Early life

Abu Ishaq al-Sahili was born in the Emirate of Granada during the late 13th century.^{[lower-alpha 1]} His father, Muhammad, was trained in jurisprudence and was the head of the perfume guild of Granada.

In Granada, al-Sahili became a drafter of legal documents and did some work on legal problems.^[1] In this time, he became known as a poet and was described in laudatory terms by his contemporary Ibn al-Khatib.

A near-contemporary poet said that he once suffered from temporary madness while under the influence of a badly prepared marking nut and declared himself to be a prophet.^[2] For whatever reason, he left Granada in disgrace. In approximately 1321, he departed al-Andalus and traveled to Mamluke Egypt and Syria, Jalayirid Iraq, and Rasulid Yemen before going on Hajj in 1324.^[1]

Court of Mansa Musa

While on the hajj in 1324, al-Sahili met Mansa Musa, the ruler of Mali. Al-Sahili traveled back to Mali with Mansa Musa, who enjoyed his conversation and gave him gifts.^[3] Musa may have found his eloquence and knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence appealing.^[4] Musa brought many scholars back to Mali with him, of which al-Sahili became the most famous.^[5]

Al-Sahili directed the construction of an audience chamber in the capital of Mali, for which Musa paid him 12,000 mithqals (51 kg) of gold.^[6] Al-Sahili's contribution may have been largely managerial, and the payment may have included the construction budget. However, al-Sahili's calligraphic skills were well-regarded,^[1] and he may have had a personal hand in decorating the building.^[7] On some occasion, possibly as part of the payment for the audience chamber, Musa gave al-Sahili 4,000 mithqals in a single day.

After traveling to Mali, al-Sahili settled in Timbuktu. When the Alexandrian merchant Siraj al-Din traveled to Mali in 1334 to collect a debt owed by Mansa Musa, al-Sahili hosted him in his home.^[8] Siraj al-Din died while a guest of al-Sahili; foul play was initially suspected, but Siraj al-Din's son attested that his father died of natural causes.^[9] Al-Sahili may have encouraged positive relations between Mali and the Marinid Sultanate,^[10] and at some point between 1331 and 1337, al-Sahili traveled to the Maghreb and exchanged gifts with the Marinid sultan Abu al-Hasan. While in the Maghreb, al-Sahili considered returning to Grenada, but circumstances forced him to return to Mali. He was attacked by bandits en route, but eventually returned to Timbuktu.^[10]

Al-Sahili died on October 15, 1346, in Timbuktu, and was buried there.^[11] Though he probably never married, he was survived by several children, who settled in Walata.^[12] The traveler Ibn Battuta remarked on seeing his grave when he visited Timbuktu in 1353.^[9]