After his father’s passing he succeeded him as lecturer in the Shāfiʿī Dome, at the Shrine of al-Ḥusayn, and as shaykh of the Saʿīdiyyah hospice. He was a man of dignity, majesty, learning, and decorum. He was present at the death of Sultan al-Kāmil, and it was he who took the initiative in handing Damascus over to al-Jawād. In return, al-Jawād rewarded him richly with jewels and gold.

He then travelled to Egypt, where al-ʿĀdil Abū Bakr reproached him. He replied, “I shall return to Damascus and send al-Jawād to you; if he refuses, I will appoint a deputy there on your behalf.”

On reaching Damascus, al-Jawād came out to meet him, humbled himself, and allowed him to take up residence in the Citadel, from which he governed, declaring, “I am the deputy of the ruler of Egypt.” He then said to al-Jawād, “Travel to Egypt.” Al-Jawād felt aggrieved and conceived malice toward him, while al-ʿImād had arrived ill, carried in a litter. Al-Jawād said, “Appoint me your deputy, or else I shall surrender Damascus to Najm al-Dīn Ayyūb and take Sinjār from him.”

Al-ʿImād answered, “If you do that you will merely reconcile the two brothers and you will be left with nothing.”

Saʿd al-Dīn ibn Ḥammūyah relates: “We left Egypt, and al-ʿImād bade his brothers farewell. Fakhr al-Dīn said to him, ‘Your setting out is unwise; al-Jawād may harm you.’ Al-ʿImād replied, ‘I was the one who enthroned him.’ Fakhr al-Dīn said, ‘You left him an amīr and now return to him as king; how could he treat you graciously? Stay in Tiberias and write to him,’ but he would not heed the advice.

“Al-Jawād was then visited by the lord of Ḥimṣ, Asad al-Dīn, who told him, ‘If al-ʿĀdil and his brother come to terms, they will sharpen their blades on us.’

“Asad al-Dīn next came to al-ʿImād and said, ‘The prudent course is to dissuade al-ʿĀdil from this plan.’ Al-ʿImād answered, ‘First let me go to Barzah and perform the prayer of istikhārah.’ Asad al-Dīn retorted, ‘Rather, flee from there to Baʿlabakk.’ Al-ʿImād became angry and sent Asad al-Dīn back to his own territory.

“Al-Jawād then sent word: ‘If you wish, mount up and take a ride for pleasure.’ Thinking this a mark of favour, al-ʿImād put on the robe of honour and dispatched a horse to him. As he rode out, a man appeared holding a petition and cried for help. The chamberlain moved to seize it, but the man said, ‘I have business with the master.’ Al-ʿImād said, ‘Let him approach.’ The man stepped forward, handed him the petition, and struck him with a knife, spilling his entrails; another assailant rushed in and stabbed him with a knife in