Isḥāq al-Mawṣilī

Isḥāq al-Mawṣilī was a prominent Persian musician, singer, composer, and virtuoso lutenist during the Abbasid caliphate in the 8th century. He was a key figure in the development of classical Islamic music and is credited with authoring nearly 40 lost works on music.1

Al-Mawṣilī is recognized for originating the earliest Islamic theory of melodic modes, known as aṣbiʿ ("fingers"), which structured modes based on the frets of the lute and corresponding fingers. He also introduced the neutral third interval into Islamic music, expanding the number of melodic modes. Al-Mawṣilī, along with his father Ibrāhīm al-Mawṣilī, actively participated in the debate between the modernist Persian style and Arabian classicism. His pupil, Ziryāb, later emigrated to Spain and became a significant figure in the development of Andalusian music.12