One day he was sitting at the Pension Office (Díwán-i-'Aṭá) and distributing pay to the troops. They brought before him a certain man, of whom he enquired to what tribe he belonged. “'Abdu`sh-Shams,” replied the man. “To what family?” asked Muḥammad b. Zayd. The man was silent. “Art thou then of the children of Mu'áwiya?” he continued (f. 45b). The man answered in the affirmative. “By which son?” he further demanded. Again the man was silent. “Art thou then a son of Yazíd?” he asked. “Yes,” answered the other. “O lad,” said the Dá'í, “didst thou not perceive that thou should’st not be with the descendants of Abú Ṭálib?” Instantly the Sayyids there present drew their swords to slay him; but the Dá'í cried out at them, saying: “Muṣ'ab b. az-Zubayr was one day sitting distributing money when the herald announced a son of 'Umar b. Jurmúz. ‘O Amír,’ they exclaimed, ‘this son of Jurmúz is fearful and afraid because his father slew Zubayr.’ ‘He is a man of great courage,’ replied Muṣ'ab, ‘since he has risked being slain in retaliation for my father’s death. Bid him approach, and take his gift, and depart in peace.’ Then he gave him his journey-money and a horse, and sent trusty attendants with him to 'Iráq, lest he should be slain on the way by the descendants of Abú Ṭálib, and dismissed him.”
3. Ḥasan b. 'Alí b. Ḥasan b. 'Alí b. 'Amr b. 'Alí as-Sajjád b. Ḥusayn b. 'Alí b. Abí Ṭálib, with the title of an-Náṣiru`l-Kabír, and the kunya of Abú Muḥammad. His virtue, learning, asceticism, and piety, and the results of his generosity, are still apparent in Gílán and Daylam, where also his way and doctrine command acceptance. His tomb, the College and Library which he founded, and the endowments bestowed by him, are still flourishing in ´Amul, while his grave is accounted holy, and visited by many pilgrims.
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He had four sons, Muḥammad (from whom he derived his kunya of Abú Muḥammad) who died young, 'Alí ash-Shá'ir (“the Poet”), Aḥmad Abu`l-Ḥusayn, and Ja'far Abu`l-Qásim. Three of these left issue, and their descendants reigned for a long while in Gílán and Daylam. The genealogy of each will be set forth in the (f. 46a) Kitáb-í-Ansáb. Aḥmad b. an-Náṣir was of the Imámi sect, and of his sons Abú Ja'far Muḥammad, called Ṣáḥibu`l-Qalansuwa (“the Wearer of the Persian hat”) dwelt in Daylamán, and Abú Muḥammad al-Ḥasan, called an-Naqíb, in Baghdad. Of the sons of 'Alí as-Shá'ir were Abú 'Abdi`lláh Muḥammad al-Uṭrúsh (<Arabic>), and Abú 'Alí Muḥammad b Alí ash-Shá'ir, who held a distinguished position at Baghdad. The following verses are by him:
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He was a man of many accomplishments, and has written much poetry, and he was for a long while in the companionship of the Imám al-Ḥasan b. Alí al-'Askarí (the Eleventh Imám of the “Sect of the Twelve”, who died A. H. 260), from whom he received instruction. Amongst his disciples were Ibnu`l-Mahdí al-Mámṭírí and Abu`l-'Alá as-Sarwí, of whose accomplishments ath-Tha'álibí has spoken in the Yatímatu`d-Dahr*. The following is a specimen of his powers of repartee:
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4. Sayyid Abu`l-Ḥusayn al-Mu`ayyad Bi`lláh 'Aḍudu`d-Dawla and Sayyid Abú Ṭálib Yaḥyá an-Náṭiq bi`l-Ḥaqq, the sons of al-Ḥusayn b. Hárún b. al-Ḥusayn b. Muḥammad b. al-Qásim b. al-Ḥusayn b. Zayd b. al-Imám as-Sibṭ al-Ḥasan b. 'Alí b. Abí Ṭálib. It is said that not one of the Prophet’s descendants who endeavoured by arms to claim his rights was more richly endowed with all the qualities requisite in an Imám than these two brothers. Sayyid Abu `l-Ḥusayn carried on his propaganda in Daylamán, and all Gíl and Daylam responded to it. His treatise on the Excellence of 'Alí b. Abí Ṭálib is so eloquent and so well-reasoned that it might almost be described as a miracle. Of his other writings the best known are the Kitábu`t-Tajríd, the Kítábu`sh-Sharḥ, the Kitábu`l-Bulgha, the Kitábu`t-Tabṣira and the Kitábu`l-Ifáda, all of which are still in the hands of the Imáms (f. 46b) and are eagerly studied by their disciples. The titles of his other less known works are omitted. His poems form a bulky volume. The following. verses are his:
<Arabic>
His early studies were pursued in Baghdad, first with Sayyid Abu`l-'Abbás, and then with the Qáḍi`l-quḍát 'Abdu`l-Jabbár al-Hamadání. One night, when every one was asleep, he came to the house of the latter and awakened him to ask him a question on theology. “Did you come only for this?” enquired the Qáḍí. “Yes,” he answered, “I thought that I might perchance die to-night, being in doubt as to a matter of religious doctrine.” In his time Ibn Sukkara* wrote the following qaṣída against the descendants of 'Alí:
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Sayyid Abu`l-Ḥusayn answered in the following verses:
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Ibnu`l-Khayr the Náṣibí* answered this in a long qaṣída containing this verse:
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The Qáḍí Abu`l-Qásim 'Alí b. Muḥammad at-Tanúkhí, author of the Kitábu`l-Faraj ba'da `sh-Shiddat (f. 47a) replied to this in the following poem:
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When Sayyid Abu`l-Ḥusayn had occupied Daylamán and established himself therein, men of learning came from all parts of the world to profit by his conversation, so that he even sent a message to the Qáḍi`l-quḍát 'Abdu`l-Jabbár bidding him swear allegiance to him. The Ḥákim al-Jaysham* in his book entitled Jilá`u`l-Abṣár relates that he died on Sunday, the day of 'Arafa [i. e. the 9th of Dhu`l-Ḥijja], A. H. 421 (= Dec. 8, A. D. 1030), aged seventy years and odd, and that he was buried on the Monday, the 'Ìdu`l-Aḍḥa (10th of Dhu`l-Ḥijja) in his home at Lanká, where his tomb is still visible. His doctrine is still (f. 47b) followed by the people of that region, and the Ustundár Kay Ká`ús and his descendants, and the people of Daylam generally.
5. Sayyid an-Náṭiq-bi`l-Ḥaqq Abú Ṭálib Yaḥyá b. al-Ḥusayn aṭ-Ṭá`ir bi-ta`yídi`lláh was ten years older than his brother Sayyid Mu'ayyad bi`lláh, and was famous alike for his wisdom and his virtues. The father of these two brothers was of the Imámí sect, as were they also originally. This Sayyid received instruction first from Sayyid Abu`l-'Abbás, then from the great Imámí teacher Shaykh Abú 'Abdi`lláh; and imparted it to 'Abdu`l-Jabbár Qáḍi`l-quḍát; and amongst the Zaydís there was no more learned seeker after truth. He taught for several years in the College in Gurgán, where his lectures were much frequented by the learned. Later he went to Daylamán, and when his brother died, allegiance was sworn to him. When he became Imám, Abu`l-Faraj 'Alí b. al-Ḥusayn wrote to him:
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On his son, who died young, the Sayyid composed the following threnody:
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Sayyid Abú Ṭálib Yaḥyá was born in A. H. 340 (= A. D. 951—2), and died in A. H. 422 (= A. D. 1031), aged 82, less than a year after his brother. Of his philosophical works the best known are the Kitábu `t-Taḥrír, the Commentary on the Kitábu`l-Mujzí, and the Kitábu`d-Dimá'a (f. 48a).
6. As-Sayyidu`l-Imámu`l-Faqíhu`l-'Àlimu`l-Mutakallimu`sh-Shá'ir al-Ḥasan b. Ḥamza al-'Alawí. His tomb is opposite the College of Zaynu` sh-Sháraf. King Ardashír was induced to repair and renovate it by Sayyid Imám Bahá`u`d-Dín al-Ḥasan b. Mahdí al-Mámṭírí. He was for many years in religious retirement at the shrine of the Imám 'Alí b. Músá ar-Riḍá at Mash-had, in praise of which town he composed the following qaṣída:
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He was commonly called Sayyid Abu`l-Qásim; and it is related that “the Great Náṣir” (<Arabic>), that most accomplished and eloquent scholar, used to say, “Were it lawful to repeat the verses of anyone in one’s prayers, it would assuredly be the verses of Abu`l-Qásim!”
7. As-Sayyid Shamsu Àli Rasúli`lláh. He was a dervish, skilled in the traditions, and of ascetic and devout life. His tomb still stands outside the Gate, in the 'Awámma-kúy quarter (<Arabic>). Other learned Sayyids (? descendants of the above) contemporary with the author were: Sayyid Dhahíru`d-Dín Nassába of Gurgán, whose skill in scholastic theology and jurisprudence are recognized by all; Sayyid Ruknu`d-Dín of Sárí; and his learned and virtuous brother Sayyid Sharafu`d-Dín, whose tomb is in the College of Sayyid Imám Khaṭíb, opposite Mashhad-i-Sar, and who did much to check the Zaydí and propagate the Imámí doctrines in those districts.
8. As-Sayyidu`l-Imám Abú Ṭálib ath-Thá`ir. He was one of five brothers, whose grandfather was called “Ḥusayn the Poet” (<Arabic>). His brother was “the Great Náṣir”, and his father was known as Muḥammad al-Fáris. Náṣir-i-Kabír’s daughter had a servant named 'Umayr, and after the men of Gíl and Daylam had taken Ṭabaristán from the Sayyids, this servant also revolted, went to Gílán, and gave over all his master’s property to be plundered. The men of Gílán rallied round him and forsook the Sayyid, who expressed his feelings in the following verses:
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