Ibn Sharaf al-QayrawÃÂnë (; AD 999/1000âÂÂ1067 <nowiki>[</nowiki>AH 390âÂÂ460]) was an Arab Muslim writer and court poet who served first the Zërids in Ifrëqiya (Africa) and later various sovereigns in al-Andalus (Spain). He wrote in Arabic. Most of his works have been lost.
Ibn Sharaf, full name Abà « ÿAbdallÃÂh Muḥammad ibn Saÿëd ibn Aḥmad Ibn Sharaf al-JudhÃÂmë al-QayrawÃÂnë, was born in al-QayrawÃÂn in AD 1000 (AH 390). He had only one good eye. He learned poetry under Abu þl-Ḥasan al-QÃÂbisë and Abà « ÿImrÃÂn al-FÃÂsë, grammar under Muḥammad ibn Jaÿfar al-QazzÃÂz, adab (belles-lettres) under al-Ḥuá¹£rë and probably astrology under ÿAlë Ibn Abë l-RijÃÂl. He became a court poet of the Emir al-Muÿizz ibn BÃÂdës, who is said to have stoked his rivalry with fellow poet Ibn Rashëq. The two poets are known to have exchanged epigrams and epistles, but all are now lost. For al-Muÿizz, Ibn Sharaf composed conventional court poetry (panegyrics on his master, descriptions of flowers and fruits) and participated in literary colloquia.
In 1055 (447), when al-Muÿizz fled al-QayrawÃÂn for al-Mahdiyya in the face of the HilÃÂlë invasion, Ibn Sharaf accompanied him. For a short time he joined the court of al-Muÿizz's son, Tamëm, before moving to Mazara in Kalbid Sicily. There he reconciled with his fellow exile, Ibn Rashëq. In 1057 (449), he moved to al-Andalus. He moved between several mulà «k al-á¹ÂawÃÂþif (factional kingdoms) before settling at Berja in the kingdom of AlmerÃÂa. He died at Seville on 11 November 1067 (1 Muḥarram 460).
Ibn Sharaf had a son, Abu þl-Faá¸Âl Jaÿfar ibn Muḥammad, who was also a poet.
Only a few extracts of Ibn Sharaf's writings now remain: some quotations in Ibn BassÃÂm, two fragments from his AÿlÃÂm al-kalÃÂm and some verses collected and edited by ÿAbd al-ÿAzëz al-Maymanë al-RÃÂjakà «të in 1924. To this may be added some "historical passages of doubtful authenticity". AÿlÃÂm al-kalÃÂm was his masterpiece. Other works know by title include his Lumaḥ al-mulaḥ and AkbÃÂr al-afkÃÂar. This last was an anthology of his verse and prose that he himself selected for preservation. Ibn BassÃÂm had access to Ibn Sharaf's dëwÃÂn and compared his poetry to that of Ibn DarrÃÂj.
In AÿlÃÂm al-kalÃÂm, Ibn Sharaf wrote 20 ḥadëths in imitation of the maqÃÂmÃÂt of al-HamadhÃÂnë. The two surviving ones contain judgement of earlier poets and literary criticism typical of the QayrawÃÂnë school.