Therefore...

Therefore, it is appropriate for us to regard him positively and avoid reproaching him.[^6] Ayatullah al-Khu’i thus says about Zayd: “The narrations praising Zayd and indicating his dignity and grandeur and that he rose up to enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil are much benefited while the narrations vilifying him are weak { dha‘if }.”[^7] Ample proof and evidence bear witness to the fact that Zayd’s uprising had the secret permission and tacit approval of Imam as-Sadiq ( ‘a ).

One of these proofs was the statement of Imam ar-Ridha ( ‘a ) in response to Ma’mun, when the Imam said: My father Musa ibn Ja‘far narrated that he heard his father Ja‘far ibn Muhammad to have said: “…Zayd consulted me about his uprising and I said to him, ‘My dear uncle, if you like to be that person who shall be hung in Kinasah,[^8] then that is your way’.” When Zayd left Ja‘far ibn Muhammad, Ja‘far said: “Woe to him who will hear the call of Zayd but will not respond to it.”[^9] Yes, Zayd was a true Shi‘ah and one of those who believed in the Imamate of Imam as-Sadiq ( ‘a ).

As he used to say, In every period, one person from among us, , is the proof { hujjah } of God and the proof at our time is my nephew, Ja‘far ibn Muhammad. He who follows him shall never be misled and he who opposes him shall never be guided.[^10] Concerning the fact that Zayd was not regarding himself the Imam and not calling the people toward himself, Imam as-Sadiq ( ‘a ) says: May God have mercy upon my uncle Zayd. If he only emerged victorious, he would remain faithful (to his promise).

My uncle Zayd was calling the people toward the leadership of the person chosen from among the progeny of Muhammad and I am that person.[^11] In particular, Imam as-Sadiq ( ‘a ) assumed the guardianship of the family of Zayd after his martyrdom,[^12] and he used to attend to the families of those who were martyred alongside Zayd and once distributed one thousand dinars among them.[^13] It can be said, therefore, that Zayd’s uprising, like that of the Tawwabun and Mukhtar, was completely Shi‘i and justifiable; that it was against oppression and for the purpose of enjoining that which is good and forbidding that which is evil; and that his method was separate from that of the Zaydi sect.

b. The Uprising of Yahya ibn Zayd After Zayd’s martyrdom in 121 AH, his son Yahya continued his father’s struggle.