The famous Iranian lexicographer of Arabic, Al-Firuzabadi

Compiled by: Syed Ali Shahbaz
On 20th of the Islamic month of Shawwal in 817 AH, the famous Iranian lexicographer of Arabic, Abu Taher Majd od-Din Mohammad ibn Yaqoub al-Firuzabadi, passed away at the age of 87 in Zabid, Yemen, where he was appointed the Chief Qazi and had married the daughter of the Sultan. Born in Kazeroun and educated in Shiraz, Waset, Baghdad and Damascus, he lived for ten years in Bayt al-Moqaddas, Palestine.
He then travelled to Egypt, before settling in Mecca, where he lived for over a quarter century, while spending some years in Delhi, India. He returned to his native Shiraz via Baghdad, when he was around 60 years of age, and was warmly received by the Turkic conqueror, Amir Timur. He then left for Ta'izz in Yemen where he spent the last years of his life. He was a polymath in hadith, exegesis of the Holy Qur'an, history, and Arabic grammar and literature; and a follower of the Shafe’i school of jurisprudence.
He wrote more than 40 books, the best known of which was his 60-volume dictionary, now believed to be lost. His most important surviving work, "al-Qamous al-Mohit" served as the basis of dictionaries by other Arabic lexicographers, and later for European dictionaries of Arabic. Among his other books, mention could be made of "Safar as-Sa'adah", and "Tanwir al-Meqyas".