The classification of works in grammar and commentary on the book *Alfiyyat Ibn Malik* and a biography of its author

The Shaykh : The scholars began to write in this field, producing works both small and large, in verse and in prose. The people divided into two groups: the Basrans, whose leader was Sibawayhi, and the Kufans, whose leader was al-Kisa'i. These two groups became like two racing horses. You know that when any field enters such a contest, it must grow rapidly and strongly. Therefore, books on grammar and the exchange of arguments in grammar became numerous, and they composed many things in this discipline. It became customary for one person to follow these imams and another to follow those.
Among the best of these intermediate books is this *Alfiyyah*, which we are beginning today, if Allah wills. This *Alfiyyah* is concise, comprehensive, smooth, and easy to memorize. Therefore, it is, if Allah wills, among the best selected in this field. The author is Muhammad ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Malik, born in Andalusia but residing in Damascus, where he died, may Allah have mercy on him. This man was a scholar of grammar, considered one of the imams of grammar. He was, may Allah have mercy on him, a lover of knowledge and its dissemination, but as was said of him, he was not successful with his students. Glory be to Allah, only a few learned from him. He would go out to his door and say: "O people, whoever wants to learn grammar, let him come." But the people did not learn from him except a little. However, if it were not for al-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, who was one of his students, it would have been different; it is even said that he is the one intended by the phrase in the *Alfiyyah*: "and a man of the noble ones among us" "and a man of the noble ones among us." And Allah knows best whether this is true or not.