Jaʿfar, who had been chamberlain to ʿAḍud al-Dawla.

Abū ʿAlī later served Bahāʾ al-Dawla (1), who appointed him his deputy over Iraq. He entered Baghdad in 396 AH while rebellion was aflame. With flawless governance he pacified the province: he rooted out the brigands (ḥarāmiyya), putting many of them to death, abolished the Ashura mourning assemblies, and ordered one of his mamlūks to walk through the quarters of Baghdad carrying a china tray filled with gold dinars upon his hand. The slave complied, and no one accosted him—neither by night nor by day.

A Christian merchant from Egypt died, leaving a large fortune. Abū ʿAlī commanded that the money be guarded until the heirs arrived from Egypt, whereupon it was delivered to them intact.

Despite the awe he inspired, he was noted for justice and fairness. He governed Iraq for nine years and a few months.

Concerning him al-Babbaghāʾ said:

“I asked my age, ‘From whom shall I seek relief?’
It replied, ‘Seek relief from ʿAmīd al-Juyūsh.’” (2)
— and the poem continues.

He died in 401 AH, and after him Fakhr al-Mulk (3) assumed the post.

138 – al-Ḥalīmī, al-Ḥusayn ibn al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad ibn Ḥalīm *
The judge, eminent scholar, and leading authority among the hadith experts and theologians of the region beyond the River, Abū