Zayn al-Din Ahmad bin Hanna

Abu al-Abbas Zayn al-Din Ahmad bin Fakhr al-Din Mahammad bin Bahaa al-Din bin Hanna (Egyptian Arabic: أبو العباس زين الدين أحمد بن فخر الدين محمد بن بهاء الدين بن حنا) (13th century – 1304) was the Wazir al-Sohba (Vizier of Companionship, وزير الصحبة) to the Sultan of Egypt, Baybars, and was one of his closest men.

His father, the vizier Fakhr al-Din Abu Abdullah Mahammad, had a position during the reign of Baybars, influence on the course of events at that time, and prestige in the souls, as his personality and knowledge had an influence not only on the souls of the common people, but also on the senior statesmen, and this was not limited to Egypt, but extended to the Levant.

He was virtuous and religious, a lover of the poor and philanthropists, a leader who was generous with whatever benevolence he asked for, adorned with necklaces and beauties, respected, possessed of great sanctity and great respect, good in news and narrations,[2] learned in the Shafi’i doctrine, and taught at his grandfather’ madrasa.

[1] And on his biography, Izz al-Din ibn Shaddad said: "He acknowledged his good management of the eyes, and he investigated the suspected matters entrusted to him, and made knowledge the knowledge that guided him in solving the problems of matters, and inclination toward servants and asceticism was a shield of piety and caution"[4]He represented his grandfather in the vizirate.

[1] He maintained his sanctity and status throughout his life, relying on his asceticism, piety, knowledge, literature, and knowledge of the politics of matters, deriving this from the home in which he grew up and the environment in which he grew up, which qualified him to appear on the political scene again, as it is mentioned that when the vizierate was delegated to his brother, al-Sahib Taj al-Din, in the year 693 AH / 1293 AD, he was his partner, as they sat together in the Council of Viziers to handle matters.