Al-Jahiz
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| <region> scholar Medieval era |
|
|---|---|
| Name: | Al-Jahiz |
| Birth: | 776[citation needed] |
| Death: | 255 AH (868–869)[1] |
| School/tradition: | |
| Influences: | |
| Influenced: | Ibn Miskawayh, al-Biruni, Ibn Tufayl |
Al-Jahiz (in Arabic الجاحظ) (real name Abu Uthman Amr Ibn Bahr al-Kinani al-Fuqaimi al-Basri) (born in Basra, c.776–December 868 or January 869) was a famous Arab scholar.[2] He was an Arabic prose writer, historian, and author of works of literature, Mu'tazili theology, and politico-religious polemics.
[edit] Early life
Not much is known about Al-Jahiz's early life, but his family was very poor. He used to sell fish along one of the canals in Basra to help his family. Yet, despite his difficult financial troubles, that didn't stop him from seeking knowledge since his youth. He used to gather with a group of other youths at the main mosque of Basra, where they discussed various subjects of sciences. He also attended various lectures done by the most learned men in philology, lexicography, and poetry.
[edit] Education
Al-Jahiz continued his studies, and over a span twenty-five years, he had acquired great knowledge about Arabic poetry, Arabic philology, history of the Arabs and Persians before Islam, and he studied the Qur'an and the Hadiths. He also read translated books of Greek sciences and Hellenestic philosophy, especially that of Greek philosopher Aristotle. His education was highly facilitated due to the fact that the Abbasid Caliphate was in a period of cultural, and intellectual revolutions. Books became readily available, and this made learning easily available.
[edit] His career
While still in Basra, Al-Jahiz wrote an article about the institution of the Caliphate. This is said to have been the beginning of his career as a writer, which would become his sole source of living. It's said that his mother once offered him a tray full of notebooks and told him that he'll earn his living from writing. Since then, he had authored two hundred books throughout his lifetime that discuss a variety of subjects including Arabic grammar, zoology, poetry, lexicography, and rhetoric. The staggering number of books though, haven't all reached us, only thirty books survived.
[edit] Moving to Baghdad
He moved to Baghdad, the capital of the Arab Islamic Caliphate at the time, in 816 AD, because the Abbasid Caliphs encouraged scientists and scholars and had just founded the House of Wisdom. Due to the Caliphs' patronage, his eagerness to reach a wider audience, and establish himself, al-Jahiz stayed in Baghdad (and later Samarra) where he wrote a huge number of his books. The Caliph al-Ma'mun wanted al-Jahiz to teach his children, but then changed his mind when his children got afraid of his boggle-eyes (جاحظ العينين), it's said that this is where he got his nickname.
[edit] Most important books
[edit] Kitab al-Hayawan (Book of Animals)
The al-Hayawan is an encyclopedia of seven volume of anecdotes, poetic descriptions and proverbs describing over 350 varieties of animals. Much of the work was considered by the scholar Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi to be little more than plagiarism of the Historia animalium of Aristotle.[3] In the work al-Jahiz speculates on the influence of environment on animals, a concept considered by some to be a precursor to evolution. It is considered as the most important work of Al-Jahiz.
[edit] Kitab al-Bukhala (Book of Misers) also (Avarice & the Avaricious)
A collection of stories about the greedy. Humorous and satirical, it is the best example of Al-Jahiz' prose style. It is an insightful study of human psychology. Jahiz ridicules schoolmasters, beggars, singers and scribes for their greedy behavior. Many of the stories continue to be reprinted in magazines throughout the Arabic-speaking world. The book is considered one of the best works of Al Jahiz.
[edit] Kitab al-Bayan wa al-Tabyin (The Book of eloquence and demonstration)
Al jahiz is considered to be one of the most renowned writers of all times, for he is believed to have written during his life span about 360 books ,from all walks of knowledge and wisdom of his time,al bayan wa tabyeen wich literally means (eloquence and demonstration) ,was one of his latest work ,in which he approaches different subject like epiphanies,rhetorical speeches,sectarian leaders, and princes…,also a book in which he converges skills of the language and eloquence,the art of silence and poetry ,he also treats with his sardonic spirited comments ,the fools and the crazy ,and not to forget Arab`s wit and wisdom…
[edit] KITAB MOUFAKHARAT AL JAWARI WAL GHILMAN (THE BOOK of dithyramb of concubines and ephebes)
in Arabic the word jawari is the plural of jariya meaning(a female servant)which by todays standard we would call concubine mistress or dame there was actually two kinds of female servants jariya one that manages the houshold and runs daily errands and the second type used to be called QINA also QAENAwas a jariya who had the ability to sing which put her above (in market value)than the usual jariya,often this kind of jawari was worth a lot of money ,in consequence they have become a privillege for princes and welthy merchants,and the word ghilman is the plural of ghoulam (a young male servants )also referred to as eunuch,castrato,ephebus,ephebe. for most scholars the book of dithyramb of concubines and ephebes is a wanton book of sensuality,in this book al jahiz enthralls us with stories of erotic nature that deals with the arabe perception of sexuality.
[edit] Risalat mufakharat al-sudan 'ala al-bidan (Treatise on the Superiority of Blacks over Whites).
"We Blacks have conquered the country of the Arabs as far as Mecca and governed them. The desert swarm with the number of our men who married your women and who became chiefs and defended you against your enemies. You even have sayings in your language which vaunt the deeds of our kings &madash; deeds which you often placed above your own; this you would not have done had you not considered them superior to your own. We defeated Dhu Nowas (Jewish ruler of Yemen) and killed all the Himyarite princes, but the Arabs and Whites (from Europe) have never conquered our country. Our people, the Zinges (an African race), revolted forty times in the Euphrates, driving the inhabitants from their homes... Blacks are physically stronger. A single one of them can lift stones of great weight and carry burdens such as several whites could not lift nor carry between them. They are brave, strong... — these good traits are the gifts of God."
[edit] His death
Al-Jahiz returned to Basra after spending more than fifty years in Baghdad. He died in Basra in 869 AD. His exact cause of death is not clear, but a popular assumption is that an accident, where the books piling up his private library, toppled over and crushed him, caused his death. He died at the age of 93. Another version said that he suffered from ill health and died in Muharram[4]
[edit] Quotes
- "Al-Jahiz was the greatest scholar and stylist of the ninth century." Christopher Dawson
- "One of the greatest prose writers in classical Arabic literature." Bernard Lewis
- "[al-Jahiz] was one of the most productive and frequently quoted scholars in Arabic literature. His originality, wit, satire, and learning, made him widely known." Philip K. Hitti
[edit] References
- ^ http://web.mit.edu/CIS/www/mitejmes/issues/200310/br_lane.htm
- ^ Spirit of Islam by Syed Ameer Ali p. 484. "Al-Jahiz, Abu Osman Amr al-Kinani al-Laisi, the celebrated Mutazilite philosopher, who died at Basra in AH 255 (868-9 AC), was a pure Arab, a member of the tribe of Kinana."
- ^ Peters, F. E., Aristotle and the Arabs: The Aristotelian Tradition in Islam, New York University Press, NY, 1968.
- ^ http://www.enotes.com/classical-medieval-criticism/al-jahiz
also:
- ^ http://web.mit.edu/CIS/www/mitejmes/issues/200310/br_lane.htm
- ^ Spirit of Islam by Syed Ameer Ali p. 484. "Al-Jahiz, Abu Osman Amr al-Kinani al-Laisi, the celebrated Mutazilite philosopher, who died at Basra in AH 255 (868-9 AC), was a pure Arab, a member of the tribe of Kinana."
- ^ Peters, F. E., Aristotle and the Arabs: The Aristotelian Tradition in Islam, New York University Press, NY, 1968.
- ^ http://www.enotes.com/classical-medieval-criticism/al-jahiz
