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Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari

 
Biography: Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari
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Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari (839-923) was a Moslem historian and religious scholar whose annals are the most important source for the early history of Islam. He is also a renowned author of a monumental commentary on the Koran.

Al-Tabari was born in Amol in the province of Tabaristan south of the Caspian Sea. His family was probably of Persian origin. Gifted with a prodigious memory, he knew the Koran by heart at the age of 7. After receiving his early education in the religious sciences at Amol, he continued his studies in Rayy and Baghdad, which he reached about the year 855. Not later than 857 he visited Basra, Wasit, and Kufa to hear the famous scholars there. After his return to Baghdad he studied religious law according to the doctrine of al-Shafii, which he followed for some time before establishing his own doctrine.

After visiting several towns in Syria al-Tabari went to Egypt in 867, where he, already a famous scholar, was honored by a splendid reception. After revisiting Syria he returned to Egypt for a second stay in 870. In Egypt he defended his own independent legal doctrine in disputations with the prominent Shafiite scholar al-Muzani. He returned to Baghdad to stay there for the remainder of his life, though he made at least two trips to Tabaristan, the second one in 903.

Fully devoted to writing and teaching, al-Tabari refused an appointment as judge in 912. His lectures attracted large flocks of students. However, after his second trip to Tabaristan, he aroused the hostility of the Hanbalite school, which was predominant in Baghdad, by refusing to recognize its founder, Ibn Hanbal, as a scholar of the law. The Hanbalites accused him of heresy in minor doctrinal points, attacked him and his house, and, even after he apologized to them, continued to prevent students from attending his lectures. Al-Tabari died on Feb. 15, 923. His school of legal doctrine survived for only a few generations.

His Scholarship

In his numerous books on all fields of religious learning al-Tabari summed up the work of the earlier generations of Moslem scholars. His enormous commentary on the Koran, which he completed in 883/884, gathers the statements of all famous early exegetes concerning the circumstances of the promulgation of the Koranic verses and their meaning. His own comments are mostly concerned with lexical and grammatical questions. Sometimes he points out theological or juristic implications favoring traditionalist doctrine.

Al-Tabari's universal history, completed in 915, begins with the age of the prophets, patriarchs, and early kings, followed by Sassanian history, the age of Mohammed, and the era of Islam to the year 915. After the hijra (622) it is arranged annalistically. Al-Tabari scrupulously states his sources, most of which are lost, and reproduces them without changes. Often he quotes two or more conflicting reports on the same event. With few exceptions he shows remarkable discrimination in the choice of his sources. Particularly valuable are the sections on Sassanian and Umayyad history. Al-Tabari's other works are lost except for some fragments and minor treatises.

Further Reading

A small section of al-Tabari's history was translated into English by Elma Marin as The Reign of al-Mutasim, 833-842 (1951). Information on al-Tabari is in Reynold A. Nicholson, A Literary History of the Arabs (1907; 2d ed. 1930), and H. A. R. Gibb, Arabic Literature: An Introduction (1926; 2d rev. ed. 1963).

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Wikipedia: Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari
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For other individuals bearing the same name, see Tabari (name).
Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari
Persian scholar
Medieval era

Bal'ami's 14th century Persian version of Universal History by Tabari
Full name Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari
Born 224AH
Amol, Tapuria, Iran
Died 310AH
School/tradition Jariri

Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari (838-923 أبو جعفر محمد بن جرير الطبري) was one of the earliest, most prominent and famous Persian[1][2][3][4][5] historian and exegete of the Qur'an,who wrote exclusively in Arabic ,[2][6] most famous for his Tarikh al-Tabari (History of the Prophets and Kings) and Tafsir al-Tabari.

Contents

Name

His name means "Muhammad of Tabari, father [abu] of Jafar, son [ibn] of Jarir".

Biography

He was born in Amol, Tabaristan some twenty kilometres south of the Caspian Sea) in the winter of 838-9. [7] As he memorized the Qur'an at seven, was a qualified religious leader at eight and began to study the prophetic traditions at nine. He left home to study in A.H. 236 [8] (850-1) when he was twelve. He retained close ties to his home town. He did return at least twice, the last time in A.H. 290 (903) when his outspokenness caused some uneasiness and led to his quick departure [9].

He first went to Ray (Rages), where he remained for some five years [10] . A major teacher in Rayy was Abu Abdillah Muhammad ibn Humayd al-Razi already in his seventies [11]. Ibn Humayd had taught in Baghdad and was now retired in his native city. Among other material, ibn Humayd taught Jarir Tabari the historical works of ibn Ishaq, especially al-Sirah, his life of Muhammad [12]. Tabari was thus introduced in youth to pre-Islamic and early Islamic history. Tabari quotes ibn Humayd frequently. Beyond the names of at least two of them, we know little about Tabari's other teachers in Rayy [11].

Then he went to Baghdad to study from ibn Hanbal, who, however, had recently died [13]. This was in late 241 [14] (late 855 or early 856). Tabari possibly made a pilgrimage prior to his first arrival in Baghdad [14]. He left Baghdad probably in 242 [15](856-7) to travel through the southern cities of Basra, Kufah and Wasit. [13] There he met a number of eminent and venerable scholars. [15]>

On his return to Baghdad, he took a tutoring position from the vizier Ubaydallah b. Yahya b. Khaqan. [16] This would have been before A.H. 244 (858) since the vizier was out of office and in exile from 244 to 248 [15](858-9 to 862). There is an anecdote told that Tabari had agreed to tutor for ten dinars a month, but his teaching was so effective and the lad's writing so impressive that the teacher was offered a tray of dinars and dirhams. The ever ethical Tabari declined the offer saying he had undertaken to do his work at the specified amount and could not honourably take more [17]. This is one of a number of stories about him declining gifts or giving gifts of equal or greater amount in return [14].

In his late twenties he travelled to Syria, Palestine and Egypt [18]. In Beirut he made the highly significant connection of al-Abbas b. al-Walid b. Mazyad al-'Udhri al-Bayruti (c.169-270/785-6 to 883-4) [14]. Al-Abbas instructed Tabari in the Syrian school's variant readings of the Qur'an and transmitted through his father al-Walid the legal views of al-Awza'i, Beirut's prominent jurist from a century earlier [14].

Jarir Tabari arrived in Egypt in 253 (867) [19]. There he was among the "Famous Four" who met there who were all named Muhammad: Ibn Jarir, Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Harun, and Ibn Nasr [20].

Some time after 256/870 Tabari returned to Baghdad [21], possibly making a pilgrimage on the way [14]. If so, he did not stay long in the Hijaz [14]. Tabari had a private income from his father while he was still living and then the inheritance [22]. He took money for teaching. He never took a government or a judicial position [23].

Personal Characteristics

He is described as having a dark complexion, large eyes and a long beard. He was tall and slender [24] and his hair and beard remained black until he was very old. He was attentive to his health, avoiding red meat, fats and other unhealthy foods [14]. He was seldom sick before his last decade when he suffered from bouts of pleurisy [14]. When he was ill, he could treat himself to the approval of physicians. He had a sense of humour, though serious subjects he treated seriously. He had studied poetry when young and enjoyed writing, reciting and participating in poetic exchanges. It is said that he was asked in Egypt about al-Tirimmah and was able to recite this seventh century poet's work for Egyptians who had merely heard al-Tirimmah's name.

He was witty and urbane, clean and well mannered [25]. He avoided coarse speech, instead displaying refined eloquence [26]. He had a good grounding in grammar, lexicography and philology. Such were considered essential for Qur'anic commentary. He knew Persian and was acquainted with the origins of various foreign loan words in Arabic from a number of other languages.

Tabari never married [27]. There is a description of his normal day: rising early for prayer, studying till early afternoon, publicly praying the afternoon prayer, reciting Qur'an and teaching Qur'an, and then teaching law, etc. until late.

He died in Baghdad on February 17, 923 [28].

Works

At Tabari wrote history, theology and Qur'anic commentary. His legal writings were published first and then continued to appear throughout his life. Next were his commentaries on the Qur'an. Lastly, his history was published. Despite a style that makes it seem he drew largely on oral sources, written material (both published and unpublished) provided him with the bulk of his information. His biographers stress his reverence for scholarship and his keen intent to offer his readers hard fact.

He didn't hesitate to express his independent judgement (ijtihad) [29]. He stated his assessment as to which of the sources he cited was accurate [14]. This was more understandably an aspect of his theology than of his history. This does not mean he saw himself as innovative. On the contrary, he was very much opposed to religious innovation. The story goes that when he was near death ibn Kamil suggested he forgive his enemies. He said he was willing to do so, except for the person who had described him as an innovator [30]. In general Tabari's approach was conciliatory and moderate, seeking harmonious agreement between conflicting opinions [31].

Initially he identified as a Shafi'ite in law and Shafi'ites were happy to have him so considered. He later was seen as one establishing his own school. Although he had come to Baghdad in youth to study from Hanbal, he incurred the vehement wrath of the Hanbalites [32]. Tabari's madhhab is usually designated by the name Jariri after his patronymic [33]. However, in the keenly competitive atmosphere of the times, his school failed to endure [34].

His wrote extensively; his voluminous corpus containing two main titles:

The first of the two large works, generally known as the Annals (Arabic Tarikh al-Tabari). This is a universal history from the time of Qur'anic Creation to AD 915, and is renowned for its detail and accuracy concerning Muslim and Middle Eastern history. Tabari's work is a major primary source for the Zanj Revolt.

His second great work was the commentary on the Qur'an, (Arabic Tafsir al-Tabari), which was marked by the same fullness of detail as the Annals. The size of the work and the independence of judgment in it seem to have prevented it from having a large circulation, but scholars such as Baghawi and Suyuti used it largely. It was used in compiling the Tafsir ibn Kathir.

  • A third great work was begun by Tabari. This was to be on the traditions of the Companions of Muhammad (Arabic: Sahaba), etc. It was not, however, completed.

See also

References

  1. ^ Gaston Wiet, etc, "The Great Medieval Civilizations: cultural and scientific development. Volume 3. The great medieval civilizations. Part 1", Published by Allen and Unwin, 1975. pg 722:In the meantime another author, Tabari, Persian by origin, had been unobtrusively at work on two monumental pieces of writing, a commentary on the Koran ..
  2. ^ a b John R. Perry , "Tabari was an ethnic Iranian, but wrote exclusively in Arabic", Form and Meaning in Persian Vocabulary: The Arabic Feminine Ending, Published by Mazda Publishers in association with Bibliotheca Persica, 1991
  3. ^ George Rosen, Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences, Published by H. Schuman, 1986, V.41 1986, page 101
  4. ^ Bruce Lawrence, The Qur'an: A Biography, Page 91
  5. ^ Alastair HamiltonThe Copts and the West, 1439-1822: The European Discovery of the Egyptian Church Published by Oxford University Press, ISBN 2006ISBN. page 136:"
  6. ^ Blackwell Synergy - Muslim World, The, Volume 93 Issue 1 Page 145 ...(even the ethnically Persian al-Tabari wrote exclusively in Arabic)
  7. ^ Rosenthal pp. 10-11, in volume 1 of History, pp. 5-134
  8. ^ Rosenthal pp. 15-16
  9. ^ Rosenthal p. 11
  10. ^ Rosenthal p. 16
  11. ^ a b Rosenthal p. 17
  12. ^ Rosenthal p. 18
  13. ^ a b Rosenthal p. 19
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rosenthal
  15. ^ a b c Rosenthal p. 20
  16. ^ Rosenthal p. 21
  17. ^ Rosenthal p. 22
  18. ^ Rosenthal p. 23
  19. ^ Rosenthal p. 27
  20. ^ Rosenthal p. 29
  21. ^ Rosenthal p. 31
  22. ^ Rosenthal p. 14
  23. ^ Rosenthal p. 36
  24. ^ Rosenthal p. 40
  25. ^ Rosenthal p. 41
  26. ^ Rosenthal p. 4o
  27. ^ Rosenthal p. 33
  28. ^ Rosenthal p. 78
  29. ^ Rosenthal p. 55
  30. ^ Rosenthal p. 61
  31. ^ Rosenthal p. 56
  32. ^ Rosenthal p. 63
  33. ^ Rosenthal p. 64
  34. ^ Rosenthal p. 66

Bibliography

  • Bosworth, C.E., Encyclopedia of Islam, "Al-Tabari, Abu Djafar Muhammad b. Djarir b. Yazid"
  • Ehsan Yar-Shater (ed) "The History of al-Ţabarī", in 40 volumes, State University of New York press 1989-2007 ISBN 0-88706-563-5.
  • Rosenthal, Franz, "The Life and Works of al-Tabari"

External links


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