The Letters of Abu 'l-Ala of Ma'arrat, edited from the Leyden Manuscript with the life of the author by al-Dhahabi and with translation, notes, indices and biography by D.S Margoliouth, MA. Abu al-'Ala al-Ma'arri (363/973 - 449/1057) was a blind Arab philosopher, poet, and writer from modern day Syria.