Abu Ja'far al-Mansur

Abu Ja'far al-Mansur was the second Abbasid caliph. He built Baghdad — al-Mas'udi says fifty thousand men worked on it each day — and in his days Ibn Ishaq wrote the sira and books were translated from other languages into Arabic. He died on the road to the Sanctuary.

Abu Ja'far Abd Allah ibn Muhammad al-Mansur, second Abbasid caliph, was born in 95 AH to Salama the Berber. Al-Suyuti describes him as the most dignified, brave and resolute of the Abbasids, nicknamed Abu al-Dawaniq for counting workmen to the last grain. He built Baghdad — al-Mas'udi says fifty thousand men each day — and al-Rusafa in 151 AH, and returned Cyprus to Mu'awiya's old treaty. Al-Mas'udi's 'firsts' for him: the first caliph to court astrologers, the first to have books translated from foreign tongues into Arabic — Kalila wa-Dimna and Euclid — the first to employ his clients over the Arabs, and in his days Ibn Ishaq composed the sira. He died at Bi'r Maymun on the road to the Sanctuary.

Abu Ja'far Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Abd Allah ibn al-Abbas al-Mansur, second Abbasid caliph, was born in 95 AH — in the year of al-Hajjaj's death, on al-Mas'udi's account — to Salama the Berber, an umm walad. Al-Suyuti calls him the most dignified, brave and resolute of the Abbasids and a gatherer of wealth, nicknamed Abu al-Dawaniq for reckoning workmen to the last grains. His works: Baghdad — fifty thousand men daily per al-Mas'udi — al-Rusafa in 151 AH, Cyprus returned to Mu'awiya's old treaty in al-Baladhuri, and grants to his brother Sulayman after the Umayyad confiscations. His account carries the Abu Hanifa case: al-Suyuti says he had him beaten over the judgeship then jailed until he died — 'it was said' by poison for a fatwa of rebellion, the 'it was said' keeping it contested. Al-Mas'udi's firsts attach to him: courting astrologers, translating foreign books (Kalila wa-Dimna, Euclid), preferring clients over Arabs, and Ibn Ishaq's sira composed in his reign. He died at Bi'r Maymun on the road to the Sanctuary leaving a great treasury on al-Mas'udi's count.