The two literati, Abu Nasr Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Karam al-Hilli and his brother Hasan ibn Yahya ibn Karam al-Hilli

Abstract

The name of Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Karam appeared in the authorization granted by Al-Allamah Al-Hilli to the Bani Zahra, as well as in numerous authorizations from other Shiite scholars. His name also appeared in the transmission chain of several literary, grammatical, and linguistic works. He was a respected teacher of Sadiq al-Din Yusuf ibn Ali ibn al-Mutahhar al-Hilli and Yahya ibn Saeed al-Hilli. However, only a short treatise on the explanation of "Lamiyat al-Arab" remains of his writings. Brief information has been transmitted about another individual named Hasan ibn Yahya ibn Karam, apparently his brother. Hasan's interests were focused on writing, editing, and conducting interviews. His mention of the book "Islah al-Mantiq" indicates that he was a virtuous person and a literatus, similar to his brother. A valuable manuscript of this book remains, which the two brothers had heard from Abu al-Fath al-Manda'i and read upon him. One of the benefits of this manuscript is its inclusion of several eloquent expressions in the handwriting of the Shia scholar, Fakhr al-Din Muhammad ibn Mawdud al-Musawi.