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Ka’b b. Malik (d. 50 AH)
The Sahabi Ka'b b. Malik RA (26 BH -50 AH). The Prophet's poet alongside Hassan b. Thabit RA and Abdullah b. Rawahah. Amongst the earliest Muslims and one most eloquent speakers of the Ansar in Madinah.
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Aisha Siddiqah (d. 58 AH)
Aishah bt. Abu Bakr RA (d. 58 AH). The Prophet's wife and mother of the believers, One of the foremost experts in fiqh, hadith and one of the eloquent of the Quraysh of Makkah.
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Akhtal Taghilibi (d. 92 AH)
Ghiyath b. Ghawth Taghlibi (19 - 92 AH). A Christian poet who found favour in Yazid I and the subsequent Umayyad khalifahs. He would satire Umayyad opponents and eulogize their supporters. His Arabic is considered a source of pure Arabic akin to that used before Islam. He had a running feud with fellow poets Jarir b. Atiyyah and Farazdaq.
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Jarir b. Atiyyah Kalbi (d. 110 AH)
Jarir b. Atiyyah of clan Kulayb of Yarbu from the Tamim (33- 110 AH). A famous Arab poet and contemporary of Akhtal and Farazdaq. He was favoured by Hajjaj b. Yusuf (the Ummayad governor of Hijaz and then Iraq). He works are mostly satire and eulogies.
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Farazdaq (d. 114 AH)
Hammam b. Ghalib Farazdaq of Tamim (38 - 114 AH). One of famous classical poets of the time alongside Akhtal and Jarir b. Atiyyah who whom he had running feuds. He would recite positive poems about the Umayyads but was not invited to court due him also reciting poetry praising the house of Ali RA. He would eventually join the court of the Umayyad Khalifah Walid I to whom he would dedicate a number of poems.
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Zul Rummah (d. 117)
Zul Rummah Ghaylan b. Uqbah (77 - 117 AH). He was a bedouin poet who writes about the desert travels. This style of poetry is said to have ended with Zul Rummah
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Asim b. Abu Najud (d. 129 AH)
Asim b. Bahdalah Abu Najud Kufi (d. 127 AH). A tabi'i, one of the main imams of Qira'at and narrator. He read from many prominent tabi'un such as Abu Abdur Rahman Sulami and some sahabah who were taught directly by Abdullah b. Mas'ud RA, Ali RA, Usman RA amongst others. His most famous students are Hafs RH, Shu'bah RH and Abu Bakr b. Ayyash RH. At present, his reported mode of reading is the most prevalent worldwide.
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Ibn Muqaffa (d. 142 AH)
Abdullah b. Muqaffa (106 - 142 AH). Arabic writer of literature of Persian origin. He introduced Persian literary style in Arabic. He served the Umayyads and then the Abbasids. He was executed after representing Abdullah b. Ali who made a failed coup against his nephew, the Khalifah Mansur.
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Abu Amr b. Ala Basri (d. 154 AH)
Abu Amr Zabban b. Ala (67 - 154 AH). One of the main Imams of Qira'at and an expert linguist. He studied under the Qurra of Hijaz, Basrah and Kufa. He learned from a large group of the direct students of Abdullah b. Abbas RA.
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Hamzah b. Habib Zayyat (d. 156 AH)
Hamzah b. Habib Zayyat (80 - 156 AH). One of the main imams of qira'at. He was also an expert in linguists and inheritance. The most famous who narrate from him are Khallad RH and Khalaf RH.
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Hammad b. Salamah (d. 167 AH)
Abu Salamah Hammad b. Salamah (82 - 167 AH). The Mufti of Basrah. A tab' tabi'in, linguist and muhaddith.
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Khalil Nahwi (d. 173 AH)
Khalil b. Ahmad Farahidi Nahwi (100 - 173 AH). Notable lexicographer of classical Arabic and linguist. He wrote Kitab al-Ayn where he formalised the Arabic poetic patterns. He also introduced the harakat marking as a reading aid.
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Akhfash Akbar (d. 177 AH)
Abu Khattab Abdul Hamid b. Abdul Majid (d. 177 AH). A notable expert of nahw (grammar) and lexis.
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Sibawayh (d. 180 AH)
Amr b. Aws Sibawayh (148 - 180 AH).
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Yunus b. Habib (d. 183 AH)
Yunus b. Habib Dabbi (183 AH). A notable linguist of his time. His students include Sibwayh, Kisai, Farra and Abu Ubaydah.
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Kisai (d. 189 AH)
Abu Hasan Ali b. Hamzah Kisai (119 - 189 AH). Imam of Qira'at and founder of the Kufan school of Grammar which rivalled Sibawayh's Basran school.
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Muhammad b. Hasan Shaybani (d. 189 AH)
Muhammad b. Hasan Shaybani RH (131 - 189 AH; age 58). Prominent Hanafi Jurist, muhaddith, linguist and the author of the Zahir Riwayat. Student of Imams Abu Hanifah, Abu Yusuf and Malik. He was the teacher of Imam Shafi'i.
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Muhammad b. Idris Shafii (d. 204 AH)
Muhammad b. Idris Shafi'i RH (150 - 204 AH; age 53).
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Farra (d. 207 AH)
Abu Zakariyya Yahya b. Ziyad Daylami Farra (144 - 207 AH). One of the principal narrators of Qira'at and a protege of Kisai RA. He was a leading nahw (grammar) expert of the Kufan school.
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Asmai (d. 216 AH)
Abdul Malik b. Qurayb Asmai (121 -216 AH). Leading expert of nahw (grammar) of the Basran school and a protege Khalil Nahwi. He wrote Asma'iayt.
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Abu Tammam (d. 232 AH)
Abu Tammam Habib b. Aws (188 - 232 AH). A poet in the court of Mu'tasim. The author of Kitabul Hamasah; one of the primary source of early Arabic poetry.
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Jahiz Kinani (d. 255 AH)
Abu Usman Amr b. Bahr Hajiz (159 - 255 AH). A notable linguist who wrote Kitab Haywan, Kitab Bukhala and Bayan wa Tabyin. He was a Mu'tazili and enjoyed the patronage of the royal courts such as Mamun and those who followed him until Mutwakkil took office.
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Balazuri (d. 279 AH)
Ahmad b. Yahya Balazduri (d. 279 AH). Notable early historian and historian. He is the author of Futuh Buldan.
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Mubarrad (d. 285 AH)
Abu Abbas Muhammad b. Yazid Mubarrad (207 - 285 AH). Leading grammarian and linguist of the School of Basrah.
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Mutanabbi (d. 354 AH)
Ahmad b. Husayn Mutanabbi Kindi (303 - 354 AH; age 50). Famous Poet from Iraq. He spent nine years in the court of Saif al-Dawlah, the Shi'ite amir of Aleppo. His poetry collection is compiled in Diwan Mutanabbi.
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Abu Hayyan Tawhidi (d. 414 AH)
Arabic Literary Historian.
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Ibn Hazam Zahiri (d. 456 AH)
Abu Muhammad Ali b. Ahmad b. Sa’id b. Hazam Undulusi Qurtubi (384 – 456 AH). Leading scholar of the Zahiri movement.
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Abu Walid Baji (d. 474 AH)
Abu Walid Sulayman b. Khalaf Tujibi Maliki (403 – 474 AH). Maliki faqih, judge, usuli, muhaddith and poet. He was a native of Andulus and his students include Ibn Abdul Barr and Ibn Hazam amongst others. He was a prolific writer.
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Ibn Firru Shatibi (d. 590 AH)
Abu Muhammad Qasim b. Firruh Shatibi (538 - 590 AH). One of the great masters qira'at, language and hadith. His didactic poem Hirz Amani wa Wajh Tahani is deemed required reading for all serious students of qira'at.
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Jalaluddin Rumi (d. 672 AH)
(604 - 672 AH)
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Ibn Khallikan (d. 681 AH)
Ahmad b. Muhammad Barmakki Ibn Khallikan (608 – 681 AH). A notable historian, shafii judge and linguist. His most notable work is Wafiyat Ayan.
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Badaruddin Ayni (d. 855 AH)
Badaruddin Mahmud b. Ahmad Ayni (762 – 855 AH). Muhaddith, Hanafi judge and grammarian.
