and his son had died before him, a year earlier—ʿAbd Allah, the heir-apparent. He bore the loss with patience, and Egypt shut down in mourning for him for three days. They escorted the bier without turbans, wearing instead woollen head-scarves, and al-Muʿizz led them in the most complete and beautiful prayer.

In the year 360 AH a length of cloth was discovered in the marketplace (1) into which the words “al-Muʿizz li-Dīn Allāh, bism Allāh al-Raḥmān al-Raḥīm” had been woven. The weaver (2) was brought before Jawhar; Jawhar disavowed any share in the matter, had the man crucified, and then released him.

The market inspector seized seven hundred dinars from the millers, but Jawhar censured him and returned the gold to them.

A sack (3) of flour was selling for nineteen dinars; the price then collapsed in the year 360 AH, and the dearth had already lasted four years.

Jawhar had nine hundred and forty soldiers, together with al-Ikhshīd, arrested all at once and put in irons (4). The Qarmatians rose up against him, seized much of Syria, and marched until they reached Egypt; Jawhar fought them, and frightful events ensued (5).

In 361 AH Ibn Ḥanzābah was dismissed from the vizierate and publicly humiliated (6).

A pitched engagement then took place between Jawhar and the Qarmatians outside Cairo, and multitudes were slain,