Marife Dini Araştırmalar Dergisi

Öz

Since the early period of the Muslim conquest of al-Andalus, beginning in the early 8th century, scholarly and cultural interactions between this region and the East uninterruptedly continued. These relations were further strengthened over time through rulers and scholars who sought to transfer the cultural heritage of the East to al-Andalus. The admiration of Andalusians for the culture and civilization of the East, as well as their desire and longing to attain the same level of intellectual and cultural refinement, played a significant role in this process. Additionally, there were individuals who travelled from the East to al-Andalus for both commercial and scholarly purposes. Among these figures was Sāʿid al-Baghdādī (d. 417/1026). Originally from Mosul, Sāʿid al-Baghdādī shaped his intellectual identity in Baghdad. However, due to political turmoil in Baghdad, he migrated to al-Andalus, where he was accepted into the Umayyad court. During his time in Baghdad, he developed a strong command of literature and lexicography. However, upon arriving in al-Andalus, he was met with scepticism by local scholars, engaged in debates with them, and initially faced difficulties in gaining acceptance within the scholarly circles of the region due to the advanced intellectual maturity of Andalusian scholarship at that time. Nevertheless, he secured the support of the vizier Ibn Abī ʿĀmir al-Manṣūr (d. 392/1002) and entered his court, eventually becoming one of the prominent poets and literary figures in his literary assemblies. After the death of al-Manṣūr, he fell out of favour and attempted to sustain his life in various Andalusian cities before ultimately migrating to Sicily, where he passed away. Sāʿid al-Baghdādī’s most significant literary work is Kitāb al-Fuṣūṣ, composed in the emālī (dictation-based) genre. In this work, he not only provides historical information about various figures from the pre-Islamic period onward but also transmits knowledge about Arab culture. Additionally, he incorporates a large number of poetic narrations, effectively transforming the work into a poetic anthology. His extensive lexicographical and philological analyses within these narrations elevate al-Fuṣūṣ to a position of great significance in Arabic literature. Notably, the scholars from whom he received instruction in the East were esteemed authorities in Arabic language and literature. Having had the opportunity to study within this scholarly and literary milieu, Sāʿid al-Baghdādī introduced his vast intellectual knowledge to al-Andalus through al-Fuṣūṣ. This study employs a deep analytical approach to examine Sāʿid al-Baghdādī’s life, intellectual identity, activities in al-Andalus, and his most significant work, al-Fuṣūṣ, primarily by relying on literary and historical sources. Classical works of literary history and biographical sources have been analysed, and the study is supported by both contemporary Eastern and Western research. Additionally, a comparative analysis has been conducted between al-Fuṣūṣ and other works of a similar nature, such as Kitāb al-Amālī, to highlight the distinct characteristics of al-Fuṣūṣ. The study particularly addresses the reliability of Sāʿid al-Baghdādī’s knowledge in literature and lexicography, his poetic competence, the extent of intellectual exchanges between Eastern and Andalusian scholarly circles, and an assessment of al-Fuṣūṣ in terms of both content and methodology. Furthermore, his interactions with political figures are examined to shed light on his personality and tendencies, and his poetic works are analysed in terms of both the factors that influenced his poetry and its thematic content. Additionally, the views of both classical scholars and modern researchers regarding Sāʿid al-Baghdādī’s literary qualities, personality, and work are discussed. The study concludes that while it is challenging to classify Sāʿid al-Baghdādī strictly as a poet, he was nonetheless an important scholar of literature and lexicography and made notable contributions to the emālī writing tradition. His influence, as well as that of his work, significantly contributed to the literary development of al-Andalus. Moreover, the study highlights the shift in Andalusian attitudes toward Eastern scholars and literary traditions over time. In the early period of Muslim presence in al-Andalus, Andalusi scholars and intellectuals are known to have accepted Eastern influences almost unquestioningly. However, from the 10th century onward, a more balanced and critical approach toward Eastern knowledge and literature became evident. This shift reflects the intellectual maturation of Andalusian scholarship and its increasing capacity to critically engage with external influences rather than merely adopting them wholesale.