On the last day of Shaʿban, the office of qadi over Egypt and Cairo was entrusted to Judge Wajih al-Din al-Bahnasī, a Shafiʿi.
On Sunday, the seventh of Ramadan, the Jawhariyya Madrasa in Damascus was inaugurated while its founder and endower, Shaykh Najm al-Din Muhammad ibn ʿAbbas ibn Abi al-Makarim al-Tamimi al-Jawhari (1), was still alive; the Hanafi qadi Husam al-Din al-Razi (2) lectured there.
Early on Saturday morning, the twenty-ninth of Shaʿban, the minaret of the Abu ʿUmar Madrasa on Mount Qasioun collapsed onto the Old Mosque (3); one person died, and Allah Most High preserved the rest of the congregation.
On the tenth of Ramadan, Damascus was struck by a heavy snowfall and abundant hail, accompanied by fierce winds; the accumulation rose to roughly a cubit above the ground, the vegetables were ruined, and many people’s livelihoods were disrupted.
In Shawwal, the ruler of Sinjar reached Damascus, stripped bare by the Tatars yet submitting himself, his family, and his wealth to the Sultan (4). The city’s deputy went out to greet him, honored him, and sent him on to Egypt with every mark of distinction (5).
During the same month a council was convened concerning a group of ahl al-dhimma—scribes who had accepted Islam under duress. A number of muftis had issued them legal opinions stating that, because they were coerced, they were permitted to return to their former religion. The coercion was proven before Qadi Jamal al-Din ibn Abi Yaʿqub al-Maliki (6)(7), whereupon most of them reverted and the jizya was re-imposed on them as before—may Allah blacken their faces on the Day when faces will be whitened and faces will be blackened. It was also said that they were fined a large and substantial sum for this (8)—may Allah disgrace them.
In Dhu al-Qaʿda, the Sultan arrested Aytamush al-Saʿdi and imprisoned him in the Citadel of the Mountain, while his deputy in Damascus seized Sayf al-Din Balban al-Haruni (9) and confined him in the citadel there.
Early on Thursday morning, the twenty-ninth of Dhu al-Qaʿda, corresponding to the tenth of March, the people went out to the prayer ground in Damascus to beseech rain, and they were granted it ten days later.