When word reached Yusuf of all that she had endured, he chose for her a saviour—Nasr ibn Sayyar.

In this same year the partisans of the House of al-‘Abbas began to complain of the delay in receiving a letter from Muhammad ibn ‘Ali. He had already rebuked them for following that heretic nicknamed Khidash, a Khurramite who declared the enormities lawful for them and even sanctioned forbidden sexual relations and incestuous unions (1). Khidash had been put to death by Khalid al-Qasri, as mentioned earlier; nevertheless Muhammad ibn ‘Ali censured them for believing the man and following him into falsehood.

When the expected letter failed to arrive, they dispatched an envoy to ascertain his circumstances. On the messenger’s arrival, Muhammad explained the reason for his grievance concerning Khidash the Khurramite and sent back with him a sealed document. When they opened it they found nothing inside but the words:

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. Know that his only reproach against you concerns the Khurramite.

He afterwards sent another emissary to them, but many refused to believe him and even plotted against him. Then there came from his direction a crooked staff wound about with iron and copper. They realised that this was a sign indicating that they were sinners and as divided among themselves as the differing colours of copper and iron.

Ibn Jarir (2) states: The man who led the people in pilgrimage that year was Muhammad ibn Hisham ibn Isma‘il al-Makhzumi, according to Abu Ma‘shar.

He also said: It has been claimed that the leader of the pilgrims was Sulayman ibn Hisham ibn ‘Abd al-Malik, and it is said that it was his son Yazid ibn Hisham. Allah—glorified and exalted is He—knows best.

[Then came the year 121 AH]

That year Maslamah ibn Hisham campaigned against the Byzantine territories and captured Maṭamir—a fortress. Marwan ibn Muhammad likewise entered the land of the “Lord of Gold,” seized his strongholds, devastated his country, and the ruler submitted, agreeing to pay a yearly jizyah of one thousand captives, delivering them to him and handing over a pledge to ensure payment.

In the same year, in the month of Safar, Zayd ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib—after whom the Zaydi sect is named—was killed, according to al-Waqidi. Hisham al-Kalbi, however, maintained that he was killed in Safar of the year 122. Allah knows best.

Muhammad ibn Jarir (3) has transmitted, following al-Waqidi, the circumstances of his death in this year. Zayd came as a delegate to Yusuf ibn ‘Umar, who asked him, “Did Khalid al-Qasri place any money in your keeping?”

Zayd replied, “How could the man entrust money to me when he curses my forefathers from the pulpit every Friday?” Yusuf made him swear that he was holding nothing of Khalid’s, and then ordered that Khalid be brought from prison; he was produced wrapped in a coarse cloak.

Yusuf asked Khalid, “Did you deposit anything with this man that we might recover it from him?”

Khalid answered, “No—and how could I when I revile his father every Friday?”

Yusuf therefore released him, informed the Commander of the Faithful of the matter, and the latter pardoned it.

It is said, rather