good government.

Key Books and Writings

Ibn Qutaybah wrote more than 60 books during his lifetime. Here are some of his well-known works:

• Gharīb al-Qur'an: This book helped explain difficult words and phrases in the Qur'an.
• Ta’wīl Mukhtalif al-Hadīth: In this book, he defended the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (hadith) against critics.
• Kitāb Adab al-Kātib: This book was about the proper behavior and skills for a writer or secretary.
• Kitāb al-Ma’ārif: This was a short history book, covering events from the creation of the world up to the time before Islam. It also included lists of famous companions of the Prophet and legal scholars.
• Kitāb ‘Uyūn al-Akhbār: This book contained biographies and stories of important historical figures.
• Kitāb al-Nabāt: This book was about plants and botany, showing his interest in science.
• Kitāb al-Radd ‘alā al-Qā’il bi Khalq al-Qur’ān: In this work, he argued against the idea that the Qur'an was created.

See also

In Spanish: Ibn Qutayba para niños