Abū'l-Muẓaffar ʿAbd al-Wadūd b. Maḥmūd b. Mubārak b. ʿAlī b. Mubārak b. Ḥasan. Originally from Wasit. He was born and raised in Baghdad. He also had a house in Baghdad. His real name was Kamāl al-Dīn. His father was known by the name Majīd. He received lessons in fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) from his father. He studied ʿilm al-kalām (theology). He taught at the madrasa in Bab al-ʿAzīz. The caliph Nāṣir assigned him the responsibility of managing this madrasa. He became renowned for his piety and trustworthy character. He was appointed to high offices. He performed the ḥajj pilgrimage many times. He was a humble and well-mannered person. He used to say:
“The sixty-six times I performed ḥajj gave me nothing. Only one ḥajj of ours exists, and that is not to make our desire and nafs (the lower self) our mount.”
This poem was also his:
“Knowledge comes to humble people.
It does not approach those who see themselves as great, the proud. Knowledge is like water. It flows downward. It never rises upward like water.”