I have now enumerated all who took the reins among them up to the accession of al-Qa’im al-Mustaʿṣim.
The first of these was styled al-Saffāḥ (1); after him came al-Manṣūr (2), the man of success (3).
Then after him (4) was al-Mahdī (5); he was followed by Mūsā (6), al-Hādī (7), the Pure.
Next appeared Hārūn al-Rashīd (8); then al-Amīn (9), once he had tasted the bitterness of loss.
When he was slain, al-Maʾmūn (10) rose to power, and after him al-Muʿtaṣim (11), the steadfast.
Al-Wāthiq (12) was installed after al-Muʿtaṣim; then came his brother Jaʿfar (13), faithful to every covenant.
Al-Mutawakkil devoted his intention purely to Allah, Lord of the primordial Throne (14).
In his era innovation was overturned, and the Sunnah stood firm in its appointed time.
(1) Abu al-ʿAbbas ʿAbdallah al-Saffāḥ, son of Muḥammad, assumed the caliphate on 13 Rabiʿ I 132 AH; his reign lasted four years, nine months, and twenty days. Murooj al-Dhahab (vol. 2, p. 199) and Zambaur.
(2) Abu Jaʿfar ʿAbdallah al-Manṣūr, son of Muḥammad, assumed the caliphate on 12 Dhu al-Ḥijjah 136 AH; his reign lasted twenty-two years minus nine days. Murooj al-Dhahab (vol. 2, p. 223) and Zambaur.
(3) Read: Dhu al-Janāḥ.
(4) In manuscripts A and B: “Then came Muḥammad al-Mahdī.”
(5) Abu ʿAbdallah Muḥammad al-Mahdī, son of al-Manṣūr, assumed the caliphate six days before the end of Dhu al-Ḥijjah 158 AH; his reign lasted ten years, one month, and fifteen days. Murooj al-Dhahab (vol. 2, p. 245) and Zambaur.
(6) Mūsā al-Hādī, son of al-Mahdī, assumed the caliphate seven days into Muharram 169 AH; his reign lasted one year and three months. Murooj al-Dhahab (vol. 2, p. 257) and Zambaur.
(7) This is how it appears in the original manuscripts, and one must necessarily supply a final ḍammah on the defective noun to preserve the metre.
(8) Hārūn al-Rashīd assumed the caliphate twelve days into Rabiʿ I 170 AH; his reign lasted twenty-three years and six months, though other sources differ. Murooj al-Dhahab (vol. 2, p. 267) and Zambaur; the latter records the accession as 16 Rabiʿ I.
(9) Muḥammad al-Amīn, son of al-Rashīd, assumed the caliphate four nights before the end of Jumada I 193 AH; his reign lasted four years and six months (others report nine months, or eight months and six days). Murooj al-Dhahab (vol. 2, p. 307) and Zambaur.
(10) ʿAbdallah al-Maʾmūn, son of al-Rashīd, assumed the caliphate on 26 Muharram 198 AH; his reign lasted twenty-one years. Murooj al-Dhahab (vol. 2, p. 329) and Zambaur.
(11) Muḥammad al-Muʿtaṣim bi-Llāh, son of al-Rashīd, assumed the caliphate thirteen nights before the end of Rajab 218 AH; his reign lasted eight years and eight months. Murooj al-Dhahab (vol. 2, p. 361) and Zambaur.
(12) al-Wāthiq bi-Llāh Hārūn, son of al-Muʿtaṣim, assumed the caliphate eighteen nights before the end of Rabiʿ I 227 AH; his reign lasted five years, nine months, and thirteen days. Murooj al-Dhahab (vol. 2, p. 375) and Zambaur.
(13) Jaʿfar al-Mutawakkil ʿalā al-Llāh, son of al-Muʿtaṣim, assumed the caliphate six days before the end of Dhu al-Ḥijjah 232 AH; his reign lasted fourteen years, nine months, and nine nights. Murooj al-Dhahab (vol. 2, p. 291) and Zambaur.
(14) In manuscripts A and B: al-Azalī.