Did you receive instructions from the commander of the...

Did you receive instructions from the commander of the faithful to do what you are about to?" He answered in the negative, so he asked again, "then why are you executing the cousin of the commander of the faithful without his knowledge or consultation?" Then he narrated for him the story of Abu Abdullah al-Aftas whom al-Rashid put in jail under the watchful eyes of Ja’far ibn Yahya. Ja’far killed him without his knowledge and sent his head on a platter to him together with other Nawrooz presents.

When al-Rashid ordered Masrour to kill Ja’far, he said to him, "If Ja’far asked you about his crime for which you are killing him, tell him that you are killing him for his own killing of my cousin Ibn al-Aftas whom he killed without my knowledge." Then al-Hajjaj ibn Khaythama said to al-Hasan ibn Sahl, "O Prince!

Do you feel secure should anything happen between you and the commander of the faithful if you kill this man and use it as an excuse just as al-Rashid used against Ja’far ibn Yahya?" Al-Hasan said to al-Hajjaj, "May God reward you!" Then he ordered Zayd to be returned to his prison where he was kept till he was transported to al-Ma’mun.

When he was there, he sent him to his brother ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) who set him free.[^2] Zayd and al-Ma’mun One of the interesting anecdotes narrated about him is the following: When he was brought to al-Ma’mun, the latter said to him, "O Zayd!

You led the uprising in Basrah, and instead of starting with the homes of our common enemies the Umayyads, Banu Thaqeef, Uday, Bahila and Aal Ziyad, you targeted the homes of your own cousins." Zayd, who had a humorous temper, said, "I indeed erred from each direction, O commander of the faithful!

If I go back, I will start with our enemies!" Al-Ma’mun laughed and sent him to his brother ar-Ridha’ (a.s.), saying, "I have pardoned him to please you." When he was brought to the Imam (a.s.), he rebuked him and released him.[^3] Imam Rebukes His Brother Zayd Yasir the servant narrates that when Zayd entered the Imam's house, Abul-Hasan (a.s.) said, "O Zayd!

Were you duped by the speech of some lowly people in Kufa who said that Fatima safeguarded her modesty, therefore God shunned Hell-fire from her progeny? Those were only al-Hasan and al-Husayn in particular. If you think that you could go against God's Will and still enter Paradise, while Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) obeyed God and entered Paradise, do you think you are more worthy in the eyes of God Almighty than Musa ibn Ja’far? By God!