Ibn al-Qifṭı̄’s Statement Regarding Maimonides’ Early Study of Science

Ibn al-Qifṭı̄’s biographical dictionary contains a short biography of Maimonides, and the biography includes a passage concerning Maimonides’ early study of science. Casiri, Derenburg, Steinschneider, and, most recently, Stroumsa read the passage as stating that Maimonides wrote a work on logic before he left Spain, and the latter three understood the work in question to be the Treatise on Logic. The article shows that the Qifṭı̄ passage says nothing about a book. The article offers the most likely translation of the passage and points out its implication for Maimonides’ early scientific interests.