Abu'L Aswad Ad-Duwali (603–688)

Arab scholar

The scholar and innovative grammarian Abu'l Aswad ad-Duwali lived in Basra, Iraq, and for a short period may have been city governor, under the caliphate of 'Ali. In later life, Abu'l Aswad suffered paralysis and could hardly walk, yet insisted on going to market in person, though he was wealthy. An acquaintance remarked that there was no reason to put himself to this trouble, so Abu'l Aswad explained why he would continue to appear in public as long as he could: “I go in and out, and the eunuch says: ‘He is coming,’ and the boy says: ‘He is coming,’ whereas, were I to continue sitting in the house, the sheep might urine upon me without anyone preventing them” (Ibn Khallikan's Biographical Dictionary, 1842–1871). Another reason was that Abu'l Aswad had lost all real influence after the murder of his patron 'Ali, but in public he was still recognized as a man who had been of some consequence.