Al-Asma'i
Encyclopedia
Al-Asma'i or Asma`i, Abd al-Malik ibn Quraib al-Asma`i (c. 740-828) was an Arab
scholar of the Basra school of Arabic grammar.
He was also a pioneer of Natural Science
and Zoology
. He wrote many works such as: Kitab al-Khail (The Book of the Horse), Kitab al-Ibil (The Book of the Camel), Kitab al-Farq (The Book of Rare Animals), Kitab al-Wuhush (The Book of Wild Animals), Kitab al-Sha (The Book of the Sheep) and Kitab Khalaq al-Insan (The Book of Humanity). He also provides detailed information on human Anatomy
.
He was born in Basra
and was a pupil there of Abu 'Amr ibn ul-`Ala . He seems to have been a poor man until by the influence of the governor of Basra he was brought to the notice of Harun al-Rashid
, who enjoyed his conversation at court and made him tutor of his son. He became wealthy and acquired property in Basra, where he again settled for a time; but returned later to Baghdad
, where he died in 828.
From his youth he stored up in his memory the sacred words of the Quran, the traditions of the Prophet, the verses of the old poets and the stories of the ancient wars of the Arabs . He was also a student of language and a critic. It was as a critic that he was the great rival of Abu 'Ubaida
. Whereas the latter, a member of the Shu'ubi movement, esteemed non-Arabic (chiefly Persian) culture, al-Asma'i believed in the superiority of the Arabs over all peoples, and of the freedom of their language and literature from all foreign influence. Some of his scholars attained high rank as literary men.
Of Asma'i's many works mentioned in the catalogue known as the Fihrist, only about half a dozen are extant. These include the Book of Distinction, the Book of the Wild Animals, the Book of the Horse, and the Book of the Sheep.
His biography has been collected by Ibn Khallikan
.
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
scholar of the Basra school of Arabic grammar.
He was also a pioneer of Natural Science
Natural science
The natural sciences are branches of science that seek to elucidate the rules that govern the natural world by using empirical and scientific methods...
and Zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
. He wrote many works such as: Kitab al-Khail (The Book of the Horse), Kitab al-Ibil (The Book of the Camel), Kitab al-Farq (The Book of Rare Animals), Kitab al-Wuhush (The Book of Wild Animals), Kitab al-Sha (The Book of the Sheep) and Kitab Khalaq al-Insan (The Book of Humanity). He also provides detailed information on human Anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
.
He was born in Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
and was a pupil there of Abu 'Amr ibn ul-`Ala . He seems to have been a poor man until by the influence of the governor of Basra he was brought to the notice of Harun al-Rashid
Harun al-Rashid
Hārūn al-Rashīd was the fifth Arab Abbasid Caliph in Iraq. He was born in Rey, Iran, close to modern Tehran. His birth date remains a point of discussion, though, as various sources give the dates from 763 to 766)....
, who enjoyed his conversation at court and made him tutor of his son. He became wealthy and acquired property in Basra, where he again settled for a time; but returned later to Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, where he died in 828.
From his youth he stored up in his memory the sacred words of the Quran, the traditions of the Prophet, the verses of the old poets and the stories of the ancient wars of the Arabs . He was also a student of language and a critic. It was as a critic that he was the great rival of Abu 'Ubaida
Abu 'Ubaida
Abu ’Ubaida or Ubayda was a Muslim scholar.Born in Basra, he was a mawla of a family from the Arab tribe of Quraish, and said to have been Jewish.” In his youth, he was a pupil of Abu 'Amr ibn al-'Ala', and in 803 he was called to Baghdad by the Caliph Harun al-Rashid...
. Whereas the latter, a member of the Shu'ubi movement, esteemed non-Arabic (chiefly Persian) culture, al-Asma'i believed in the superiority of the Arabs over all peoples, and of the freedom of their language and literature from all foreign influence. Some of his scholars attained high rank as literary men.
Of Asma'i's many works mentioned in the catalogue known as the Fihrist, only about half a dozen are extant. These include the Book of Distinction, the Book of the Wild Animals, the Book of the Horse, and the Book of the Sheep.
His biography has been collected by Ibn Khallikan
Ibn Khallikan
Shams al-Dīn Abū Al-ʿAbbās Aḥmad Ibn Muḥammad Ibn Khallikān was a 13th Century Shafi'i Islamic scholar of Kurdish origin.-Biography:...
.