And Aḥmad ibn Naṣr, that eminent leader, was renowned for his asceticism and scrupulous piety. He mingled with the abdāl (the spiritual elect) until he attained the lofty rank in learning, authority, and dignity that he did—yet he left no offspring.

He said: When he had lost all hope of having children, he gave his wealth away in charity—its value, it was said, reached five million dirhams—distributing it among the notable families, the poor, and the mawālī. (1)

He also said: I heard Abū al-Ṭayyib al-Karābīsī relate: I heard Ibn Khuzaymah proclaim publicly on the day Abū ʿAmr al-Khaffāf died, “There was no one in Khurasan who knew hadith better than he.” (2)

He further said: I heard Muḥammad ibn al-Muʾammal ibn al-Ḥasan al-Māsarjisī recount: I heard Abū ʿAmr al-Khaffāf say, “ʿAmr ibn al-Layth al-Ṣaffār—the ruler—used to tell me, ‘Dear uncle! Whenever you see me do something that displeases you, strike off my head until I return to your way.’” (3)

I say: Such, indeed, is how a ruler ought to behave toward the shaykh. ʿAmr ibn al-Layth had once been a coppersmith, yet circumstances carried him to the point where he ruled Khurasan; after him, his brother Yaʿqūb assumed power. Consult The History of Islam and you will find astonishing accounts of the two brothers.

The chief Abū ʿAmr enjoyed immense prestige—he was a master obeyed in his homeland, combining leadership in both religious and worldly spheres. They used to call him “the Adornment of the Nobles.”

He died in Shaʿbān of the year 299 AH, at an age well into his eighties.