Baidawi

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Baidawi ('Abdallah ibn 'Umar al-Baidawi Arabic: عبدالله بن عمر البيدوي), was a Muslim scholar, was born in Fars, where his father was chief judge, in the time of the Atabek ruler Abu Bakr ibn Sa'd (1226-60). He himself became judge in Shiraz, and died in Tabriz about 1286. Many commentaries have been written on Baidawi's work. He was also the author of several theological treatises.

His major work is the commentary on the Qur'an entitled The Secrets of Revelation and The Secrets of Interpretation (Asrar ut-tanzil wa Asrar ut-ta'wil)'. This work is mainly a summary of the great Mu'tazilite commentary (al-Kashshaf) of Zamakhshari) with additional notes. Orthodox Muslims consider it the standard commentary. It is not exhaustive in any branch of theological or linguistic knowledge and is not always accurate ^[1]. It has been edited by H. O. Fleischer (2 vols., Leipzig, 1846-1848; indices ed. W. Fell, Leipzig, 1878). There are many editions published in the East. A selection with numerous notes was edited by D. S. Margoliouth as Chrestomathia Beidawiana (London, 1894).

[edit] References

• See C. Brockelmann's Geschichte der arabischen Litteratur (Weimar, 1898), vol. i. pp. 416-418.
• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.