Some have reported that, after Kāfūr’s death, Ibn Hinzabah served as vizier to the ruler Abū al-Fawāris Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī ibn al-Ikhshīdh. He arrested several leading officials, seized their assets, and likewise confiscated the property of the former vizier Yaʿqūb ibn Killis, taking from him 4,000 dinars. Yaʿqūb fled to the Maghrib, secured patronage there, and his standing rose greatly.

Later Ibn Hinzabah was unable to satisfy the Ikhshidid household, and affairs became turbulent. He went into hiding twice, and his house was plundered. Then al-Ḥasan ibn ʿUbayd Allah ibn Ṭughj, the governor of Ramla, arrived, assumed control, confiscated Ibn Hinzabah’s wealth and tortured him. Ibn Hinzabah withdrew to Syria in the year 358 AH and then returned. (1)

Al-Ḥasan ibn Aḥmad al-Sabīʿī said: “The vizier Jaʿfar ibn al-Faḍl came to us in Aleppo. The people went out to welcome him, and I was among them. When he learned that I was a ḥadith scholar he asked, ‘Do you know a chain of transmission that includes four Companions?’ I replied, ‘Yes: the ḥadith of al-Sāʾib ibn Yazīd, from Ḥuwayṭib, from ʿAbd Allah ibn al-Saʿdī, from ʿUmar—may Allah be pleased with him—regarding remuneration for officials.’ (2) He acknowledged this and I gained favour with him.”

It was said that the vizier kept several professional copyists, and that he used paper manufactured in Samarqand which was shipped to him.

I say: Ibn Hinzabah, together with a number of prominent men, wrote to the commander Jawhar seeking a guarantee of safety. Jawhar granted them amnesty, entered the capital with great pomp, and once again installed Ibn Hinzabah as vizier.

ʿAbd Allah ibn Yūsuf said: “I was with Ibn al-Muhallabī in Egypt, and he told me: ‘I was present at the residence of the vizier Ibn Killis when Abū al-ʿAbbās, the son of the vizier Abū al-Faḍl ibn Hinzabah—whose daughter Ibn Killis had married—entered. He said to him, “My master, I am not more distinguished than …”’