Abu al-Aswad al-Du'ali, Father of Arabic grammar: Scholar in Islamic History

Scholar

ScholarFather of Arabic grammar

Abu al-Aswad al-Du'aliأبو الأسود الدؤلي

c. 603-688 CE (d. 69 AH)Traditional date, disputedBasra

A judge of Basra credited with the dots that first marked the vowels in the mushaf.

He embraced Islam in the Prophet's ﷺ lifetime but never met him, and later served Ali as judge of Basra. As new Muslims began to slip in Arabic, he is said to have set down its first rules. Tradition credits him with marking the vowels of the mushaf with coloured dots.

What grew out of it?

His dots led, through al-Khalil, to the vowel marks printed in every mushaf today.

Who else is linked?

Basra Al-Khalil ibn Ahmad Ali ibn Abi Talib Rashidun Caliphate

Who lived at the same time?

Muhammad ﷺ The Three Who Stayed Behind Zayd ibn Haritha Yazdegerd III Constans II Jabalah ibn al-Ayham Al-Muqawqis Heraclius

Source: history · Wikipedia

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