Abū Naṣr b. Avraham

Description / Bio

Trader based in Alexandria. Brother of Hilāl b. Avraham. He dealt in local textiles and corals. All extant letters pertaining to him come from a relatively short span of time (ca. 1134–1141). In 1134 CE, Abū Naṣr traveled to Yemen as a novice to the India trade. Abū Zikrī Kohen, representative of merchants in Fusṭāṭ, requested that Ḥalfon b. Netanʾel help Abū Naṣr with his business. Another letter from Abū Naṣr is sent from Dahlak, but it is unclear if this letter is from 1134 CE or a different trip to Yemen. By 1140, that introduction had borne fruit. Abū Naṣr now corresponded independently with Ḥalfon, and served as the latter's representative in Alexandria. Abū Naṣr was a friend of R. Yehuda ha-Levi and reports on the latter's visits to Egypt in 1137 and 1140–41 (shortly before Yehuda ha-Levi's death). In a string of letters to Ḥalfon, Abū Naṣr provides details of Yehuda ha-Levi's visit and requests favors from Ḥalfon on behalf of the poet. IB V,2 (PGPID 9058): Abū Zikrī advises Ḥalfon to help Abū Naṣr in Aden ca. 1134. IB V,14 (PGPID 9167): Abū Naṣr sends silver coins from Alexandria for the India trade. IB V,16 (PGPID 8610): Abū Naṣr writes to Abū Zikrī about a shipment of corals. IB V,17 (PGPID 9631): Abū Naṣr reports on dealings with Abū Saʿīd Ibn Ṣaghīr. IB VI,40 (PGPID 5205): Abū Naṣr writes a letter from Dahlak, where he has been waiting 18 days for a favorable wind to travel onward. IB IV,72 (PGPID 2691): Abū Naṣr reports on hard times in Alexandria and inquires about goings-on on the Indian Ocean route. IB IV,73–78: Correspondence with Ḥalfon. The letters provide details of R. Yehuda ha-Levi's visits to Egypt ca. 1140–41.