Sibawayhi

Abu Bishr Amr ibn Uthman ibn Qanbar al-Basri, known as Sibawayhi (c. 140-180H), was a Persian-origin scholar who wrote al-Kitab (The Book), the foundational work of Arabic grammar and arguably the most important linguistic treatise in Arabic history. A student of al-Khalil ibn Ahmad al-Farahidi, he systematized Arabic grammar with extraordinary precision and depth. Al-Kitab was so comprehensive and authoritative that it became the reference for all subsequent grammarians. He represents the Basri school of grammar, in contrast to the Kufi school led by al-Kisa'i.