SIBAWAYH

born 760?, al-Bayda', Iran died 793?, Shiraz byname of Abu Bishr 'amr Ibn 'uthman celebrated grammarian of the Arabic language. After studying in Basra, Iraq, with a prominent grammarian, Sibawayh received recognition as a grammarian himself. Sibawayh is said to have left Iraq and retired to Shiraz after losing a debate with a rival on Bedouin Arabic usage. His monumental work is al-Kitab fi an-nahw (The Book on Grammar) or, more simply, al-Kitab (The Book). The work was frequently used by later scholars.