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Ishaq al-Mawsili (; 767/772 – March 850) was an Arab musician of Persians origin active as a composer, singer and Music theory. The leading musician of his time in the Abbasid Caliphate, he served under six successive Abbasid caliphs: Harun al-Rashid, Al-Amin, Al-Ma'mun, Al-Mu'tasim, Al-Wathiq and Al-Mutawakkil. The caliphs and Abbasid court held him in high regard, and his diverse intellect elevated him to a social status that was highly unusual for musicians of the time.
Taught by his renowned father Ibrahim al-Mawsili, the singer Atika bint Shuhda and the noted lutenist Zalzal, he succeeded his father in leading the conservative musical establishment. This put him at odds with progressive musicians such as Ibrahim ibn al-Mahdi and Ziryab, whose style later dominated in popularity. He has appeared in the Maqamat of Al-Hariri of Basra and One Thousand and One Nights. His creation of a comprehensive Music theory for Arab music, without Ancient Greek influence, would retain relevance into at least the 14th century, when it was championed by Ibn Kurr.
The success of his father allowed Ishaq to be raised "among the cultured elite", being given a comprehensive education in both music and the Islamic sciences. His teachers included the noted literary scholars Abu Ubaidah and Al-Asmaʿi. Ishaq attended a high level of skill in poetry, primarily using traditional styles. He was "known for his scholarly prowess", particularly his knowledge of philology and jurisprudence ( fiqh). The caliph Al-Ma'mun would later permit him to attend court sessions with literary and legal scholars, rather than musicians, in light of his intellect. Al-Ma'mun would also remark that he would have, in the words of Wright, "appointed him qadi a had he not already been known as a musician". Ishaq's importance, however, lies chiefly with his musical contributions. His principal teachers were his father Ibrahim and the noted Zalzal, who was a student of his father. Ishaq would later declare that Zalzal to be the most outstanding lutenist of his time. The singer Atika bint Shuhda was also his teacher, and purportedly taught Ishaq one or two pieces each day for seven years.
Like his father Ibrahim al-Mawsili, Ishaq al-Mawsili led a conservative musical faction, upholding the classical Arab traditions of Hejaz. This put him in opposition with the progressive musical ideology led by Ibrahim ibn al-Mahdi, who was joined by Ziryab, a pupil of Ibrahim al-Mawsili. An Abbasid Prince, Ibrahim was "portrayed as a champion of greater freedom of expression" and noted for his musical innovations which often employed Persian aesthetics. Both musicians supposedly had a lengthy correspondence, recorded by al-Isfahani. Contemporary sources frequently comment on the rivalry between Ishaq and Ibrahim and agree on Ishaq's musical preeminence, particularly as an instrumentalist and composer. Ishaq was celebrated for his technique, command of repertoire and musical ear, and according to al-Isfahani he once purposefully played an out of tune oud to show up Ibrahim. Contemporary sources relay that Ishaq had an unattractive singing voice, and in this he was surpassed by Ibrahim ibn al-Mahdi, who was famous for his tone and vocal range of four . To make up for his poor natural voice, Ishaq may have sung in falsetto, a technique that commentators such as al-Isfahani credit him with introducing. Despite Ishaq's greater renown, Rowson notes that "it seems clear that the future lay with Ibrahim"; Ishaq's colleagues Allawayh al-Asar (Alluyah) and Mukhariq eventually joined Ibrahim's faction.
By the time of Al-Wathiq () Ishaq had ceased music composition, though he was still active as a performer. In his later years he gradually became blind and died in Baghdad on March 850 (235 AH). Some of his descendents were musicians, including Hammad ibn Ishaq al-Mawsili and Ahmad ibn Muhammed ibn Ismail ibn Ibrahim al-Mawsili, both great-grandsons of Ibrahim al-Mawsili.
Ishaq is credited with creating a theoretical system for Arab music, with—according to Neubauer—no knowledge of theory behind Ancient Greek music. His writings purportedly included around 40 books on music, though none have survived. Among these was the Kitab al-aghani al-kabir ( Great Book of Songs) which became the primary source for Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani's Kitab al-Aghani. Al-Isfahani, along with the scholar Abu l-Hasan ibn al-Munajjim discussed Ishaq's theoretical system in their works.
He is featured prominently in the music treatise of Ibn al-Tahhan (), Hawi al-funun wa-salwat al-mahzun ( Compendium of the arts to comfort sad hearts), and far more than many of al-Tahhan's contemporaneous musicians. Ishaq appears in tales from the Maqamat of Al-Hariri of Basra and One Thousand and One Nights.
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