He assumed the judiciary in Damascus on his own authority in the year 643 AH and continued in office until this very year (1). When he was dismissed in favour of al-Kamāl al-Tiflīsī, he and Judge Muḥyī al-Dīn ibn al-Zakī (2) travelled to Hülegü after the latter had taken Aleppo. Hülegü confirmed Ibn al-Zakī as judge, whereas Ibn Sanī al-Dawla chose (3) Baalbek; he arrived there already ill, died, and was buried beside Shaykh ʿAbd Allāh al-Yūnīnī (4). King al-Nāṣir had praised him, just as King al-Ashraf had praised his father Shams al-Dīn (5).

When Sultan al-Ẓāhir Baybars had firmly established his rule, he appointed to the Damascus judicature the deceased’s son, Najm al-Dīn (6) Abū Bakr ibn the Chief Judge Ṣadr al-Dīn, relieving Ibn al-Zakī of the post. A year later he removed him as well and replaced him with Ibn Khallikān, as will be explained below—Allah’s help is sought.

This same Judge Ṣadr al-Dīn ibn Sanī al-Dawla is the one who, during the apricot season, introduced (7) the suspension of classes. He owned an orchard in the district of al-Sahm and found it onerous at that time to come down for the lesson (8); consequently people stopped attending on those days and followed him (9). Human nature leans toward ease and idleness—especially those who possess orchards when fruit is abundant and desires are many in those days, judges more than anyone else.

In this same year there also died al-Malik al-Saʿīd (10), lord of Mardin (11): Najm al-Dīn (12) İlghāzī ibn al-Manṣūr Artuq ibn Arslān ibn İlghāzī ibn Albī (13) ibn Timirtāsh ibn İlghāzī ibn Artuq (14). He was a brave—and highly esteemed—ruler in his day, and within his own citadel Turan (15) Shāh, son of Sultan Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn, was taken captive.