when the caliphate passed to almutawakkil the minister ibn alzayyat was afflicted by the hand of the judge muhammad ibn abi dawud so aljahiz fled then was returned to the judge in chains with his neck shackled apologizing for his escape. ibn abi dawud expressed his admiration for him saying i trust his wit but i do not trust his religion. aljahiz presented him with his book albayan wa altabyin after he had been cut off from him for a whole year. his contacts gradually increased until they reached alfath ibn khaqan who presented him with some of his books. almutawakkil appointed him as a tutor for his sons. when he saw his hideousness he dismissed him. aljahiz spoke about this about himself saying i was mentioned to almutawakkil to discipline one of his sons and when he saw me he was disgusted by my appearance so he ordered ten thousand dirhams for me and dismissed me.
ولما صارت الخلافة الى المتوكل، نكب الوزير ابن الزيات بيد القاضي محمد بن أبي دؤاد، فهرب الجاحظ، ثم أعيد الى القاضي مقيدا، مغلول العنق، معتذرا عن فراره، وقد أبدى إبن أبي دؤاد إعجابه به، فقال أنا أثق بظرفه، ولا أثق بدينه . وقدم إليه الجاحظ كتابه البيان والتبيين ، بعد أن انقطع إليه عاما كاملا. وتدرجت إتصالاته حتى بلغت الفتح بن خاقان، فقدم له بعض كتبه. وجعله المتوكل مؤدبا لأولاده. ولما رأى بشاعته صرفه. وقد حدث الجاحظ في ذلك عن نفسه، فقال ذكرت للمتوكل لتأديب بعض ولده، فلما رآني استبشع منظري، فأمر لي بعشرة آلاف درهم وصرفني .