Al-Hiti
Encyclopedia
David al-Hiti is the nickname of a Karaite Jewish chronicle
r who flourished (probably in Egypt
) in the first half of the fifteenth century CE. He was a native of Hīt, Iraq (whence his surname), on the Euphrates River about thirty leagues to the west of Baghdad
. He is supposed by Margoliouth to be identical with David ben Sa'adel ben Joseph, the writer of a manuscript (dated 811 A.H. = 1408-09) quoted by Pinsker (Liḳḳuṭe Ḳadmoniyyot, p. 64). Margoliouth further assumes that al-Hiti was a son of Joshua ibn Sa'adel ibn al-Hiti, who is cited by Solomon ben Jeroham
, the adversary of Saadia Gaon
. Al-Hiti was the author of a chronicle in which he registered all the Karaite scholars and their works down to Israel al-Maghrabi. Although the author was misled in some important points, his work furnishes valuable information concerning well-known Karaite scholars, and mentions a great number of previously unknown names. Al-Hiti's chronicle was published by Margoliouth from a Cairo Genizah fragment (J. Q. R. ix.429).
Chronicle
Generally a chronicle is a historical account of facts and events ranged in chronological order, as in a time line. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and local events, the purpose being the recording of events that occurred, seen from the perspective of the...
r who flourished (probably in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
) in the first half of the fifteenth century CE. He was a native of Hīt, Iraq (whence his surname), on the Euphrates River about thirty leagues to the west of Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
. He is supposed by Margoliouth to be identical with David ben Sa'adel ben Joseph, the writer of a manuscript (dated 811 A.H. = 1408-09) quoted by Pinsker (Liḳḳuṭe Ḳadmoniyyot, p. 64). Margoliouth further assumes that al-Hiti was a son of Joshua ibn Sa'adel ibn al-Hiti, who is cited by Solomon ben Jeroham
Solomon ben Jeroham
Solomon ben Jeroham, in Arabic Sulaym ibn Ruhaym, was a Karaite exegete and controversialist who flourished at Jerusalem between 940 and 960. He was considered one of the greatest authorities among the Karaites, by whom he is called "the Wise" , and who mention him after Benjamin Nahawendi in their...
, the adversary of Saadia Gaon
Saadia Gaon
Saʻadiah ben Yosef Gaon was a prominent rabbi, Jewish philosopher, and exegete of the Geonic period.The first important rabbinic figure to write extensively in Arabic, he is considered the founder of Judeo-Arabic literature...
. Al-Hiti was the author of a chronicle in which he registered all the Karaite scholars and their works down to Israel al-Maghrabi. Although the author was misled in some important points, his work furnishes valuable information concerning well-known Karaite scholars, and mentions a great number of previously unknown names. Al-Hiti's chronicle was published by Margoliouth from a Cairo Genizah fragment (J. Q. R. ix.429).
Resources
- Gottheil, Richard and Isaac Broydé. "Hiti, al-". Jewish EncyclopediaJewish EncyclopediaThe Jewish Encyclopedia is an encyclopedia originally published in New York between 1901 and 1906 by Funk and Wagnalls. It contained over 15,000 articles in 12 volumes on the history and then-current state of Judaism and the Jews as of 1901...
. Funk and Wagnalls, 1901-1906.