Ibn Saʿd said: He died during the reign of al-Maʾmūn, at the age of eighty-nine—or, according to another report, eighty-eight and a few months—that is, in 206 AH (1).

Al-Marwadhī related from Jaʿfar ibn Maymūn an anecdote showing that Yazīd ibn Hārūn enjoyed a measure of humour, yet whenever the Imām was present he observed full decorum and would not jest with him.

On one occasion Imām Aḥmad fell ill; Yazīd visited him and sent him a gift of five hundred dirhams. Aḥmad declined the gift and apologised.

I read to the ḥāfiẓ Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad—he told you that Ibn Khalīl informed us; Masʿūd al-Khayyāṭ informed us; Abū ʿAlī al-Ḥaddād informed us; Abū al-Fatḥ ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad al-Tānī informed us; Ibn al-Muqriʾ narrated to us—“I heard Aḥmad ibn ʿAmr ibn Jābir al-Ramlī say: I heard al-Ḥārith ibn Abī Usāmah say:
‘Whenever someone who had missed the session came to Yazīd ibn Hārūn, he would say, “Boy, hand him the handkerchief.”’ ”

With the same chain Ibn al-Muqriʾ said: “I heard Ibn Qutaybah say, ‘I heard Muʾammal ibn Yahāb say, “I heard Yazīd ibn Hārūn supplicate: O Allah, do not make us among those who are a burden to others.” ’ ”

Al-Ṭabarānī reported: al-Maʿmarī narrated to us; I heard Khalf ibn Sālim say:
“We were in Yazīd ibn Hārūn’s gathering when he cracked a joke with his recorder. At that, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal cleared his throat. Yazīd said, ‘Who was that?’ They answered, ‘Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.’ Yazīd struck his forehead and exclaimed, ‘Why did you not tell me Aḥmad was here so that I would not joke?’”