58-3 Abul Khayr Ali ibn Ahmad al-Nassaba quoted on the authority of his own elders that Zayd ibn Musa was appointed as the intimate companion for Al-Montasir. Al-Montasir was very eloquent in speech, but was of the Zaydite sect. He lived in Baghdad next to the Karkhaya River. He was the same person who had become the head of the army during the time of Abul Saraya. When Abul Saraya was killed, the Zaydites were dispersed. Some of them fled away to Baghdad, others went to Kufa while some others fled to Medina. Zayd ibn Musa (Ar-Ridha’’s brother) was also one of those who had fled. Al-Hassan ibn Fadhl chased him, finally caught him and imprisoned him. One day he (Al-Hassan ibn Fadhl) summoned Zayd to execute him. When the executioner arrived and drew out his sword in order to chop off Zayd’s neck, Al-Hajjaj ibn Khaythama who was present there said, ‘O Commander! Do not rush. Call me forward to give you some advice.’ Then Al-Hassan ibn Fadhl ordered the executioner to withdraw the sword and called Al-Haj’jaj ibn Khaythama forward. Al-Hajjaj ibn Khaythama asked, ‘O Commander! Has the Commander of the Faithful (Harun Ar-Rashid) ordered that Zayd be executed?’ He replied, ‘No.’ Then Al-Haj’jaj ibn Khaythama said, ’Then what allows you to kill the cousin of the Commander of the Faithful (Harun Ar-Rashid), while Harun has not issued this order, and you yourself have not sought his permission either?’ Then Al-Hajjaj ibn Khaythama told Al-Hassan ibn Fadhl the story of Abdullah ibn Aftas - Harun Ar-Rashid’s cousin - who had been imprisoned by Harun by Ja’far ibn Yahya. Ja’far ibn Yahya had killed Abdullah ibn Aftas during the New Year holidays, placed his head on a tray and sent it to Harun as a gift. Later, when Harun issued the order Masrur al-Kabir to kill Ja’far ibn Yahya, he told him, ‘If Ja’far ibn Yahya asks the reason for killing him, tell him that this is the reward for you for killing my cousin Abdullah ibn al-Aftas without my order to do so.’Then al-Hajjaj ibn al-Khaythama asked Hassan ibn Sahl, ‘Are you sure that if anything happens to your relationship with the Commander of the Faithful Harun, he would not make killing his cousin an excuse to kill you just as he (Harun) did to Ja’far ibn Yahya?’ Then Al-Hassan ibn Fadhl told Al-Hassan al-Hajjaj said, ‘May God grant you a good reward!’ Then Al-Hassan ibn Fadhl ordered that Zayd be returned to jail. He stayed in jail until the reign of Ibrahim ibn Al-Mahdi when the people of Baghdad rebelled against Hassan ibn Sahl and threw him out of Baghdad. Then Al-Ma’mun’s agents released Zayd from jail, and Al-Ma’mun sent him to his brother Ar-Ridha’ . Zayd ibn Musa lived until the end of Al-Mutawakkil’s rule and then died.”