Abu Muhammad al-Hasan al-Hamdani

Abu Muhammad al-Ḥasan ibn Aḥmad ibn Yaqub al-Hamdani (279/280-333/334 A.H. / 893-945 A.D; Arabic: أبو محمد الحسن بن أحمد بن يعقوب الهمداني‎‎) was an Arab Muslim geographer, poet, grammarian, historian, and astronomer, from the tribe of Banu Hamadan, western 'Amran/Yemen. He was one of the best representatives of Islamic culture during the last period of the Abbasid Caliphate.

The biographic data of al-Hamdani is hardly well-known, despite his extensive scientific work. He was held in repute as a grammarian, wrote much poetry, compiled astronomical tables, devoted most of his life to the study of the ancient history and geography of Arabia.

Before he was born his family lived in al-Marashi (المراشي). Then they moved to Sanaa' (صنعاء), where al-Hamdani was born in the year 893. His father was a traveller and had been to Kufa, Baghdad, Basra, Oman and Egypt. At around the age of seven, he started to talk himself into voyaging. He left for Mecca, where he remained and studied for more than six years, after which he departed for Sa'dah (صعدة). There he gathered news on Khawlaan (خولان). Later, he went back to Sanaa and gathered news on Himyar (حمْير), but was imprisoned for two years due to his political views. When he got out of prison, he left for Rayda (ريدة) to be in the protection of his tribe, he compiled most of his books there and stayed there until he died, year 945.

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