<Note>Research Possibilities for Studies on Abū Saʿd ʿAbd al-Karīm al-Samʿānī al-Marwazī

After the Arab conquest in 31/651 and until its destruction by the Mongol invasion in 618/1221, despite the many changes it underwent, the city of Merv remained a cultural center of Khurāsān along with the city of Nishapur. Many 'ulamā' (i. e., Islamic scholars) came from this region. Research on the activities of the 'ulamā' from Merv will enable us to compare these with that of the 'ulamā' of Nishapur on whom much research has been conducted; this will lead to a better understanding of 'ulamā' societies in the large cities of northeast Iran. Little is known about the 'ulamā' of Merv as the book on the local history titled Tarīkh Marw (The History of Merv) no longer exists. It is, however, possible to formulate new approaches for conducting research on them using Arabic works by an 'ālim from Merv, Abū Sa'd 'Abd al-Karīm b. Muḥammad b. Manṣūr al-Tamīmī al-Sam'ānī al-Marwazī (d. 562/1166). He seems to have written more than 50 works, but many of them have been lost, and the manuscripts of only 7 titles are confirmed to currently exist. Using these is a key to advance the research on the 'ulamā' of Merv and Khurāsān. In this context, studies on matters concerning al-Sam'ānī are indispensable as a first step to using his works and as a part of the research on the 'ulamā' of Merv. Munīra Nājī Sālim and Muwaffaq b. 'Abd Allāh b. 'Abd al-Qādir have already provided a detailed biography and history of his family, "Bayt al-Sam'ānī", and C. Brockelmann and R. Sellheim have compiled philological data of his works. Their previous studies should be supplemented by future research. This article therefore reassembles information about al-Sam'ānī, including new findings