[Then came the year 145 AH]

Among the events of that year was the rising of Muhammad ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Ḥasan in Madinah and his brother Ibrāhīm in Basra, as we shall relate, Allah willing.

Muhammad took action after Abū Jaʿfar al-Manṣūr had departed, carrying off the Banū Ḥasan (the descendants of Ḥasan) from Madinah to Iraq in the manner already described and confining them in a wretched prison where no adhān (call to prayer) could be heard and the prayer times could only be gauged through remembrance and recitation. Most of their elders perished there—may Allah be pleased with them.

Throughout this period Muhammad—whom the authorities were hunting—remained hidden in Madinah; at one point he concealed himself in a well, submerged in the water up to his head. He and his brother fixed a specific date on which they would appear, he in Madinah and Ibrāhīm in Basra. The townspeople and others kept reproaching Muhammad ibn ʿAbd Allah for staying out of sight until he finally resolved to come forth. The strain of hiding had become severe, and Rabāḥ, the governor of Madinah, hounded him day and night. When the pressure grew unbearable he agreed with his followers to reveal themselves on a particular night.

That night an informer alerted the city-governor, who was greatly perturbed. He mounted with his troops, rode through Madinah and around the House of Marwān where the conspirators were gathered, but noticed nothing. Returning home, he summoned the sons of Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī along with leading men of Quraysh and others.

He admonished and rebuked them: “O people of Madinah! The Commander of the Believers is searching for this man in east and west, yet he is here in your very midst! And you even pledged him your allegiance, promising to hear and obey! By Allah, if I learn that any of you joins him, I shall strike off his head.”

Those present denied all knowledge, saying, “We will bring you armed men who will fight on your behalf should anything occur.” They departed, returned with an armed detachment, and asked leave to enter.

He replied, “They have no permission; I fear it is a stratagem.” So the armed men sat at the door, while the others remained around the governor, who sat silent, speaking but little until part of the night had passed. Then, suddenly, the followers of Muhammad ibn ʿAbd Allah appeared, proclaiming the takbīr (“Allāhu akbar”). Panic swept the city in the dead of night, and some advised the governor to execute the sons of Ḥusayn.

One of them protested, “Why, when we have already declared our obedience?” The governor, preoccupied with the crisis, left them unattended. They seized the chance, slipped away, scaled the wall of the house, and dropped onto a refuse-heap nearby.

Meanwhile Muhammad ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Ḥasan arrived with two hundred and fifty men. He passed by the prison and set its inmates free, proceeded to the governor’s residence, surrounded and captured it. He seized the governor Rabāḥ ibn ʿUthmān, deputy of Madinah, and imprisoned him in the House of Marwān, confining with him Ibn Muslim ibn ʿUqbah—the very man who had earlier urged that the sons of Ḥusayn be killed—so the latter were spared and he was captured.

At daybreak Muhammad ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Ḥasan held full control of Madinah; its people submitted to him, and he led them in prayer.