He was a zahid (ascetic) and an ʿābid (devoted worshipper). He was committed to his worship. He supported himself solely with the money he earned as a construction laborer. As for possessions, he owned only a shovel and a basket.
Every Friday, he would earn one dirham and one-sixth of a dirham, called a danik. He would live on this amount until the next Friday. He worked only on Saturdays. Then, for the rest of the week, he would devote himself to worship.
According to some, he was the son of Zubayda. However, according to the sound opinion, Harun Rashid loved his mother and married her, and as a result of this marriage, she became pregnant with him. Afterwards, Harun Rashid sent this woman to Basra, giving her a red ruby and some valuable items. He instructed her to come to him if he became caliph. After Harun Rashid became caliph, neither Ahmed nor his mother came to him; on the contrary, they concealed themselves. Harun Rashid received news that both had died, but in fact, they had not. Despite his efforts, Harun Rashid could not obtain any information about them.
This young Ahmed supported himself with the money he earned by his own labor. Later, he returned to Baghdad and worked as a construction laborer. For a long time, he supported himself with the money he earned from this work, even though he was the son of the caliph. He did not tell anyone that he was the caliph's son. Then, he fell ill at the construction site where he worked. The owner of the house took care of his treatment. When he began to die, he took out the ring that Harun Rashid had once given to his mother and said to the owner of the house:
"Take this ring to Harun Rashid and say to him: The owner of this ring says to you: 'Beware lest you die in this state of intoxication. If you die in this state, you will regret it, but that regret will never benefit its owner. Consider the reckoning you will give before Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, and take heed. After that reckoning, you will go to one of two abodes. This is my last conversation with you. If you persist in this state, you will go, and the caliphate will no longer be in your hands, but will pass to another. Surely you have heard the stories of those before you.'"
The owner of the house says: "When Ahmed b. Rashid died, I buried him and requested an audience with the caliph. When I was admitted to his presence, he asked me:
- What do you need?
- A man gave me this ring and told me to deliver it to you. He also instructed me to convey some words to you.
When Harun Rashid looked at the ring, he recognized it and said:
- Woe to you! Where is the owner of this ring now?
- He has died, O Commander of the Faithful.
I conveyed to Harun Rashid the words Ahmed had told me, and I explained that he worked only one day a week for a wage of one dirham and four daniks, and that he lived frugally on this amount until the next Friday, then devoted himself to worship.
After listening to my words, Harun stood up, struck his thigh, and writhed. Then he said: "By Allah, my son, you have admonished me!" After saying this, he wept. Then he raised his head and said to me:
- Do you know where my son's grave is?
- Yes, I know. Because I buried him.
- Come to me in the evening.
In the evening I went to him. Together we went to the grave of his son Ahmed, and he wept until morning. Then he ordered that I be given 10,000 dirhams. He also provided provisions for me and my family."