and the king found in that a kind of relief (1) born of his scant reason and religion—may Allah disgrace him. When the Tatars arrived he turned his attention to them, ordered Qilij to be buried, fled before their faces, and his heart was filled with terror. Whenever he moved from one region they were on his heels (2), ravaging every province and town they passed until they reached al-Jazīra, then crossed it to Sinjar, Mardin, and Āmid, ruining whatever they could through killing, plunder, and captivity (3). The ranks of Jalāl al-Dīn were thus torn apart and his army scattered, so that they became fragments; security was exchanged for fear, honor for humiliation, and unity for dispersion. Glory be to the One in whose hand lies the dominion; there is no god but He. All word of Jalāl al-Dīn then ceased—no one knew which way he had gone or where he had ended up—and the Tatars gained mastery over the people in every land (4). They found none to bar or restrain them, and Allah cast weakness and feebleness into the people’s hearts before them.
They would often kill folk while the Muslim cried, “lā billāh, lā billāh!” (“No, by Allah! No, by Allah!”). Riding about on horseback they would make sport of it (5), singing and mocking the people: “lā billāh, lā billāh!” This was a colossal disaster, an immense calamity. Indeed we belong to Allah and to Him we return.
That same year the people of Syria performed the pilgrimage, and among those who went (6) was Shaykh Taqī al-Dīn Abū ʿAmr (7) Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ. After this year, however, the pilgrimage was not undertaken again because of the many wars and the fear of the Tatars (8) and the Franks. Indeed we belong to Allah and to Him we return.
In the same year: the construction of the madrasa in the Persian Market of Baghdad, attributed to Iqbāl al-Sharābī (9), was completed, and the inaugural lesson was held there. It was a memorable day (10); all the professors and muftis of Baghdad gathered together. Domes of sweetmeats were set up in its courtyard, and portions were carried from there to every madrasa and ribāṭ. Twenty-five (11) jurists were appointed to it, with stipends regularly disbursed every [month and with food provided each] day, sweets on festival days, and fruit in its season. Robes of honor were bestowed on the professor, the assistants, and the jurists that day (12), and it was a fine occasion (13)—may Allah accept it from him.