and Abū al-ʿAbbās captured a band of Bedouins and others who had been supplying the Zanj with food, and he put them to death. He likewise seized Bahbūdh ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb and killed him. This was counted among the greatest triumphs for the Muslims and the severest disasters for the Zanj—praise be to Allah.
ʿAmr ibn al-Layth sent to Abū Aḥmad al-Muwaffaq three hundred thousand dinars, fifty mann (1) of musk, fifty mann of ambergris, two hundred mann of aloeswood, silver worth one hundred thousand dinars, brocade garments, and a very large number of slave-boys (2).
The Byzantine king known as Ibn al-Ṣaqlabiyya advanced and besieged the people of Malatya. The inhabitants of Marʿash (3) came to their aid, whereupon the villain fled in disgrace.
During the summer expedition from the frontier zone (4), the commander appointed by Ibn Ṭūlūn raided and killed seventeen thousand of the Byzantines (5).
That year the pilgrimage was led by Hārūn ibn Muḥammad al-Hāshimī.
Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Khujistānī was killed (6).
[Among the notable deaths of the year were:] Aḥmad ibn Sayyār (7); Aḥmad ibn Shaybān (8); and Aḥmad ibn Yūnus al-Ḍabbī (9).
(1) mann (a weight measure): equal to two Baghdadi ratls, approximately 816 grams.
(2) Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 9, p. 606.
(3) In Tarikh al-Tabari: “Ahl Marash and al-Hadath.”
(4) In Tarikh al-Tabari: “al-thughur al-shamiya” (the Syrian frontier districts).
(5) In Tarikh al-Tabari: “thirteen.”
(6) He was killed by his own servant in Dhu al-Hijjah, as noted in Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 9, p. 612.
(7) Ahmad ibn Siyyar ibn Ayyub ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Marwazi (Abu al-Hasan): an eminent muhaddith in his hometown in knowledge, literature, asceticism, and piety, often compared to Abd Allah ibn al-Mubarak. He was among the first to introduce Shafi'i fiqh into Khurasan, having studied under al-Rabi' and others. References: Tahdhib al-Kamal, vol. 1, p. 323; Siyar A'lam al-Nubala', vol. 12, p. 609; Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 1, p. 35.
(8) Ahmad ibn Shayban ibn al-Walid ibn Hiyyan (Abu Abd al-Mu'min al-Ramli): a major and reliable muhaddith authenticated by al-Hakim. Reference: Siyar A'lam al-Nubala', vol. 12, p. 346.
(9) Ahmad ibn Yunus ibn al-Musayyib ibn Zuhayr ibn Amr (Abu al-Abbas al-Dhabi al-Kufi): an exemplary muhaddith. He died in Isfahan and was among its foremost musnid narrators. Reference: Siyar A'lam al-Nubala', vol. 12, p. 595.