born 1149, Rayy, Iran
died 1209, near Herāt, Khwārezm
Islamic scholar and theologian. He traveled widely before settling in Herāt (in modern Afghanistan).
The author of more than 100 books (on subjects as diverse as medicine, mineralogy, and grammar), he gained fame and wealth through his scholarship and skill in debate, in which he often presented unorthodox views fully and favorably before refuting them. Though this led to accusations of heresy, it has preserved information about little-known sects. His works include one of the major commentaries on the Qurʾān, The Keys to the Unknown (or The Great Commentary ), and Collection of the Opinions of Ancients and Moderns , a classic of kalām . His bad temper earned him many enemies, and he may have been poisoned to death.