Now there has come up an issue which will make things clear.

Now there has come up an issue which will make things clear.” Harun said, “What is it?” Yahya said, “Ja’far sends one-fifth of whatever property he gets to Musa ibn Ja’far. I have no doubt that he has done the same with the twenty-thousand Dinars which you ordered to be paid to him.” Then Harun said, “Yes. This could finish things off.” Then he sent for Ja’far at night.

Ja’far had become informed of Yahya’s vilification behind his back, did not inform him of everything he did, and their friendship had turned into enmity. When Ar-Rashid’s messenger went to Ja’far at night, Ja’far thought that Harun might have believed what Yahya had said about him and feared that Harun had called him in to kill him. Thus he poured some water over himself, asked for some musk and camphor, rubbed them on his body and wore a shroud over his garment.[^1] Then he went to Ar-Rashid.

When Harun saw him that way and smelled the camphor and saw the shroud on him, he said, “O Ja’far! What is this?” He replied, “O Commander of the Faithful! I know that they have told you bad things about me behind my back. When you sent me someone at this hour, I was not secure thinking that their backbiting had affected you and you have called me in on the mat to kill me. Harun said, “Never!

However, I have been informed that you send one-fifth of whatever you get to Musa ibn Ja’far, and that you have done the same with the twenty-thousand Dinars . I want this to be clarified for me.” Then Ja’far said, “O Commander of the Faithful! God is the Greatest !