It was said that, owing to his Shi‘ite leanings, al-Maʾmun ordered a public proclamation permitting mutʿa (temporary marriage). Yahya ibn Aktham entered upon him and cited the hadith traced back to ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, that declares it forbidden. Once al-Maʾmun verified the hadith’s authenticity, he returned to the truth and commanded that the proclamation be reversed to announce its prohibition (1).

As for the question of the Quran, he never retracted his position; in 218 AH he resolved to examine the scholars, dealt with them harshly, and Allah then seized him (2).

He undertook many military expeditions.

In the second year of his caliphate, Muhammad ibn Tabataba, an Alid, rose against him in Kufa, calling people to support “the Approved One” from the Prophet’s family and to act by the Sunnah. The movement was directed by Abu al-Saraya al-Shaybani; people flocked to them, and the Bedouin hastened to join.

Al-Maʾmun’s force under Zuhayr ibn al-Musayyab engaged them but was routed, and the Alid cause gained strength. The next morning Muhammad ibn Tabataba was found suddenly dead—some said Abu al-Saraya had poisoned him—whereupon an unbearded Alid was installed in his place. Another army was prepared to fight them, but it too was crushed; their commander ‘Abdus al-Marwurudhi was killed. The Talibids grew still stronger, seized Wasit and Basra, and the crisis became grave.

A larger army was then raised under Harthama. Lengthy engagements followed, with several encounters, until Abu al-Saraya and the Talibids fled Kufa. Abu al-Saraya was killed in 200 AH. The Alids then stirred rebellion in Mecca and fought there. Harthama ibn A‘yan’s stature increased; he was offered the governorship of Syria, but he was not satisfied with it, so he headed for Marw, and there they killed him (3).