[2] In 892, in the midst of the civil war raging within the Ibadi Imamate of Oman, he received a delegation from one of the factions fighting in the conflict, asking for him to intervene on their behalf.
The bulk of his forces then departed from al-Bahrain, taking the land route to Oman, while a second division carrying a large amount of supplies set sail from al-Basra toward Julfar.
[3] The reaction in Oman to the news of Muhammad's advance was one of panic; many of the imam 'Azzan ibn Tamim's supporters in Nizwa abandoned him, while a large number of the residents of Suhar fled the country for Abbasid and Saffarid territory.
The resulting battle, which took place in mid-May, ended in victory for the Abbasids; the imam and many of his followers were killed and their heads were sent in triumph to the caliph in Baghdad.
[4] The death of the imam did not immediately bring an end to the war, and within a short time a number of Omani tribes had formed an alliance with the objective of expelling Muhammad from the country.