al-Raghib writes during the vizierate of Abu al-Abbas al-Dabbi, 385–399

In his works al-Raghib names Ibn Abbad's successor in the vizierate, Abu al-Abbas al-Dabbi (d. 399/1008), exceptionally by his full title; from this precision his EI2 biographer infers that he may have been writing during al-Dabbi's own vizierate, placing the bulk of his output roughly between 385 and 399 ¹.

No source attests that al-Raghib attached himself to the vizier or held any office, but his books took the shape of their time: anthologies of adab, law and ethics joining eloquence to wisdom, as the Sahib's circle joined the pen to the vizierate ¹.