past him while Ibn al-Mubārak was seated in the gathering, and he was one of the most handsome young men in appearance (1). Ibn al-Mubārak asked about him, and it was said, “He is a Christian.” So he prayed, “O Allah, grant him Islam,” and his supplication was answered (2).

Abū al-ʿAbbās al-Sarrāj said: Ḥasan ibn ʿĪsā, the client of ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Mubārak—and he was a man of sound judgement—narrated to us: “In his teaching circle at Bāb al-Ṭāq (3), twelve thousand inkwells were counted (4).”

He died at al-Thaʿlabiyyah (5) on his return from Mecca, in 239 AH.
Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Bakr said: He died in 240 AH.

Al-Ḥākim said: I heard the two sons of al-Muʾammal ibn al-Ḥasan say, “Our grandfather spent three hundred thousand (6) during the pilgrimage in which he died.”

Al-Ḥākim added: I performed the ḥajj with the two sons of al-Muʾammal, and we visited their grandfather’s grave at al-Thaʿlabiyyah. I read on his gravestone: “Whoever leaves his home, emigrating for Allah and His Messenger, and death then overtakes him, his reward is guaranteed by Allah” (Qur’an 4:100).