If you would incite Mutawakkil to kill him...

If you would incite Mutawakkil to kill him, it is tantamount to declaring enmity with the Messenger of Allah (S).” I said: “I did not see anything in him but goodness.” Then, I proceeded to Samarra.

When I arrived there, I went first to Wasif Turki.[^6] He also said to me: “If even a single strand of hair is taken from this man, I shall call you to account.[^7] In the first volume of his book, Sayyid Muhsin Amin has identified as Shi‘ah a number of ‘Abbasid statesmen such as Abu Salmah Khalal,[^8] the first vizier of the ‘Abbasid caliphate who was called the Vizier of the Prophet’s Progeny { wazir al Muhammad }; Abu Bukhayr Asadi al-Basri, one of the prominent governors and emirs during the time of (the ‘Abbasid caliph) Mansur; Muhammad ibn Ash‘ath, the vizier of Harun ar-Rashid, about whom there is a story during the detention of Imam al-Kazim ( ‘a ) which demonstrates his being a Shi‘ah; ‘Ali ibn Yaqtayn, one of the viziers of Harun; Ya‘qub ibn Dawud, the vizier of the ‘Abbasid caliph Mahdi; and Tahir ibn Husayn Khaza‘i, the governor of Khurasan on behalf of Ma’mun and conqueror of Baghdad on account of which Hasan ibn Sahl did not dispatch him to the Battle of Abi’s-Saraya.[^9] Among the Shi‘ah judges were Sharik ibn ‘Abd Allah an-Nakha‘i, the judge of Kufah, and Waqidi, the renowned historian, who was a judge during the time of Ma’mun.[^10] Shi‘ism was so widespread even in the ‘Abbasid spheres of influence that it was considered a threat for them.

For example, during the burial procession for Imam al-Kazim ( ‘a ) Sulayman ibn Mansur, Harun’s uncle, participated in the procession barefooted in a bid to tone down the wrath of the Shi‘ah who formed an impressive assembly.[^11] Also, when Imam al-Jawad ( ‘a ) attained martyrdom and they wanted to bury him secretly, the Shi‘ah were informed of it.

Armed with swords, twelve thousand of them went out and buried the Imam with due respect and dignity.[^12] During the martyrdom of Imam al-Hadi ( ‘a ) there was also a large number of the Shi‘ah and the extent of their weeping and wailing was such that the ‘Abbasids were forced to bury him within the confine of his house.[^13] After the period of Imam ar-Ridha ( ‘a ), the ‘Abbasid caliphs were so meticulous in respectfully treating the pure Imams ( ‘a ) so as not to face the wrath of the Shi‘ah.