He narrated from Abu Dawud al-Sijistani, al-Mubarrad, Thalab, Abu al-ʿAynaʾ and others. His repertory of transmission was vast, his memory excellent, and he was highly skilled at compiling books. He produced a great number of impressive works, served as a boon companion to several caliphs, and enjoyed their favour. His grandfather Ṣul and his relatives had been kings in Gurgan, and his sons became leading secretaries. This al-Ṣuli held sound beliefs and a commendable way, and he composed fine poetry. Al-Daraqutni and other foremost hadith scholars transmitted from him.

Among his verses are:
I loved, for his sake, all who resembled him—
for everything that issues from the beloved is beloved.

Until my body came to mirror what lay in his eyes,
as though my sickness had been stolen from his glance.

Al-Ṣuli left Baghdad for Basra on some business that had arisen and died there in this same year.

[The daughter of Abu al-Hasan al-Makki]

(1) In this year the daughter of the ascetic shaykh Abu al-Hasan al-Zahid al-Makki also passed away. She was one of the devout, self-denying women who lived in Mecca. Her only sustenance came from what her father earned weaving palm-frond baskets: each year he would send her thirty dirhams from that work. Once he entrusted the sum to one of his companions, who added twenty dirhams of his own, wishing thereby to honour her and increase her allowance.

When she examined the money she said, “Have you added anything to this amount? Tell me truthfully, by the One for Whom you performed the pilgrimage.”

He replied, “Yes.”

She said, “Then take it back; I have no need of it. Were it not that you intended good I would have invoked harm upon you, for you have made me go hungry this whole year, and I shall have no provision now save what I can gather from the rubbish heaps until the next.”

I said to her, “Will you not at least take the thirty dirhams?”

She answered, “They have become mixed with your money and I can no longer tell which part is mine.”

The man said, “I returned with it to her father, but he refused to accept it and said, ‘You have caused me trouble, man, and you have burdened her. Instead, go and give it away in charity.’ (2)

[Then the year 337 AH began]

In that year Muʿizz al-Dawlah marched from Baghdad to Mosul, whereupon Nasir al-Dawlah fled before him to Nisibis. Muʿizz al-Dawlah ibn Buwayh seized Mosul in Ramadan of that year, dealt harshly with its people, and confiscated their wealth, so that many prayers were raised against him. He then resolved to wrest all the lands from Nasir al-Dawlah ibn Hamdan, but news came from his brother Rukn al-Dawlah calling for help against the Khurasani troops opposing him. Muʿizz al-Dawlah therefore had to make peace with Nasir al-Dawlah on the condition that the latter would hand over the revenues of the Jazira territories under his control.