Then Ibn Jarir (1) said: “[And in this same year there died] Qurra ibn Sharik al-ʿAbsi (2), the governor and ruler of Egypt.”

I say: He was Qurra ibn Sharik, governor of Egypt on behalf of al-Walid; [he is the one who built the Fayyum Mosque] (3).

During that year the pilgrimage was led by Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn ʿAmr ibn Hazm, who was also the governor of Madinah. Mecca, meanwhile, was under the authority of ʿAbd al-ʿAziz ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Khalid ibn Asid. Over Iraq’s military affairs and congregational prayers was Yazid ibn al-Muhallab, while its land-tax was overseen by Salih ibn ʿAbd al-Rahman. Acting as Yazid ibn al-Muhallab’s deputy in Basra was Sufyan ibn ʿAbd Allah al-Kindi, and its judge was ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn Udhaynah. The bench of Kufa was held by Abu Bakr ibn Abi Musa, and command of the forces in Khurasan belonged to Wakiʿ ibn Abi Sud. Allah—glorified and exalted is He—knows best.

[Then the year 97 AH began.]

In that year Sulayman ibn ʿAbd al-Malik dispatched the armies to Constantinople, and he placed his son Dawud in charge of the summer campaign, during which Dawud captured the Fortress of the Woman.

Al-Waqidi said: That same year Maslamah ibn ʿAbd al-Malik campaigned in the land of al-Wadāḥiyyah and seized the fortress that al-Waddāḥ, lord of al-Wadāḥiyyah, had built (4).