and jurists flocked to him; he honoured them, bestowed gifts upon them, and not a single rash word was ever heard from him. He used to say, “My creed in the fundamentals is that which al-Tahawi (1) has set down.” He instructed that no structure be raised over his grave, and when illness overtook him he declared, “In the affair of Damietta I possess something by which I hope for mercy.” (2)

Ibn Wasil (3) writes: “His troops numbered 3,000 horsemen of exquisite appearance. With them he held his own against his brothers, and al-Kamil feared him, even though in his lands the Friday sermon was delivered in al-Kamil’s name and coins were struck for him. Most of the time he rode without an escort, wearing a yellow skull-cap with no turban (4). He would sometimes walk among the common folk, until his conduct became proverbial: whenever someone acted without affectation people would say, ‘That is in the Muʿaẓẓam’s manner.’ (5)”

For a period he attended al-Hasiri’s lessons in jurisprudence until he became qualified to issue legal opinions.

He died on the last day of Dhu al-Qaʿda in 624 AH. At his death he held Damascus, al-Karak and other territories, and after him the oath of allegiance was sworn to his son al-Nasir Dawud.

84 – al-Ashraf Abū al-Fatḥ Musa Shah Arman ibn al-ʿAdil

Lord of Damascus, the sultan, King al-Ashraf, Muẓaffar al-Din, Abū al-Fatḥ Musa Shah Arman ibn al-ʿAdil.