Ibn Sirin - Biography

Biography

According to Yehia Gouda's most authoritative encyclopedic reference book on Muslim oneiromancy "Dreams and Their Meanings in the Old Arab Tradition" (ISBN 0-533-08877-1, published in 1991), the legendary abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Sirin Al-Ansari (33-110H; a.d. 653–728), was, indeed, born in Basra, as mentioned, in a.d. 653, i.e. the 33rd year after Muhammad's migration from Makkah to the then Yathrib, now Al-Madina. His birth came two years before the end of the rule of Caliph Óthman ibn Áffan.

Muhammad's father (the name Abu Bakr was seldom used) was one of the many captives taken by the great Muslim warrior Khaled ibn Al-Walid when he embarked on his campaign to conquer Al-Sham (the area comprising Syria, Lebanon and Palestine), under the caliphate of Ómar ibn Al-Khattab (a.d. 583–684). He was a coppersmith from a town called Jirjaya, settled and working in a place called 'Ain Al-Tamr," where a decisive battle took place in Hijra (migration) year 12. Certain historians contend that it was Abu Bakr's mother, named Sireen, who had been taken captive. But, according The Encyclopedia of Islam (London; Leiden & E.J. Brill, 1971), vol.,3, p.947, Ibn Sirin's mother, Safiyya – a slave of the caliph Abu Bakr – was held in such esteem within the community that when she died, her laying-out was performed by three of Muhammad's wives and eighteen Badris (veterans of the battle of Badr), led by Ubayy ibn Ka'b, were present at her burial. 'Omar sent him as a present, either directly to Anas ibn Malek (one of the most authoritative sources on the life and opinions expressed by Muhammad) or first to a man called Talha Al-Bukhari (from Bukhara, Central Asia) who, in turn, gave him to Anas.

Sirin tried to convince Anas to set him free against a sum of money ("mukataba"). When the latter refused, Sirin complained to 'Omar, who ordered that his wish be granted for 40,000 dinars, to be paid in installments.

Muhammad worked as an ambulant cloth merchant, or peddler,in Al-Basra. The fact that he was deaf or quick-of-hearing did not prevent him from becoming one of the most fabulous storytellers of his time about Muhammad, quoting such prominent personalities as Abu Hurayrah, 'Abdullah ibn 'Omar, and Anas ibn Malek.

Known as Ibn Sirin, Muhammad was one of the first ascetics of Al-Basra. He became the prime imam in religion and an erudite in the Qur'an. He was described by one of his contemporaries (Abu Ná'eem) as wise, heeding God and perspicacious, sharing food with his brethren and travelers, strongly interceding in favor of the lonely and those who were punished for one reason or another. He was alert, cautious, honest and properly maintaining whatever was entrusted to him. He used to weep at night and smile and rove around all day. And he fasted every other day. No one was as religious or as knowledgeable as him in his art. His family was so generous that they would not hesitate to offer to their visitor the last loaf of bread in their house. He used to savor and recite poetry.

He was particularly renowned for his extraordinary skill in interpreting dreams as attested by the Arabs' greatest intellectuals, such as Al-Gaheth, Ibn Qutaybah and Ibn Khaldoun, who considered his work as crucial in this field.