And we have not come across the history of Abu Salih except from the history of others in his era, and his notation regarding those who preceded him, such as his statement about Abu Sa'id and Ismat al-Dawla, and the death of Ismat al-Dawla was (450) AH.

And al-Hida—meaning Abu Subh—did not mention him among those he met, as if he did not witness him, or he was not yet born or had not heard of him; and the death of al-Hida was in the year (452) AH. He is, therefore, among the scholars of the year (500) AH, or nearly reached the sixth [century], or was long-lived (meaning his life was extended).