Abu al-Qasim Mahmud ibn Umar al-Zamakhshari was born in the village of Zamakhshar in Khwarazm in 1075 CE, and traveled to Baghdad and Mecca in pursuit of knowledge, earning the epithet 'Jar Allah' ('Neighbor of God') for his long residence in Mecca.
Al-Zamakhshari excelled in language, rhetoric, and grammar, compiling his lexicon 'Asas al-Balagha', before crowning his scholarly career with his commentary 'al-Kashshaf 'an Haqa'iq al-Tanzil', which analyzed the rhetorical and linguistic inimitability of the Qur'an with unprecedented depth.
Legacy
Despite his Mu'tazili theological leanings, which colored certain passages of his commentary, 'al-Kashshaf' remained an essential reference in rhetoric and exegesis, studied even by Sunni scholars for its linguistic precision. Al-Zamakhshari died in 1144 CE after a rich scholarly career.
