that crowns the iwan of the Dār al-Saʿāda. The deputy of the sultanate took his seat at the head of the assembly and we sat round about him.
His opening words were:
“We Turks—and others as well—when we disagreed and fell into dispute, used to summon the scholars so that they might reconcile us. Now, however, when the scholars themselves fall into disagreement and contention, who is to reconcile them?”
He then began to rebuke the one who had maligned the Shāfiʿī, in the manner already mentioned and in the papers that had been circulated and the acts they contained, saying that such behaviour can only delight our enemies. He called for the judges to make peace with one another, yet some of them remained obstinate and refused. Exchanges broke out among several of those present, and a discussion of a number of legal points ensued.
At length the deputy of the sultanate said, “Have you not heard the words of Allah, ‘Allah has pardoned what is past’ (al-Māʾidah 5:95)?” At that, hearts were softened. He ordered the chancellor to commit the substance of the meeting to a dispatch bound for Egypt. On that understanding we dispersed. And Allah knows best. (1)
The Return of Chief Judge al-Subkī to Damascus (2)
On Wednesday, the twenty-ninth of Jumada al-Ūlā, he arrived from the direction of al-Kiswah, a party of notables having gone out to meet him as far as al-Sanamayn (3) and beyond. When he reached al-Kiswah the crowd became immense, and the Ḥanafī Chief Judge, Shaykh Jamāl al-Dīn ibn al-Sarrāj, also drew near. As he descended from the pass of Shaḥūrā, multitudes beyond counting came out to greet him; candles were lit—even by the women—and the people were overjoyed. Near al-Jasūra further throngs from the Khalifiyyīn quarter joined him, muezzins in the mosques proclaiming the takbīr, and the rejoicing grew still greater. When he approached Bāb al-Naṣr a downpour began, yet the streets could not contain the multitude accompanying him; they prayed for him and exulted in his arrival. He entered the Dār al-Saʿāda to pay his respects to the deputy of the sultanate, and after ʿAṣr he proceeded to the Great Mosque with many candles, the dignitaries outnumbering the common folk.
On Friday, the second of Jumada al-Ākhirah, Chief Judge al-Subkī rode to the Dār al-Saʿāda, where the deputy of the sultanate had summoned the Mālikī and Ḥanbalī judges. He effected a reconciliation between them, and the three of them left together, walking to the mosque. They entered the Dār al-Khiṭābah and met there, the Shāfiʿī hosting the other two. They then attended his abundant, eloquent, and fluent sermon. Afterwards the three departed by the inner gate to the Mālikī’s residence, gathered there, and were entertained by the Mālikī with what was available. Allah is the One who guides to what is right. (4)
Early in this month lofty sultanic decrees arrived from Egypt stipulating that one half of each amīr’s iqṭāʿ be reserved for him personally, while the other half be assigned to his troops. This brought the soldiers great relief and a large measure of justice.