hiː wʌzɐ bɹˈʌðɚɹ ʌvðə fˈeɪmd dʒˈuːdə bˈɛn nˈɑːmən, ɡˈeɪɑːn æt sˈɜːɹə sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti nˈaɪn sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti tˈuː, ænd wɪð hˌɪm wʌz ˌɪnstɹəmˈɛntəl ɪn pɹɪvˈɛntɪŋ ðɪ ᵻvˈɛntʃuːəl fˈaʊndɚɹ ʌv kˈæɹeɪˌɪzəm, ˈɑːnən bˈɛn dˈeɪvɪd fɹʌm səksˈiːdɪŋ tə ðɪ ɛɡzˈɪlɑːɹtʃˌeɪt mˌeɪd vˈeɪkənt baɪ ðə dˈɛθ ʌv sˈɑːlɑːmən bˈɛn hˈæsdaɪ ænd ˈaɪsək ˈɪskɔɪ bˈɛn sˈɑːlɑːmən, ˈɑːnənz kˈɪnzmɛn.
He was a brother of the famed Judah ben Nahman, gaon at Sura (759–762), and with him was instrumental in preventing the eventual founder of Karaism, Anan ben David from succeeding to the exilarchate made vacant by the death of Solomon ben Hasdai and Isaac Iskoy ben Solomon, Anan's kinsmen.