Al-Ustadh Abū al-Futūḥ Barjawān (1) was the overseer of state affairs in Egypt during the reign of al-Ḥākim, and the Lane of Barjawān in al-Muʿizzi Cairo is named after him. He had first been one of the ghilmān (military pages) of al-ʿAzīz ibn al-Muʿizz; under al-Ḥākim his authority became absolute and he was widely obeyed throughout the realm. Later al-Ḥākim ordered that he be put to death inside the palace. Emir Raydān—after whom the Raydāniyya quarter outside Bāb al-Futūḥ is named—stabbed him in the abdomen with a knife and killed him. He left behind an immense quantity of furnishings and garments; among them, Ibn Khallikān (2) relates, were one thousand Dībīqī trousers, each with a thousand silk drawstrings. Al-Ḥākim (3) subsequently appointed Emir Ḥusayn ibn the commander Jawhar to the post in his place.
Al-Jarīrī, better known as Ibn Ṭarārā (4): His full name was al-Muʿafā ibn Zakariyyā ibn Yaḥyā ibn Ḥumayd ibn Ḥammād ibn Dāʾūd, Abū al-Faraj al-Nahrawānī the judge—so called because he served as a deputy on the bench. He was called Ibn Ṭarārā (5) al-Jarīrī because he had studied under Ibn Jarīr al-Ṭabarī and followed him in (6) his legal school, and thus he was ascribed to him (7).
He heard ḥadith (8) from al-Baghawī, Ibn Ṣāʿid, and many others, and a number of scholars transmitted from him. He was trustworthy, erudite, virtuous, refined in manners, and versatile in the various sciences. He authored numerous works, including his book entitled al-Jalīs wa-l-Anīs (The Companion and the Intimate), which contains a wealth of valuable material. Shaykh Abū Muḥammad al-Bāfī (9), one of the leading Shāfiʿīs, used to say: “When al-Muʿafā is present, all the sciences are present; and if someone were to bequeath one-third of his estate to the most learned of people, it ought rightly to be given to him.”
Another scholar recounted: A group of learned men gathered in the house of a notable, and al-Muʿafā was among them. They said, “Come, let us discuss some branch of knowledge.” Al-Muʿafā said to the host—who owned many books in an enormous library—“Instruct your servant (10) to bring a book from these shelves, any book whatsoever, and we shall discuss it.” Those present were amazed at such mastery and breadth of learning.