Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī (1): Abū ʿAbd Allāh, the Hāshimite khāṭib; [the Damascene—and I believe he is the one after whom the Quarter of the Khāṭib near Bāb al-Ṣaghīr is named—he was] (2) the Friday preacher of Damascus in the Ikhshidid period. He was a young man of handsome face, pleasing appearance, and perfect build. He died suddenly on Friday, the twenty-seventh of Rabīʿ al-Awwal of this year. The deputy of the sultanate attended his funeral, together with crowds beyond counting—may Allah have mercy on him. [Thus did] (2) Ibn ʿAsākir record the event, and he was buried at Bāb al-Ṣaghīr.

Then the year 348 AH began.

In that year a fitna (sectarian strife) erupted between the Rāfiḍah (Shiʿites) and Ahl al-Sunnah, in which many people were killed. A fire broke out at Bāb al-Ṭāq, and a great number of pilgrims from Mosul—about six hundred souls—drowned in the Tigris. Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return.

That same year the Byzantines entered Ṭarsūs and al-Ruḥā (Edessa); they killed, took captives, and carried off spoils, then withdrew unharmed—may Allah curse them.

In that year rainfall was scarce and prices soared. The people performed the rain-seeking prayer but were not granted rain, and in March vast swarms of locusts appeared and devoured whatever vegetables had sprouted. Hardship upon the populace became extreme; whatever Allah wills occurs, and whatever He does not will never happens.

In that year Muʿizz al-Dawlah returned to Baghdad from Mosul, married his daughter to his nephew Muʾayyad al-Dawlah ibn Rukn al-Dawlah (3), and sent her with him to Rayy (4).

[Among the notable figures who died that year] Ibrāhīm ibn Shaybān (5), Abū Isḥāq al-Qirmisīnī, the shaykh of the Sufis in the mountain region. He kept company with Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Maghribī. One of his fine sayings is:

When fear settles in the heart,
It burns away every seat of desire,
And drives out the longing for this world.