al-Qudūrī and Abū ʿAlī b. Hamakān (1).

A letter then reached the Caliph from Maḥmūd stating that he had attacked the unbelievers—an immense host that fielded six hundred elephants—and that he had been granted victory over them (2).

In 403 AH the Iraqi caravan was plundered and only a few survived; it is said that fifteen thousand perished. The event is known as the Battle of al-Farʿāʾ.

Ibn Mazyad (3) set out, caught up with the marauders in the open desert, killed great numbers of them, and captured fourteen of their leading men, who were put to death in Baghdad (4).

Ibn Subuktakīn wrote to al-Qādir informing him that a missionary from al-Ḥākim had arrived inviting him to submit to al-Ḥākim; he tore the letter to pieces and spat upon it (5).

Around the same time Ilek Khān, ruler of Transoxiana—who had wrested the land from the Samanids some thirteen years earlier—died. He had been a formidable tyrant, severe in his oppression.

Wars had already broken out between him and Ṭughān, king of the Turks, so his brother Ṭughān inherited the realm (6). Ibn Subuktakīn lent him support, whereupon the armies of China advanced against Ṭughān with more than one hundred thousand tents (7). Ṭughān stood his ground, and God granted him victory (8).