Al-Hariri was an 11th century Arabic scholar and government official from Iraq known for his refined prose style and witty tales in his famous work "The Maqāmāt". Through vivid storytelling and demonstrations of linguistic and poetic skill, the tales follow a narrator's encounters with a confidence artist who brings listeners to tears with descriptions then disappears with their gifts. Al-Hariri's work had a large influence through translations, influencing powerful prose writing and helping establish short story traditions in Islamic literature. The details of his death in 1122 are unknown.