Abu Ishaq Al-Zajjaj
Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Sarri ibn Sahl Al-Zajjaj Al-Baghdadi was born in 241 AH in Baghdad, where he also passed away. He was a prominent grammarian during the Abbasid era, recognized for his extensive knowledge in literature, science, and religion, as noted by Ibn Khalkan. Al-Zajjaj authored numerous literary and religious texts and served as an educator to the son of the Abbasid Caliphate minister, Al-Mu’tadid Billah, Ubayd Allah ibn Suleiman. He was responsible for imparting knowledge in literature to the minister’s son, Qa’sim ibn Ubayd Allah. His name, Al-Zajjaj, is derived from his profession in the glass-making industry.
The Works of Abu Ishaq Al-Zajjaj
Abu Ishaq Al-Zajjaj is credited with a variety of significant literary works, the most notable of which is the “Meanings of the Quran and its Grammar.” He was among the early grammarians who advocated for the connection between meaning and grammatical rules in the Quran. In the introduction to his book, he states, “We mention the meaning and interpretation alongside the grammar because God’s Book must be understood.” The composition of this work took him 16 years, commencing in 285 AH and concluding in 301 AH.
In writing this book, Abu Ishaq followed a distinctive approach by presenting each verse, providing an explanation of specific terms in terms of language and grammatical structure, and including evidence and references from both poetry and prose. He also authored several other well-known texts, including:
- The Book of Al-Amali.
- The Book of Interpretations from the Comprehensive Logic.
- The Book of Derivation.
- The Book of Prosody.
- The Book of Rhymes.
- The Book of Distinctions.
- The Book of Human Creation.
- The Book of Equine Creation.
- A Concise Book on Grammar.
- The Book of “Fa’ala” and “Af’ala”.
- The Book on Declined and Undeclined Forms.
- Commentary on the Verses of Sibawayh.
- The Book of Oddities.
- The Book of Weather Patterns.
- The Book of Interpreting the Names of Allah.
- The Book of Equine Creation (repeated entry).
- The Book of Substitution, Replacements, and Similarities.
- The Book of the Corruption of Antonyms.
- The Book of the Tree or Approximations.
- The Book of Stopping and Starting.
Notable Students of Abu Ishaq Al-Zajjaj
Many individuals were fortunate to study under the esteemed grammarian Abu Ishaq Al-Zajjaj, leading to several notable authors in their own right. Some of his most distinguished students include:
- Abu Bakr ibn Al-Saraj, author of “The Foundations of Grammar.”
- Ibn Walad, author of “The Defense of Sibawayh against Al-Mubarrad.”
- Al-Nahhas, known for his works “Grammar of the Quran” and “Meanings of the Quran.”
- Abu Ali Al-Qali, author of “Al-Amali.”
- Al-Zajjaji, who wrote “The Sentences” and “The Sessions of Scholars.”
- Al-Amidi, known for “The Balance.”
- Abu Ali Al-Farsi, one of the most renowned grammarians and prolific writers.
- Al-Ramani, who provided a commentary on Sibawayh’s work.
Death of Abu Ishaq Al-Zajjaj
Abu Ishaq Al-Zajjaj passed away in Baghdad, with some discrepancies regarding the exact year of his death. While some sources indicate he died in 310 AH, others suggest 311 AH. He passed away on a Friday in the month of Jumada Al-Thani, approaching the age of seventy at the time of his demise.