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NIFT/AWAYH\
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   Abu/ ëAbd Alla/h Ibra/hi/m Ibn Muh/ammad Ibn ëUrfah Ibn
Sulayma/n Ibn al-Mugh//ayrah Ibn Habib Ibn al-Muhallab Ibn
Abi/ S/ufrah al-Azdi/, surnamed Nift/awayh, the grammarian,
native of Wa/sit/, was a man of learning and talent and author
of some esteemed works on general literature. He was born
at Wa/sit/, A. H. 244 A. D. 858), though some say A. H. 250; he
dwelt at Bagh//da/d where he died on Wednesday, 6th S/afar, about an
hour after sunrise, A. H. 323 (A. D. 935)<f*>; others say, however,
that he and Ibn Muja/hid al-Muqri/<f1> died at Bagh//da/d in the year
324: he was buried the next day at the gate of Ku/fah. Ibn
Kh//a/lawayh remarks that Nift/awayh was the only man among the
learned who was named Ibra/hi/m and surnamed Abu/ ëAbd Alla/h.
The following specimen of his poetry is quoted by Abu/ ëAli/
al-Qa/li/ in his <i>Kita/b al-íAma/li/.<r>\
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   ìMy heart (<i>fixed<r>) on thee, is more tender than thy cheeks;<f2>
my strength less than the power of thine eyes!<f3> Why wilt thou
not pity him whose soul is unjustly tortured, and whom love
inclineth towards thee with affection?î\

<NOTES>
   1 See Freytagís <i>H/ama/sa<r>, p. 540, with the Commentary 
of al-Tabri/zi/.\
   2 This reminds us of Virgilís ìDic quibus in terris, et eris mihi
magnus Apollo.î\
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   *7 December.ó<i>Ed.<r>\
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