among the Buyids who had preceded him. He was extremely tight-fisted. He died at Arrajan (1) in Jumada al-Akhira of this very year, aged forty-two years, nine months, and twenty days. His reign lasted twenty-four years and three months. He suffered from epilepsy and was buried at the Mashhad of ʿAli beside his father.

Qabus ibn Washmakir (2). The notables of his realm turned against him and pledged allegiance to his son Manuchihr, so they killed the father, as we have mentioned in the chronicle of events. He had consulted the stars and learned that one of his sons would slay him. Imagining it would be his son Dara—because of the latter’s open disobedience—he never suspected Manuchihr, whose compliance he continually witnessed; yet it was Manuchihr who brought about his demise. We have already cited some of Qabus’s fine and elegant poetry in the record of events.

Judge Abu Bakr al-Baqillani (3), Muhammad ibn al-Tayyib, was the leading theologian following the method of the Shaykh (4) Abu al-Hasan ʿAli ibn Ismaʿil al-Ashʿari and one of the most prolific speakers and authors in the field of kalam. It is said that he would not go to sleep on any night until he had written twenty folios, a habit he maintained for many years; thus a large number of his writings became widespread. Among his better works are al-Tabsira (The Enlightenment), Daqaʾiq al-Haqaʾiq (The Subtleties of Realities), al-Tamhid fi Usul al-Fiqh (An Introduction to the Principles of Jurisprudence), his Commentary on al-Ibana, and other compilations both large and small. One of his finest books is his refutation of the Batiniyya, entitled Kashf al-Asrar wa Hatk al-Astar (Unveiling the Secrets and Tearing Away the Veils).

Scholars differed regarding his jurisprudential school: some held that he was Shafiʿi, others said Maliki—this was reported by Abu Dharr al-Harawi. It has even been claimed that he would sign his legal rulings with the words, “Written by Muhammad ibn al-Tayyib the Hanbali,” which is highly unusual. In any case, his intelligence and perceptiveness were exceptional.

Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi (5) and others relate that ʿAḍud al-Dawlah sent him as an envoy to the Byzantine emperor. Upon arriving, he discovered that no one was allowed to enter except through a low doorway; al-Baqillani realized that the emperor intended thereby to force the visitor to bow