and governor of Māh, Kūfa, Dīnawar, and Māsabadhān. He therefore called people to pledge allegiance to him; a great multitude of soldiers and commanders followed him, he collected revenues, his cause swelled, his power grew formidable, and he headed toward Baghdad. Muḥammad ibn Yāqūt, the chief chamberlain, marched out against him with the entire army of Baghdad, and battle was joined. One day Hārūn ibn Gharīb went out in person, hoping by some stratagem to capture Muḥammad ibn Yāqūt, but his horse reared and threw him into a river. A slave of his struck him until he killed him, then took his head and brought it to Muḥammad ibn Yāqūt. Hārūn’s troops fled, while Muḥammad ibn Yāqūt returned to Baghdad with the head of Hārūn ibn Gharīb carried before him on a lance. The people rejoiced at this, and it was a memorable day.

In that same year a man appeared in Baghdad known as Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-Shalmaghānī, also called Ibn Abī al-ʿAzāqir (1). It was reported that he claimed, as al-Ḥallāj had claimed, to possess divinity. He had been arrested in the reign of al-Muqtadir by Ḥāmid ibn al-ʿAbbās, accused of professing metempsychosis, a charge he then denied. When this latest episode occurred al-Rāḍī had him brought in and accused him of what had been said about him. He denied it at first, then admitted to certain matters. Some scholars therefore issued a legal opinion that his blood was lawful unless he repented of this doctrine, but he refused to repent (2). He was given eighty lashes, after which his head was struck off, his body was crucified, and he was grouped with al-Ḥallāj—may Allah disgrace them both.

His companion Ibn Abī ʿAwn (3)—may Allah curse him—was executed with him. This wretch was one of the party that followed and believed him in his unbelief.

Ibn al-Athīr, in his al-Kāmil (4), has set out the doctrine of these unbelievers in a detailed and excellent manner.

Another man in the land of Shāsh claimed prophethood, displaying jugglers’ tricks and many other artifices. The armies were sent against him; they fought him and killed him, whereupon his tale was snuffed out and his movement vanished.

The Death of the Mahdī, ruler of Ifriqiya, the first of the Fatimid caliphs—as they allege

In that same year Abū Muḥammad ʿUbayd Allāh—the man who claimed ʿAlid descent and was styled al-Mahdī, founder of al-Mahdiyya—died in his city al-Mahdiyya at the age of sixty-three. His rule—from the time he entered Raqqāda (5) and laid claim to the imamate—lasted twenty-four years, one month, and twenty days. He was the first of the Fatimid caliphs. A bold and courageous man, he overcame many who opposed, resisted, fought, or antagonized him. After his death the caliphate passed to his son Abū al-Qāsim, surnamed the caliph al-Qāʾim bi-Amr Allāh.