Sibawayh

Sibawayh, whose name was Amr ibn Uthman (may God be pleased with him) ibn Qanbar, client of the Banu al-Harith ibn Ka'b. He was known by the kunya Abu Bishr, and it is said Abu al-Hasan. His name means "apple scent" in Persian ².

He took grammar from al-Khalil, who was his teacher, and from Isa ibn Umar and Yunus. He took the languages from Abu al-Khattab al-Akhfash. He composed his book, for which there was no precedent ².

He came to Iraq in the days of al-Rashid, seeking Yahya ibn Khalid, when he was thirty-two years old. Yahya brought him together with al-Kisa'i and al-Akhfash, and they debated with him and found fault with him. They referred the matter to the eloquent Bedouins who came to the ruler, and in their judgement the correct view was with al-Kisa'i. Yahya then gave him ten thousand dirhams, and he returned to Basra and then to Fars ².

He died in Fars in the year 179 AH, aged a little over forty, as in the Fihrist ². (The data summary gives about 180 AH, so the date needs an additional source.)