When news of the death of Abu`l-'Abbás reached Aḥmad the Sámánid he made Muḥammad b. Ṣa'lúk, who was then at Ray, governor of Ṭabaristán, and sent his wazír Abu`l-Faḍl Muḥammad b. 'Abdu`lláh al-Bal'amí from Bukhárá to meet him. They met near ´Amul at a place called Báshír, and Muḥammad b. Ilísa' was also there.