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John Baillie
Image: Henry Raeburn; Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

John Baillie

جون بيلي

Notable figure 1772–1833 · Source: Johann Fück, Tarikh harakat al-istishraq (Die arabischen Studien in Europa), trans. ʿUmar Lutfi al-ʿAlim, 2nd ed., Dar al-Madar al-Islami, Beirut 2001, p. ١٣٧ · Second source: Dictionary of National Biography (1885–1900), vol. 2: Baillie, John (1772–1833), by Stanley Lane-Poole; see also University of Edinburgh, Our History: John Baillie of Leys

From the United Kingdom; worked in India

Field: Grammar

Affiliation

Arabic chair, Fort William; The Five Books of grammar (1802)

Biography

A Scot from Inverness, he entered the East India Company's service in 1790 and, when Fort William College opened at Calcutta in 1801, became professor of Arabic, Persian and Islamic law until 1807. From his lectures came Sixty Tables on Arabic grammar (1801), then The Five Books upon Arabic Grammar (1802–1803), comprising Miʾat ʿamil and its commentary, al-Misbah and Hidayat al-nahw. His 165 Arabic and Persian manuscripts went to Edinburgh University.