al-Abiwardi

Abu'l-Muzaffar Muhammad b. Abi'l-'Abbas al-Umawi al-Abiwardi, the famous poet; among the celebrated litterateurs — transmitter, genealogist, poet — his lineage joining Mu'awiya b. Abi Sufyan. Most famous of his verse is the alfiyya opening "draw near — if you will not grant a visit, at least a greeting," in which he has rare meanings. ¹

The Encyclopaedia of Islam (2nd ed.) entry, signed by C. Brockelmann and Ch. Pellat, presents Abu l-Muzaffar Muhammad b. Ahmad al-Abiwardi as an Arab poet and genealogist descended from 'Anbasa b. Abi Sufyan. He was born in the village of Kawfan near Abiward in Khurasan and died from poison in Isfahan in 507/1113; the article rejects the date 557/1161-2 found elsewhere. His historical and genealogical works, including a history of Abiward, are lost, but parts of his diwan survive, and al-Kaysarani used his book on identical tribal names. ²