ابن سيده المرسي

Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Ahmad, known as Ibn Sida al-Mursi, a jurist and imam in language and grammar. Among his best-known books is al-Muhkam (The Firm). ²

Al-Maqqari relays from al-Mutmah that he devoted himself to al-Muwaffaq, lord of Denia. There he found the leisure for learning and wrote al-Muhkam, which al-Maqqari describes as the most original and the most sound of books. ² See al-Muhkam.

When al-Muwaffaq died, Ibn Sida feared his son Iqbal al-Dawla and fled to one of the neighbouring districts. From there he wrote to him a poem asking for his favour, beginning: "Is there any way to kiss your right hand?" ²