to me, “Do you see what this tyrant is doing? Everyone under him enjoys plenty—except us, the people of knowledge!”

I answered, “Had I been sure he would treat me in only one of two ways, I would have gone to him: if I enjoined and forbade, he would either accept my counsel or kill me. But I fear he may unleash torment upon us, and I am an old man who cannot endure the lash.”

Al-Ṣāʾigh said, “As for me, I shall not refrain from confronting him.”

So he went in, presented himself to the tyrant, commanded and forbade him—and the tyrant killed him.

Some report that, before launching his call, Abu Muslim used to meet with Ibrāhīm al-Ṣāʾigh and promise him that he would establish justice; yet once Abu Muslim had prevailed and extended his hand in power, Ibrāhīm entered upon him and admonished him.

Muḥammad ibn Sallām al-Jumaḥī said: “Abu Muslim came to Abū al-ʿAbbās al-Saffāḥ, greeted him, and his brother Abū Jaʿfar was present. Al-Saffāḥ said, ‘O Abu Muslim, this is Abū Jaʿfar.’

“He replied, ‘Commander of the Faithful, in this assembly only your right is to be acknowledged.’”

In Khurasan severe upheavals and continuous warfare raged. Al-Karmānī marched with an army in the year 129 AH. He was confronted by Salm ibn Aḥwaz al-Māzinī, governor of Marw al-Rūdh; at first al-Karmānī was routed, then he wheeled round against them by night, they fought, and finally reached a truce.

Naṣr ibn Sayyār then advanced and besieged al-Karmānī for six months, and events took place—too many to detail here (1)—that opened the way for Abu Muslim’s emergence, for the moment was ripe for him. Abu Muslim killed al-Karmānī, and Shaybān ibn Maslama al-Sadūsī, the Khārijite who had seized Sarakhs and Ṭūs, joined al-Karmānī’s supporters. Naṣr ibn Sayyār fought them for about a year and a half.

Later Naṣr and Judeiʿ ibn al-Karmānī agreed to unite against Abu Muslim; once they had finished with him and prevailed, they would settle their own dispute.

But Abu Muslim secretly sent word to Ibn al-Karmānī, deceiving him with the message, “I am on your side.”

Ibn al-Karmānī accepted, joined forces with him, and together they fought Naṣr, so the crisis intensified.

Naṣr ibn Sayyār thereupon wrote to Abu Muslim: “I pledge allegiance to you, and my claim on you is stronger than Ibn al-Karmānī’s.”

Thus Abu Muslim’s power waxed and his armies multiplied; Naṣr could no longer withstand him and withdrew