Accordingly...

Accordingly, al-Ma’mūn had to get rid of both the Imām and al-Fadl through assassinating them, that he might be free from worry, please the ‘Abbāsids, and rid himself of their wrath and vengeance; this is what we will demonstrate. The Public Bath-house of Sarkhas Al-Ma’mūn thought that he had to get rid of Imām al-Ridā, peace be on him, and al-Fadl b. Sahl at the same time, that the ‘Abbāsid family might be loyal to him.

So he ordered a criminal band of his hirelings to assassinate Imām al-Ridā and al-Fadl in the public bath-house of Sarkhas. He had asked both the Imām and al-Fadl to enter the bath-house together. He also decided to go with them, that he might cover the matter and that none might come to know of it. The [1] Ibid., p. 145. Imām was fully aware of this trickery, so he refused to respond to al-Ma’mūn. Al-Ma’mūn sent another letter and the Imām wrote him: “I will not go into the baths tomorrow.

Last night, I had a vision of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family. He told me: ‘‘Ali, do not go into the baths tomorrow.’ Therefore, Commander of the faithful, I do not think that it would be wise for you and al-Fadl to go into the baths tomorrow.” Al-Ma’mūn wrote back to him: “You are right, my master, and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, is right. I will not go into the baths tomorrow.

However, al-Fadl will make up his own mind.” The deception of al-Ma’mūn regarding al-Fadl has become clear. He let him make up his own mind, and he was killed by his band of hirelings. Al-Fadl is struck down Al-Fadl went in a hurry to the baths. When he went into it, he was struck down by the swords of that criminal band. Shortly after that he became a motionless body. In this manner al-Ma’mūn was able to achieve part of his task.

When al-Fadl was killed, his companions went in a hurry to al-Ma’mūn in order to take vengeance upon him, for they had come to know that it was he who ordered him to be killed. The guards of al-Ma’mūn’s palace hurried to close the gates lest the revolutionaries should attack al-Ma’mūn. However, the revolutionists carried torches of fire that they might burn the gates of the palace.

When al-Ma’mūn came to know of that, he became frightened, so he sought refuge in the Imām and asked him to protect him. The Imām, peace be on him, went out to the revolutionaries. He ordered them to depart, and they responded to him, so al-Ma’mūn was saved by the Imām’s blessing.