Ibn al-Imad al-Hanbali

Abu al-Falah Abd al-Hayy ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Imad al-Hanbali ad-Dimashqi (1032-1089 AH / 1623-1679 CE) was a Hanbali scholar from Damascus known primarily for his major biographical and historical encyclopedia. Born in Damascus, he studied under local scholars and became a respected figure in the city's scholarly community.

His major work is Shadharat adh-Dhahab fi Akhbar man Dhahab (Flakes of Gold: Reports of Those Who Have Passed Away), a comprehensive Islamic biographical dictionary organized by year of death, covering figures from the beginning of Islamic history through his own era. This massive multi-volume work provides death notices and biographical information for scholars, rulers, and other important figures across Islamic history, making it one of the most consulted general historical references in Arabic Islamic biographical literature.

Shadharat adh-Dhahab draws on numerous earlier historical and biographical works, synthesizing information from a vast range of sources. It is particularly valuable for the later periods of Islamic history, from the 10th century AH onward, where the sources it drew upon are less readily available. It has been used by historians and scholars for centuries as a reference for basic biographical information.

Ibn al-Imad also authored other works on history and Islamic sciences. He passed away in Istanbul in 1089 AH, where he had traveled. His Shadharat adh-Dhahab is his enduring contribution — a comprehensive reference that has served Islamic scholars and historians for over three centuries.