about the width of a finger. I then asked him whether he had ever had a nocturnal emission. He replied that since the change had taken place he had experienced two such emissions, and that nearly six months had elapsed up to the time he related the matter to me. He added that he excelled in every women’s craft—spinning, embroidery, gold-thread work, and the like.

I said to him, “What was your name when you were counted among the women?”
He answered, “Nafīsa.”
I asked, “And what is it now?”
He said, “ʿAbd Allāh.”

He explained that when this condition first appeared he concealed it from his family, even his father. Later, when they resolved to marry him to a fourth husband, he confided in his mother, saying, “The matter is such and such.” Once his relatives learned the truth they informed the local deputy of the Sultan, a formal record was drawn up, and the story became widely known. He was brought to Damascus and made to stand before the deputy there; the deputy questioned him, and he recounted the affair just as he had told me. The chamberlain Sayf al-Dīn Kujukān ibn Lāqush (1) took him into his care and clothed him in the uniform of the troops. He was a comely youth, yet in his face, bearing, gait, and speech there remained the femininity of women. Glory be to the One who does whatever He wills! Such an occurrence is exceedingly rare in the world. In my opinion, his penis had been recessed within what physicians call the jawzat al-ṭayr and, when he reached puberty, it began to emerge little by little until it appeared in full, whereupon it became clear that he was male. He told me that the organ emerged already circumcised, and for that reason it was called the “moon circumcision” (khitān al-qamar)—a phenomenon said to be fairly common, and Allah knows best.

On Tuesday, the fifth of Rajab, Emir ʿIzz al-Dīn Taqṭāy (2) al-Dawīdār arrived from the Aleppine territories. He reported that the Aleppine forces—together with their deputy, the governors of the surrounding fortresses, and the troops—had agreed to pursue Dulgādar the Turkmen, who had assisted Baybughā and his followers in last year’s revolt against the Sultan. He himself proceeded to Damascus, and the details of his affair were set out the previous year: they had plundered his wealth and stores, captured many of his sons, kinsmen, and womenfolk, and the army had seized large numbers of sheep, cattle, slaves, mounts, goods, and other property. He had taken refuge with Ibn Artanā (3), who placed him under strict guard, detained him, and corresponded with the Sultan about his case. The people rejoiced at the respite and safety granted to the Aleppine army after the severe hardship and great fatigue they had endured.

On Wednesday, the thirteenth of the month, the emirs who had been imprisoned in Alexandria since the Sultan’s return to Egypt—those suspected of siding with or serving Baybughā—arrived: Emir Sayf al-Dīn Malik Āṣ (4), ʿAlāʾ al-Dīn ʿAlī al-Bashmuqdār (5), Ṣāṭlams al-Jalālī, and their companions.

At the beginning of Ramaḍān it so happened that a group of muftis issued legal opinions in accordance with one of the two well-known scholarly views—both recognized positions among us Shāfiʿīs—namely, that it is permissible to rebuild churches that have fallen into ruin. The Chief Judge, Taqī al-Dīn al-Subkī, then took a forceful stand against them.