al-Muraḥḥal, the father of Shaykh Ṣadr al-Din ibn al-Wakil. He studied hadith, excelled in jurisprudence, and mastered a number of other disciplines, among them ʿilm al-hayʾa (astronomy), for which he wrote a treatise. He served as preacher of Damascus, taught, and issued legal opinions. He died (1) on the night of Saturday, the twenty-third (2) of Rabiʿ al-Awwal. The following day, at Bāb al-Ṣaghīr, Shaykh ʿIzz al-Din al-Farūthī (3) led the funeral prayer for him (4); he himself occupied the pulpit for a short period, was then dismissed, and later died (5). He was buried at Bāb al-Ṣaghīr—may Allah pardon us and him (6).
The Ṣāḥib Fath al-Din Abū ʿAbd Allah (7) Muḥammad ibn Muḥyī al-Din ʿAbd (8) Allah ibn ʿAbd al-Ẓāhir
He became kātib al-asrār, “Keeper of the Royal Secrets,” in the Manṣūrī administration after Ibn (9) Luqman took up the vizierate. Gifted in his profession, he enjoyed high favour with al-Manṣūr and likewise with his son al-Ashraf. Ibn al-Silʿūs asked permission to read everything he wrote, but he replied, “That is impossible, for the secrets (10) of kings are revealed to none but themselves. Look for someone else who can stay with you in that capacity.” When al-Ashraf heard this, he was impressed (11) with him, and the man’s standing in his eyes rose still further.
He died on Saturday, the fifteenth of Ramadan. Among the effects left behind was an elegy (12) that Tāj al-Din ibn al-Athīr had composed for him during an earlier illness (13) in which he had thought himself at the point of death; he recovered, however, and the poem remained after him (14). Ibn al-Athīr succeeded him in office, and Tāj al-Din eulogized him just as he had done before. Ibn al-Athīr himself died a month and four days later (15)—may Allah have mercy on them both.
Sources: al-Buyuṭi, Al-Wafayat al-Aʿlam (p. 289); al-ʿIbar (vol. 5, p. 373); al-Ishara al-Muntaqa min Tarikh al-Islam (p. 379); al-Nujum al-Zahira (vol. 8, p. 36); al-Dalil al-Shafi (vol. 1, p. 507); Tabaqat al-Isnawi (vol. 2, p. 459); al-Dariss (vol. 1, p. 238); Shadharat al-Dhahab (vol. 7, p. 731).
(1) B: It records that he composed several works, served as preacher of the Great Mosque of Damascus, taught, issued legal opinions, and then notes his death.
(2) A: On the 13th of Rabiʿ al-Awwal.
(3) B, T: Under the chapter on preaching; Version A contains no entry here.
(4) His biography will appear in the Obituaries for the year 694 in this volume.
(5) B: He served as preacher for a short time, was dismissed, and then reinstated.
(6) The printers (T) mistakenly treated this as a separate biography of Izz al-Din al-Faruthi, isolating it from the main entry—an unfortunate confusion. In fact, the author only mentioned that al-Faruthi led the funeral prayer for Ibn al-Marhal. The full biography of Izz al-Din al-Faruthi will appear in the Obituaries for 694 in this volume. The passage moreover exhibits textual corruption.
(7) The biography of al-Sahib ibn ʿAbd al-Zahir appears in al-Mukhtar min Tarikh Ibn al-Jazari (p. 356); Tarikh al-Islam (vol. 15, p. 736); al-Nujum al-Zahira (vol. 8, pp. 35–36); al-Dalil al-Shafi (vol. 2, p. 622); and Shadharat al-Dhahab (vol. 7, p. 731).
(8) T: Gives his name as Muhammad ibn Muhyi al-Din ibn Abdullah, with additional material.
(9) The biography of Ibn Luqman appears in the Obituaries for the year 693.
(10) A: Sarar.
(11) B: It quotes, “And behold, I have no one else of this standing.” When al-Malik al-Ashraf heard this, he was greatly pleased.
(12) B: It records that he died on the Saturday of mid-Ramadan, and that a poem was found among his papers.
(13) A: It notes that Taj al-Din ibn al-Athir composed an elegy for him, which is disordered.
(14) A, B: In his entry.
(15) A, B: Then he died.