Mutahhir ibn al-Harith said, “We set out with Ibrahim from Mecca heading for Basra; we were ten men in all, and we lodged with Yahya ibn Ziyad.

It is related from Ibrahim that he said, ‘The pursuit in Mosul drove me to the point that I found myself sitting at Abu Jaʿfar’s banquet tables—he had come there in search of me. I was bewildered; the earth itself seemed to spit me out and grow tight around me. He posted lookouts everywhere. One day he invited the people to a midday meal; I went in and ate.

Many episodes followed during my concealment. Sometimes an official would catch me but then release me, knowing how unjust my adversary was.

Later I hid in Basra, calling people to pledge allegiance to me, and a large number responded because of their intense loathing for Abu Jaʿfar.’

Ibn Saʿd said, ‘When Muhammad appeared and gained control of the Two Sanctuaries, he sent his brother Ibrahim to Basra. Ibrahim entered the city on the first of Ramadan, seized it, its people donned white and threw away black, and a number of scholars accompanied him.

It is also said that when his force approached four thousand men he openly declared his cause and took up residence in the house of Abu Marwan al-Naysaburi.’

ʿAbd Allah ibn Sufyan said, ‘I came to Ibrahim while he was frightened. I informed him of his brother’s letter—how he had risen in Medina and was instructing him to appear. The news stunned and distressed him.

So I set about reassuring him, saying, “With you are Madaʾ al-Taghlibi, al-Tuhawi, al-Mughira, and myself. We shall go out at night to the prison, open it, and by morning you will have a host at your side.” His spirits revived.

When this reached al-Mansur, he mustered an army for Basra and set out in person; he placed Kufa under tight control for fear of a Shiʿi uprising.’