IBN AL-ATHIR

in full Abu Al-hasan 'ali 'izz Ad-din Ibn Al-athir born May 12, 1160, Jazirat Ibn 'Umar, Jazira, Emp. of the Caliphate died 1233, Mosul influential Arab historian. Ibn al-Athir spent a scholarly life in Mosul, but often visited Baghdad. He was for a time with Saladin's army in Syria and later lived in Aleppo and Damascus. His chief work was a history of the world, al-Kamil fi at-tarikh (The Complete History), starting with the creation of Adam. Long a standard work, this history has been criticized in the 20th century for being somewhat derivative. He also wrote a history of the atabegs (former Seljuq army officers who founded dynasties) of Mosul called al-Bahir, which was drawn from his own experience and from that of his father, who held office under the Zangids of Mosul. Among his other works were compilations of biographical and genealogical material of earlier authors. Ibn al-Athir's older brother, Majd ad-Din ibn al-Athir (11491210), who worked in Mosul for its ruler and was a scholar of note, made a collection of the sayings and acts of the Prophet Muhammad and a dictionary of obscure terms in Hadith (accounts of Muhammad and his followers) collections. The youngest brother, Diya' ad-Din ibn al-Athir (11631239), was a noted author and literary critic who worked for Saladin and became vizier to Saladin's son, al-Malik al-Afdal.