to me, during the whole time the Franks were encamped before Damietta, one million Egyptian dinars, besides garments and other gifts.”

It was also said that al-Mustanjid combined justice with gentleness and abolished many unlawful taxes.

Ibn al-Najjar states: “He was described as possessing penetrating understanding, sound judgment, superior intelligence, and manifest merit. He composed both poetry and prose and knew how to use the astrolabe.”

He died on 8 Rabiʿ II 566 AH, and his son al-Mustadiʾ succeeded him.

I say: When the ruler has a sound intellect and firm religion, the affairs of the realm prosper. If his intellect is weak yet his piety solid, his faith will oblige him to consult people of resolve, so his affairs are set straight and matters proceed. If his religion is lacking but his judgment noble, the land and its folk will suffer under him; yet the nobility of his judgment may still lead him to improve his dominion and subjects for worldly benefit, not out of fear of Allah. Should his judgment be deficient and his religion and intellect both weak, corruption multiplies, the subjects are lost, and they suffer through him—unless he possesses courage and inspires awe in people’s hearts, in which case the situation is somewhat mended. But if he is cowardly, has little religion, lacks judgment, and is prone to oppression, he exposes himself to swift ruin; he may well be deposed and imprisoned, if not killed. The world will slip from his grasp, his sins will engulf him, and—by Allah—he will regret it when regret is of no avail.

Today we despair of finding an imam who is upright in every respect. If Allah grants the community a ruler with many virtues and only few faults, who will secure him for us? O Allah, set aright the shepherd and the flock, have mercy on Your servants, guide them, strengthen their rule, and aid them with Your enabling grace.