Al-Walid was born in Damascus in the year 1144 AH, in Jumada al-Thani, after he had ruled for two years and died. He built a Nilometer on the island of Rawdah, which some say the Nile swept away, while others say it was destroyed.

The Caliphate of Sulayman bin Abd al-Malik.

When his brother Al-Walid died in Jumada al-Akhirah of this year, meaning the year 1144 AH, Sulayman became Caliph. He was in the city of Ramla. When the news reached him, he traveled to Damascus and entered it. He followed the Sunnah, redressed grievances, and appointed his nephew Umar bin Abd al-Aziz as his vizier. He followed in his brother's footsteps in expanding his kingdom. In the first year of his caliphate, he conquered Tabaristan and Georgia and sent his brother Maslamah bin Abd al-Malik to besiege Constantinople severely.

At the beginning of his caliphate, Abd al-Malik bin Rifaa was appointed over Egypt, and he appointed Usamah bin Zayd, known for his oppression, as the tax collector, giving him the title of "Amil al-Kharaaj." The majority of historians, Muslims and Copts alike, agreed on the tyranny and cruelty of this man. What made them even more resentful of him was that he not only announced the continuation of the tax on the monks, who were expecting it to be lifted, but he also ordered that each of them wear an iron ring on their finger each year, bearing his name, which they would receive from the tax collector, as a sign of their poverty. Anyone who disobeyed this would have their hand cut off.

The monks, the monasteries, and the churches suffered greatly. Many innocent souls were killed, and perhaps they saw it as a duty. Usamah, however, showed a strong desire to reform the country's affairs and increase its revenues. He would inspect the land and its irrigation, and pay attention to the Nilometers, which indicated the amount of revenue. When the Nilometer of Helwan fell, he informed the Caliph, who ordered it to be neglected and a new one to be established in the south of the island, between Fustat and Al-Qahira, in the place known as Rawdah.

Among Usamah's oppressive taxes was a heavy one of ten dinars, demanded from anyone traveling on the Nile, upstream or downstream. No one could pass without a permit in their hand, issued after paying the required amount. It is related that a widow traveled on the Nile with her son after paying the required fee and receiving the transit ticket. She faced great hardship due to her poverty. When she reached a point where the Nile was narrow, a crocodile snatched her son, swallowed him, along with his clothes, while people watched. The transit ticket was in his pocket. When she reached the intended destination, the ticket holder confronted her and refused to...