Yunus al-Katib al-Mughanni

Yunus al-Katib al-Mughanni was a well-known musician and writer on music in the first half of the 2nd/8th century. He was the son of a jurist (faqih) of Persian[1] origin and a mawla (non-Arab, Muslim freedman or client) of the family of al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam. Beside music, he was also a famous poet.[1]

‌Biography

He was born and grown up in Medina. Since he was a scribe in local divan, he became known as "al-katib". But soon he became interested in music and took lessons from Ma'bad, Ibn Suraydi, Ibn Muhriz, al-Gharid and Muhammad ibn Abbad al-katib. During a trip to Syria at the time of Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik (r. 724–743), his fame on music brought him the patronage of Caliph al-Walid II. This event is mentioned in the book of One Thousand and One Nights in 684th and 685th nights.[1]

He was still alive in the early years of Abbasid Caliphate (post 750) and his best pupil was Siyat who in turn was a teacher of Ibrahim al-Mawsili.[1]

Works
  • Kitab al-Nagham (partly survived)
  • Kitab al-Kian
  • Kitab al-Mudjarrad Yunus
  • Kitab fi 'l-Aghani (also called Diwan Yunus, according to Ibn Khordadbeh, this book contained 825 song texts by 35 singers)

References
  1. Pellat, prepared by a number of leading orientalists ; edited by ... H.A.R. Gibb, J.H. Kramers, E. Lévi-Provençal, J. Schacht, ... B. Lewis, Ch. (1960). The encyclopaedia of Islam (New ed.). Leiden: E.J. Brill. p. 350. ISBN 9004127569. He was the son of a jurist (fakih) of Persian origin and a mawla of the family of al-Zubayr b. al-Awwam.
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