Ibn Dihya al-Kalby

While Ibn Diyha is generally acknowledged to have been born in Valencia,[6] conflicting reports have been given regarding Kalbi's exact date of birth.[4] Ibn Khallikan held the view that Kalbi was born in March 1150, despite the fact that he was personally informed by Kalbi's son and nephew that Kalbi was born in February 1152.[1]

Kalbi initially pursued the study of Islamic Prophetic traditions in Spain, visiting every major city in the country and learning from their scholars and academics.[6][8] In order to further his studies, he traveled from Al-Andalus to Marrakesh, Morocco. Later, his study of Prophetic traditions took him through to Tunis in the year 590AH, then through Africa and on to Egypt, the Levant, Baghdad, Erbil and Wasit in Iraq, and Isfahan and Nisapur in Greater Khorasan.[5][8] Kalbi was a student of Ibn Maḍāʾ,[6] chief judge of the Almohad Caliphate, and held immense respect for his teacher, who he referred to as "leader of all grammarians."[9]

In addition to his renown as a linguistic scholar, Kalbi was also considered to be from the scholars of Prophetic narrations,[10] which was actually his primary focus of study, despite his fame primarily being for his knowledge of Arabic grammar and philology.[8][10] His number of students was considered high and his chain of narration is recognized by later scholars of the field. A number of these later scholars also narrated either directly from him or through his chain, such as Ibn al-Salah.[2]

While in Andalus, Kalbi was appointed as the judge of Dénia by the Almohads, but stepped down after public reaction to his sentencing a convict to cruel and unusual punishment.[6] After his resignation, he sought further education in the Muslim east. After studying Sahih Muslim in Tunis in 1198, he performed the Hajj at Mecca and spent some time in Egypt. He sought further knowledge in the field of hadith in Syria, Iraq, Persia as far east as Nisapur before returning to Egypt.[6]

Kalbi taught the Ayyubid Sultan Al-Kamil basic academic subjects and proper etiquette during the latter's youth. Later in life, Al-Kamil built an entire school for Kalbi to teach and pursue the study of Prophetic narrations.[2] Al-Kamil would eventually replace Kalbi with his older brother Abu Amr bin Dihya al-Kalbi, also an expert in the Arabic language, as the director of the school, a position which the older brother held until his own death.[1]

Kalbi died in Cairo on Tuesday, the 14th of the Islamic calendar month Rabi' al-awwal, in the Hijri year 633, corresponding to November 1235.[1][2][10] He was roughly 89 years old according to the Islamic calendar, and 86 years old according to the Gregorian calendar. His death was during Ayyubid rule in what is now Egypt.

He was buried at the foot of the Mokattam mountain range outside of Cairo.[1] His older brother, Abu Amr, died almost two years later in January 1237; he also died on a Tuesday, and was buried at the foot of the same mountain range.[1]

Evaluation of Kalbi's contribution to Islamic studies has been difficult due to his controversial nature among Muslim historians during the Middle Ages. Critics in the Muslim east have accused Kalbi of plagiarism and dishonesty, while those in the Muslim west praised Kalbi highly and referenced his education and efforts in learning.[6]