Ziryab

**Abu al-Hasan 'Ali Ibn Nafi**', dem better know am as  **Ziryab**, **Zeryab**, anaa **Zaryab** (Arabic: أبو الحسن علي ابن نافع, زریاب; c. 789–c. 857) na he be a singer, oud den lute player, composer, poet, den teacher. Na he live den work insyd wat now be Iraq, Northern Africa den Andalusia during de medieval Islamic period. Na he sanso be a polymath, plus knowledge insyd astronomy, geography, meteorology, botanics, cosmetics, culinary art, den fashion.

## Historical context/early life

790 CE: na dem most likely born Ziryab insyd Baghdad. According to de *Encyclopaedia of [[Islam]]*, na dem born am around 175 AH/790 into a family of *mawali* of de caliph al-Mahdi. Ein ethnic origin be unclear. Based for ein appearance den background, different sources dey suggest am say he be of Persian, Kurdish, Sindi, African, anaa mixed Arab-African descent. 

Na dem train Ziryab insyd de art of music from a young age. During dat time, na Baghdad be an important center of music insyd de Muslim world. Na de musician Ibrahim al-Mawsili be Ziryab ein teacher.

## Career

813 CE: na Ziryab lef Baghdad during de reign of al-Ma'mun sam time after de year 813. He then travel first to Syria den then Ifriqiya (Tunisia) insyd Kairouan, wer na he live for de Aghlabid court of Ziyadat Allah (he rule 816–837).

Der be conflicting accounts of why Ziryab lef de court. Na he fi fall out plus Ziyadat Allah by he offend am anaa sam powerful figure plus ein musical talent. Na one account wey al-Maqqari record dey say na Ziryab inspire de jealousy of ein mentor by he give an impressive performance for de caliph Harun al-Rashid (d. 809), plus de result say na al-Mawsili tell am make he lef de city. Earlier, more reliable sources dey indicate say he outlive both Harun den ein son al-Amin wey he lef after al-Amin ein death insyd 813.

822 CE: Na dem invite am to Al-Andalus by de Umayyad prince, Al-Hakam I (he rule 796–822). Na he find on arrival insyd Al-Andalus say na prince Al-Hakam I die, buh ein son, Abd ar-Rahman II, renew ein poppie ein invitation. Na he be an intimate companion of de prince. Na Abd al-Rahman II be a great patron of de arts wey na dem give Ziryab a great deal of freedom. Ziryab settle insyd Córdoba in wat now be Spain plus a monthly salary of 200 gold Dinars.

## Reputation

Na Ziryab ein career flourish insyd Al-Andalus. According to Ibn Hayyan, na dem bell 'Ali Ibn Nafi' Blackbird secof ein dark complexion, de clarity of ein voice, den "de sweetness of ein character."

As de Islamic armies conquer more den more territories, dema musical culture spread plus dem, as far as western China insyd de east den Iberia insyd de west. After dema 8th-century conquest of nearly all of Hispania, wich na dem rename Al-Andalus, na de Muslims be a small minority for quite sam time. Na Muslims be greatly outnumbered by de majority Christians den a smaller community of Jews, wey na dem get dema own styles of music. Muslims den Arabs introduce new styles of music, den de main cities of Iberia soon cam turn well-known centers for music within de Islamic world. During de 8th den 9th centuries, chaw musicians den artists from across de Islamic world move go Iberia. For reputation, na Ziryab surpass dem all. Al-Maqqari dey state insyd ein *Nafh al-Tib* (Fragrant Breeze): "*There never was, either before or after him (Ziryab), a man of his profession who was more generally beloved and admired*".

Insyd Cordoba, na dem celebrate am as de court ein aficionado of chow, fashion, singing, den music. Na he introduce standards of excellence insyd all dese fields as well as he set new norms for elegant den noble manners. Na he establish a school of music wey train singers den musicians wey na wich be influenced musical performance for at least two generations after am.

Na dem say he wey he create a unique den influential style of musical performance, den written songs wey na dem perform insyd Iberia for generations. Na he be a great influence for Spanish music, wey he be considered de founder of de Andalusian music traditions of North Africa.

Na Ziryab be a "major trendsetter of ein time" wey dey create trends insyd fashion, hairstyles, den hygiene. Na ein students take dese trends plus dem thru out Europe den North Africa. Ziryab sanso cam turn de example of how a courtier, a person wey attend aristocratic courts, for act. According to Ibn Hayyan, for common plus erudite men of ein time as na he be well versed insyd chaw areas of classical study such as astronomy, history, den geography.

## Descendants

According to de main source, Ibn Hayyan, na Ziryab get eight sons den two daughters. Five of de sons den both daughters cam turn musicians of sam prominence. Na dese kiddies keep dema poppie ein music school alive, buh na de female slave singers he train dem sanso be regarded as reliable sources for ein repertoire insyd de generation wey dey follow.

## Contributions

### Music
Na dem say Ziryab improve de oud (anaa Laúd) by he add a fifth pair of strings, wey he use an eagle ein beak anaa quill instead of a wooden pick. Ziryab sanso dye de four strings a color make he symbolize de Aristotelian humors, den de fifth string make he represent de soul. Ziryab ein Baghdadi musical style cam turn very popular insyd de court of Abd al-Rahman II. 

### Fashion den hygiene
Na Ziryab start a vogue by he dey change clothes according to de weather den season. Na he suggest different clothing give mornings, afternoons den evenings. Henri Terrasse, a French historian of North Africa, comment say legend dey attribute winter den summer clothing styles den "de luxurious dress of de Orient" dem find insyd Morocco today to Ziryab, buh he dey argue say "*Without a doubt, a lone man could not achieve this transformation. It is rather a development which shook the Muslim world in general...*"

Na he create a deodorant make e get rid of bad odors, he promote morning den evening baths, wey he emphasize de maintenance of personal hygiene. Na dem think Ziryab say na he invent an early toothpaste, wich he popularize thru out Islamic Iberia. De exact ingredients of dis toothpaste be unknown, buh na dem report say e be both "functional den pleasant to taste".

### Cuisine
Na Ziryab "revolutionize de local cuisine" by he introduce new fruit den vegetables such as asparagus. Na he insist dem for serve eat meals for leathern tablecloths insyd three separate courses wey dey consist of soup, de main course, den dessert. Prior to ein time, na dem dey serve chow plainly for platters for bare tables top, as na ebe de case plus de Romans. 

Na he sanso introduce de use of crystal as a container give drinks, wich an be more effective dan metal. Dis claim be supported by accounts of am wey dey cut large crystal goblets. Na dem sanso say he wey he popularize wine drinking.

## References


## Sources

* Titus Burckhardt, "Die Maurische Kultur in Spanien.
* Flight of the Blackbird Robert W. Lebling Jr., *Saudi Aramco World* July/August 2003.
* 

## Oda sources

* Encyclopaedia of Islam
* al-Muqtabis by Ibn Hayyan
* The Muqaddima of Ibn Khaldoun, Chapter V, part 31, "The craft of singing."
* Ta'rikh fath al-Andalus by Ibn al-Qutiyya
* al-'Iqd al-farid by Ibn 'Abd Rabbih
* Ta'rikh Baghdad by Ibn Tayfur
* Kitab al-Aghani by Abu l-Faraj al-Isfahani
* Tawq al-hamama by Ibn Hazm
* Jawdhat al-Muqtabis by Al-Humaydī
* Mughrib fi hula l-Maghrib by Ibn Sa'id

## External links

* Zaryâb Article at Fravahr.org
* Titus Burckhardt, "Die Maurische Kultur in Spanien''.
* Newroz films article
* MuslimHeritage.com article.
* African music pieces, by Elijah Wald
* Flight of the Blackbird, Saudi Aramco World
* The Cultural Icon of al-Andalus at Lost Islamic History
*