Ahmad ibn al-Tayyib al-Sarakhsi
Ninth-century scholar, a pupil of al-Kindi and author of works on philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, music and geography, who served as tutor and adviser to Caliph al-Mu'tadid.
- Occupation:
- Scientist, Mathematician, Astronomer, Philosopher
- Real name:
- Abu al-Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Marwan al-Sarakhsi
- Nickname:
- Ibn al-Tayyib
- Born:
- c. 835 — 899
- Father:
- Muhammad
Biography
Abu al-Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Marwan al-Sarakhsi, also known as Ahmad ibn al-Tayyib, was born around 835 in Sarakhs, a city of Khorasan that today lies on the border of Iran and Turkmenistan. His name “al-Sarakhsi” points to that city; he spent most of his working life in the caliphate’s capital, Baghdad.
The sources do not say how he came to Baghdad, but they agree that he studied under Yaqub al-Kindi, known as “the philosopher of the Arabs”. Teacher and pupil may have met in the 850s. Al-Sarakhsi worked in philosophy, logic, mathematics, astronomy, medicine, music, literature and geography, and on questions of geography, literature and the history of art he differed from his master.
Under Caliph al-Mu’tadid (892–902) he became close to the court: according to the sources he tutored the caliph or his children, then became his companion and adviser, and held the posts of market inspector (muhtasib) and head of the office of inheritances. From a journey with al-Mu’tadid through the Jazira, Syria and Palestine he composed a travel diary, parts of which were preserved by later geographers.
His standing at court aroused the envy of courtiers. In 896 he fell out of the caliph’s favour, his property was confiscated and he was imprisoned; in 899, by some accounts through the ill will of the vizier al-Qasim ibn Ubayd Allah, he was executed. Later writers said he was punished for heterodox views on religion, but the scholar Franz Rosenthal questioned the reliability of those stories.
Al-Sarakhsi’s writings have not survived in full; their titles are preserved by Ibn al-Nadim, Ibn al-Qifti and other medieval authors. Franz Rosenthal devoted a monograph to his life and legacy in 1943.
Career
- Court of the Abbasid Caliphate (Baghdad)Tutor and adviser to Caliph al-Mu'tadid · …–896
Works
- “Arkan al-falsafa” (“The Foundations of Philosophy”)Philosophical work
A treatise on the foundations of philosophy.
- “Kitab fi ahdath al-jaww” (“Book on Atmospheric Phenomena”)Natural-science work
A work on phenomena of the atmosphere.
- “Kitab manfa’at al-jibal” (“Book on the Usefulness of Mountains”)Natural-science work
A work on the benefits of mountains.
- “Kitab al-masalik wa-l-mamalik” (“Book of Routes and Realms”)Geographical work
A geographical work on roads and countries.
- “Al-Madkhal ila sina’at al-nujum” (“Introduction to Astronomy”)Astronomical work
An introduction to the science of the stars.
- “Kitab al-aritmatiqa fi-l-a’dad” (“Book of Arithmetic”)Mathematical work
A book on arithmetic; he also revised the Arabic translation of Nicomachus’s “Introduction to Arithmetic”.
- “Kitab al-musiqa al-kabir” (“The Great Book of Music”)Work on music
A major work on music.
- “Al-Madkhal ila sina’at al-tibb” (“Introduction to Medicine”)Medical work
An introduction to medicine.
Life path
- c. 835Birth
Born in Sarakhs, a city in Khorasan.
- 850sPupil of al-Kindi
Studied in Baghdad under the philosopher Yaqub al-Kindi.
- c. 884Travel diary
Travelled with al-Mu’tadid through the Jazira, Syria and Palestine and kept a travel diary.
- 892At al-Mu’tadid’s court
After al-Mu’tadid became caliph, he rose to a high position at court as the caliph’s tutor and adviser.
- 896The caliph’s anger
Lost the caliph’s trust; his property was confiscated and he was imprisoned.
- 899Execution
Executed; later writers linked this with heterodox views on religion, but modern scholars doubt those accounts.
- 1943Rosenthal’s monograph
Franz Rosenthal published a monograph on the scholar’s life and legacy.
Legacy
Al-Sarakhsi was one of al-Kindi’s direct pupils and belonged to the first generation of scholars who mastered Greek philosophy and science in Arabic. His writings have not survived in full, but their titles and fragments show what scholarship in the ninth century covered: philosophy, mathematics, music and geography. Some researchers consider him the reviser of the Arabic translation of Nicomachus’s arithmetic and the author of the Epistles of the Brethren of Purity, though that hypothesis remains disputed.
Era: Abbasid Caliphate, ninth century- Al-Mu’tadid became caliph (892)
- Al-Sarakhsi imprisoned (896)
- Al-Sarakhsi executed (899)
- Franz Rosenthal’s monograph on al-Sarakhsi published (1943)