and was succeeded by al-ʿImād al-Asʿardī (1), a devout man and an accomplished Qur’an reciter. Then, on the first of Dhu al-Qaʿdah of that same year, al-ʿImād al-Ḥarrastānī was reinstated. Glory be to Him in whose hand lie all affairs; He does whatever He wills and decrees whatever He desires (2).
In that same year, among the notable figures who passed away (3) were:
Chief Judge Ṣadr al-Dīn Abū al-ʿAbbās ibn Sanī al-Dawla (4) Aḥmad ibn Yaḥyā ibn Hibat Allāh ibn al-Ḥasan (5) ibn Yaḥyā ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī ibn Yaḥyā ibn Ṣadaqa al-Khayyāṭ—better known as the Chief Judge Ṣadr al-Dīn Abū al-ʿAbbās ibn Sanī al-Dawla al-Taghlibī, the Damascene Shāfiʿī scholar.
Sanī al-Dawla is the same al-Ḥasan (6) ibn Yaḥyā just mentioned; he served as a judge (7) for one of the kings of Damascus around the decade of 500 AH and endowed waqf properties for his descendants. The poet Ibn al-Khayyāṭ, author of the Dīwān—namely Abū ʿAbd Allāh Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī ibn Yaḥyā ibn Ṣadaqa al-Taghlibī—was Sanī al-Dawla’s paternal uncle.
Judge Ṣadr al-Dīn (8) was born in 559 AH. He studied under al-Khushūʿī (9), Ibn Ṭabarzad (10), al-Kindī (11), and others; he transmitted hadith, lectured in several madrasas, and issued legal opinions. He was a man of merit, well-versed in the legal schools, and his conduct was generally praised. Nevertheless, Shaykh Shihāb al-Dīn Abū Shāmah (12) criticized and disparaged him—Allah knows best.
(1) Manuscripts A and B read "from this year."
(2) Manuscripts A and B read: "By His hand is the command; He does what He wills and decrees what He wishes. He is not questioned about what He does, whereas they will be questioned."
(3) Manuscripts A and B read: "And among the notables who died therein."
(4) The biography of Sadr al-Din Ibn Sunay al-Dawla is found in Dhayl al-Rawdatayn (p. 206); Dhayl Miraat al-Zaman (vol. 1, pp. 385–386); Tarikh al-Islam (vol. 14, p. 873); al-Ilam bi-Wafayat al-A'lam (p. 275); al-Ibar (vol. 5, p. 244); al-Isharah ila Wafayat al-A'lam (p. 355); Tabaqat al-Isnawi (vol. 1, p. 548); al-Daris (vol. 1, p. 160); and Shudhur al-Dhahab (vol. 7, p. 405).
(5) The printed edition reads "al-Husayn," a corruption; the reading here follows both original manuscripts and agrees with the sources.
(6) The printed edition reads "wa Sunay al-Dawla al-Husayn," a corruption.
(7) Manuscripts A and B read: "and he was a scribe."
(8) The printed edition reads "Sunay al-Dawla."
(9) al-Khashu'i is Zaki al-Din Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Barakat ibn Ibrahim ibn Tahir al-Khashu'i al-Dimashqi. He studied under Ibn 'Asakir, Ibn Sabir, and several others; his chain of transmission was selected by Zaki al-Din al-Barzali. He died in 640 AH. His biography appears in Dhayl al-Rawdatayn (p. 172); al-Ibar (vol. 5, p. 164); and Siyar A'lam al-Nubala (vol. 23, p. 102).
(10) His biography was previously given under the deaths for the year 607 in this volume.
(11) His biography was previously given under the deaths for the year 613.
(12) Dhayl al-Rawdatayn (p. 206).