Imam al-Baqir (AS) said: The people of Kufa complained to Ali (AS) about the flooding of the Euphrates. He mounted, and together with al-Hasan and al-Husayn (AS) he rode out and stood upon the Euphrates, whose waters had risen over both its banks. He struck it with the staff of the Messenger of God (PBUH), and it subsided by a cubit; he struck it again, and it subsided by two cubits. They said: O Commander of the Faithful, if only you would give us more! He said: I asked God, and He granted me what you have seen; and I dislike being an importunate servant. (al-Khara'ij wa al-Jara'ih, vol. 1, p. 173)
Imam al-Baqir (AS) said: The people of Kufa complained to Ali (AS) about the excess of the water of the Euphrates. He mounted and went with Hasan and Husayn (AS) toward the Euphrates. When he arrived there, he struck the Euphrates a blow with the staff of the Messenger of God (PBUH); the Euphrates subsided by a cubit. He struck another blow, and again the Euphrates subsided by a cubit. They said: Still more! He said: No more! I asked of God and God granted it. I do not wish to be an importunate servant at the court of God.
From Rumayla: Ali (AS) passed by a man who was sewing while singing, and said to him: O young man! If you were to recite the Qur'an, it would be better for you. (al-Khara'ij wa al-Jara'ih, vol. 1, p. 174)
The narrator relates: Ali (AS) passed by a young man who was working as a tailor and singing under his breath. He said to him: O young man! Recite the Qur'an; it is better for you.
We say: this young man was probably the well-known Zadhan, who was a cloth-seller, a musician, and a singer, and who by the prayer of Ali (AS) became a memorizer of the Qur'an and became one of the companions of Ali (AS) and a narrator of his hadith. The third hadith following this one concerns him.
From Abu Ja'far (AS), who said: The Commander of the Faithful (AS) gathered his sons — they were twelve males — and said to them: God has loved to establish in me a practice from Jacob, who gathered his sons — they were twelve males — and said to them: I appoint Joseph as my legatee, so listen to him and obey. And I appoint al-Hasan and al-Husayn as my legatees, so listen to them and obey. His son Abdullah said to him: To the exclusion of Muhammad ibn Ali? — meaning Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya. He said to him: Such boldness toward me while I still live? It is as though I see you found slaughtered in your tent, none knowing who killed you. When the time of al-Mukhtar came, he went to him, but al-Mukhtar said: You have no place here. He grew angry and went to Mus'ab ibn al-Zubayr, who was in Basra, and said: Give me command of the war against the people of Kufa. So he was placed at the head of Mus'ab's vanguard. They met at Harura, and when night separated them, morning came and he was found slaughtered in his tent, none knowing who had killed him. (al-Khara'ij wa al-Jara'ih, vol. 1, p. 183)
Imam al-Baqir (AS) said: The Commander of the Faithful (AS) gathered his sons, who numbered twelve in all, and said: Just as Jacob gathered his sons and made his bequest to Joseph, so have I gathered you to make my bequest to Hasan and Husayn (AS). After me, obey those two! At that moment one of his sons named Abdullah spoke up and said: Then what of Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya? Ali (AS) was displeased and said: I am still alive, and you show insolence against my command!? I see you lying slaughtered in your tent, with none knowing who your killer is! Years later, in the time of al-Mukhtar, Abdullah ibn Ali inclined toward al-Mukhtar, but al-Mukhtar would not receive him; so he betook himself to al-Mukhtar's enemy, Mus'ab ibn al-Zubayr, in Basra, and came with Mus'ab to war against al-Mukhtar. The two armies met at Harura and camped facing each other for the night. In the morning, as the battle was about to begin, word came that Abdullah had been found slaughtered in his tent during the night — and his killer was never identified.
Abd al-Hamid ibn Abi al-Ala al-Azdi narrated from Abu Abdillah (AS), who said: Jubayr al-Khabur was the keeper of Mu'awiya's treasury, and he had an aged mother in Kufa. He said to Mu'awiya: I have an old mother in Kufa whom I long to see; give me leave to go to her and discharge what duty toward her rests upon me. Mu'awiya said: What business have you in Kufa? There is a man there, a sorcerer and soothsayer, called Ali ibn Abi Talib, and I am not sure he will not lead you astray. Jubayr said: What have I to do with Ali? I only go to my mother, to visit her and fulfill her right. So he gave him leave. Jubayr came to Ayn al-Tamr with money, and buried part of it at Ayn al-Tamr. Now Ali had lookouts, and they seized Jubayr on the outskirts of Kufa and brought him to Ali. When he looked at him, he said: O Jubayr al-Khabur! Truly you are a treasure among the treasures of God. Mu'awiya claimed to you that I am a soothsayer and a sorcerer? He said: Yes, by God, Mu'awiya said that. Then he said: And you have money with you, part of which you buried at Ayn al-Tamr. He said: You have spoken truly, O Commander of the Faithful; it was indeed so. Ali (AS) said: O Hasan, take him into your care. So he lodged him and treated him kindly. On the next day he summoned him, and then said to his companions: This man will be in the mountain of Ahvaz among four thousand fully armed men; they will be with him until our Qa'im of the People of the House rises, and he will fight alongside him. (al-Khara'ij wa al-Jara'ih, vol. 1, p. 185)
Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said: A man named Jubayr was Mu'awiya's treasurer, and he had an aged mother living in Kufa. He said to Mu'awiya: My old mother is in Kufa and I miss her; permit me to go and visit her and discharge my filial duty. Mu'awiya said: Kufa? There Ali ibn Abi Talib bewitches everyone; I fear he will deceive you too! Jubayr said: What have I to do with Ali?! I will go, visit my mother, and return. Mu'awiya gave permission. Jubayr traveled until he reached Ayn al-Tamr, and there he buried the sum of money he had brought with him. The agents of Ali (AS) seized him and brought him before him. When Ali's (AS) eye fell upon him, he said: O Jubayr! You are a treasure among the treasures of God! Has Mu'awiya told you that I am a sorcerer? Jubayr said: By God, yes. The Imam said: You had with you a sum of money, part of which you hid at Ayn al-Tamr? Jubayr said: Yes, O Commander of the Faithful! Ali (AS) turned to Hasan and said: O Hasan! Take him to your house and treat him kindly. The next day, Ali (AS) called him and declared before his companions: At the time of the Return, this man will come from Ahvaz with four thousand armed men and will fight at the side of our Qa'im.
Sa'd al-Khaffaf relates from Zadhan Abu Amr: I said: O Zadhan, you recite the Qur'an and recite it beautifully — with whom did you study it? He smiled and said: The Commander of the Faithful (AS) passed by me while I was reciting poetry — and I had a fine voice — and my voice pleased him. He said: O Zadhan, why not the Qur'an? I said: How could I recite the Qur'an? By God, I know of it only as much as I need for my prayer. He said: Come near me. So I drew near to him, and he spoke into my ear words I did not recognize, nor did I know what he was saying. Then he said to me: Open your mouth — and he cast of his saliva into my mouth. By God, my feet had not yet left his presence when I had memorized the whole Qur'an, with its inflections and its hamzas, and after that encounter I never needed to ask anyone about it. Sa'd said: I recounted Zadhan's story to Abu Ja'far (AS), and he said: Zadhan has spoken the truth. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) prayed for Zadhan by the Greatest Name, which is never turned back. (al-Khara'ij wa al-Jara'ih, vol. 1, p. 195)
Sa'd al-Khaffaf says: I said to Zadhan: You recite the Qur'an beautifully — how did you learn it? He smiled and said: One day the Commander of the Faithful (AS) passed by me while I was singing verse; I had a pleasant manner, and my voice pleased him. He said: O Zadhan! Why have you not memorized the Qur'an? I said: Beyond the two suras I recite in prayer, I know nothing of the Qur'an. He said: Come closer. So I went near him. He spoke things into my ear that I did not understand. Then he said: Open your mouth — and he placed some of his blessed saliva into my mouth. By God, when I rose from his side, I knew the entire Qur'an by heart, with its inflections, and after that I had no difficulty about which I would need to ask. Sa'd says: I recounted Zadhan's story to Imam al-Baqir (AS), and he said: Zadhan speaks the truth. Ali (AS) prayed for Zadhan by the Greatest Name, which is never refused.
Dawud al-Attar narrated: A man said: One of the companions of the Commander of the Faithful (AS) asked me, saying: Come along, let us go and greet the Commander of the Faithful (AS). I said: I do not care to. But he kept at me until I went with him and we greeted him. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) raised his lash and struck my shin with it, and I leapt. He said: Leap, leap! You came unwillingly. You are Maysara. Then the man went away, and it was said to him: The Commander of the Faithful did to you what he has done to no one else. He said: I was a slave of the family of So-and-so, and my name was Maysara. I left them and claimed descent from people to whom I do not belong — and the Commander of the Faithful called me by my true name. (al-Khara'ij wa al-Jara'ih, vol. 1, p. 195)
The narrator relates: A man said: One of the companions of Ali (AS) said to me: Come, let us go together and greet the Commander of the Faithful! I did not like the idea, but we went and greeted him. The Imam raised his lash and struck my leg. I was frightened. He said: Away with you, away with you — you came here reluctantly, not with a willing heart! You are Maysara. When he left, they said to him: The Commander of the Faithful did to you something he had never done to anyone! He said: I was the slave of the family of So-and-so, and my name was Maysara. I left them and claimed I was not their slave. But Ali (AS) called me by my real name.
Awf ibn Marwan said: A rider arrived from Syria and spread word in Kufa that Mu'awiya had died. The man was brought to Ali (AS), who said: Did you witness Mu'awiya's death? He said: Yes, I was among those who buried him. Ali said to him: You are lying. The people said: Is he lying? He said: Yes — for Mu'awiya will not die until he rules over this nation and does such-and-such, and such-and-such after he has come to rule. The people said: Then why do you fight him, when you know he will attain this? He said: For the sake of the proof. (al-Khara'ij wa al-Jara'ih, vol. 1, p. 198)
The narrator relates: A rider came from Syria and cried out in Kufa that Mu'awiya had died! He was taken before the Commander of the Faithful (AS). Ali (AS) said to him: Did you yourself witness Mu'awiya's death? The man said: Yes; I was among those who buried him. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: You are lying! Those around him said: He is lying? The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Yes, he is lying; for Mu'awiya will not die until he becomes ruler of this nation and does such and such! They said: Then why do you fight him, when you know he will prevail in the end?! He said: So that the proof may be established against all.
From Mina, who said: Ali (AS) heard a clamor in his army and said: What is this? They said: Mu'awiya has perished. He said: By no means! By Him in whose hand is my soul, he will not perish until this nation is united under him. They said: Then for what do you fight him? He said: I seek the excuse that lies between me and God. (al-Khara'ij wa al-Jara'ih, vol. 1, p. 198)
The narrator relates: One day at Siffin, in the midst of the battle, Ali (AS) heard a clamor from somewhere in his army. He said: What is this uproar about?! They said: They are saying Mu'awiya has been killed! He said: Never! By Him in whose hand is my soul, Mu'awiya will remain alive until he rules over this entire nation. They said: Then if he is destined to prevail over us, why do you fight him?! He said: So that I may be excused before God!
He (AS) said to Talha and al-Zubayr when they asked his leave to set out for the umra: No, by God — you two do not intend the umra; you intend Basra. And he (AS) said to Ibn Abbas, when informing him of their request for leave to perform the umra: I gave them leave even though I know the treachery they harbor within; I sought God's support against them. God will turn their scheme back upon them and grant me victory over them. And it was as he said. (al-Khara'ij wa al-Jara'ih, vol. 1, p. 199)
When Talha and al-Zubayr asked leave of the Commander of the Faithful (AS) to depart for the umra, he said to them: You are not going to the umra; you are going to Basra. And when he was telling Ibn Abbas the news of their asking permission, he said: I gave them leave, though I know what scheme they harbor. God will turn their plot and trickery back upon themselves and grant me victory over them.
He said at Dhu Qar, as he sat receiving the pledge of allegiance: There will come to you from the direction of Kufa a thousand men — not one man more and not one man less — who will pledge allegiance to me unto death. Ibn Abbas said: I was distressed by this and feared that the number would fall short or exceed it, and the matter would be spoiled for us. I kept counting the men, and I had tallied their number at nine hundred and ninety-nine, when the arrival of people ceased. I said: We belong to God and to Him we return! What moved him to say what he said? While I was reflecting on this, I saw a figure approaching until he drew near. He was on foot, wearing a woolen tunic, carrying a sword, a shield, and a waterskin. He came close to the Commander of the Faithful (AS) and said: Stretch out your hand that I may pledge allegiance to you. Ali (AS) said: And upon what will you pledge allegiance to me? He said: Upon hearing and obeying, and fighting before you until I die or God grants you victory. He said: What is your name? He said: Uways. He said: Uways al-Qarani? He said: Yes. He said: God is greatest! My beloved, the Messenger of God (PBUH), told me that I would meet a man of his nation called Uways al-Qarani, who would be of the party of God and of His Messenger, and would die a martyr, and through whose intercession would enter multitudes like Rabi'a and Mudar. Ibn Abbas said: Then my distress was lifted from me. (al-Khara'ij wa al-Jara'ih, vol. 1, p. 200)
Ibn Abbas relates: When the Commander of the Faithful (AS) was seated at Dhu Qar (midway on the road from Basra to Kufa) receiving the pledge of allegiance, he said: Today a thousand men are coming from the direction of Kufa — not one man fewer, not one man more — and they will pledge allegiance to me unto death. Ibn Abbas says: I became anxious and feared that there might be one too few or one too many — and then what would we do! When they came, I counted them; the count reached 999 and no one else came. I said: We belong to God and to Him we return! Why did the Imam speak so!? While I was lost in thought, I saw a person coming on foot. He came and drew near. He wore a woolen tunic and carried with him a sword, a shield, and a waterskin. When he reached Ali (AS), he said: Stretch out your hand that I may pledge allegiance! The Imam said: Upon what do you pledge? He said: That I obey you and fight at your side until I am martyred or God grants you victory. The Imam said: What is your name? He said: Uways. The Imam asked: Uways al-Qarani? He said: Yes. At this the Imam proclaimed God's greatness and said: My beloved, the Messenger of God (PBUH), had told me that I would meet a man named Uways al-Qarani; he is of the party of God and the party of the Prophet, and in the end he will be martyred, and by his intercession tribes such as Rabi'a and Mudar will enter Paradise.
And among them: when news reached him of what Busr ibn Artat had done in Yemen, he (AS) said: O God, Busr has sold his religion for this world — so strip him of his reason! Busr lived on until his mind became deranged; a sword of wood was made for him, with which he would play until he died. (al-Khara'ij wa al-Jara'ih, vol. 1, p. 201)
When news reached Ali (AS) that Busr ibn Artat, on Mu'awiya's behalf, had swept into Yemen and put it to fire and plunder, his heart broke and he raised his hands in prayer, saying: O God, Busr has sold his religion for this world! Take away his reason! In the end, Busr went mad. He was constantly after a sword, and if a sword was in his hand he would kill people. So they had placed a wooden sword in his hand, and he would perpetually rise and fight imaginary battles with his wooden sword. He struggled on like that until he died.
In Umar's time a captive was brought to him. Islam was offered to him, but he refused, so Umar ordered him killed. He said: Do not kill me while I am thirsty. They brought a cup full of water. He said: Am I under protection until I drink? Umar said: Yes. So he poured the water onto the ground and the earth soaked it up. Umar said: Kill him, for he has used a trick. But Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) said: It is not lawful for you to kill him, for you have granted him protection. He said: Then what shall I do with him? He said: Assign him to a man among the Muslims for a fair price. He said: And who would want him? He said: I. He said: He is yours. Then the Commander of the Faithful (AS) took the cup in his palm and prayed, and behold — that water gathered back into the cup; and at this the man embraced Islam. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) freed him, and he devoted himself to the mosque and to worship. When Abu Lu'lu'a killed Umar, Ubaydullah ibn Umar imagined that al-Hurmuzan had killed his father, so he entered the mosque and killed him. They informed Umar of what had happened, and he said: He has erred; it was Abu Lu'lu'a who struck me, not al-Hurmuzan, the client of Ali ibn Abi Talib — and he left instructions only that Ubaydullah be put to death. Umar died and Uthman took office, but he did not execute Ubaydullah. Ali (AS) said: If God gives me power over him, I will kill him. When Uthman was killed, Ubaydullah fled to Mu'awiya; and Ali caught him at Siffin and killed him while he was girded with two swords. (al-Khara'ij wa al-Jara'ih, vol. 1, p. 212)
In the time of Umar's caliphate, a captive was brought in and Islam was offered to him, but he did not accept. Umar ordered him to be killed. The captive said: I am thirsty — do not kill me! They brought him a vessel full of water. The captive said: Am I safe while I drink the water? Umar said: Yes. The captive poured the water on the ground, and Umar said: Kill him, for he has played a trick. Ali (AS) was present in the gathering and said: You cannot kill him, for you gave him protection. Umar said: Then what should I do with him? The Imam said: Sell him to one of the Muslims at a fair price. Umar said: Who will buy him? The Imam said: I will. Umar said: He is yours. Ali (AS) took the vessel in his hand and prayed, and the water gathered back into the vessel. Seeing this, the captive became a Muslim. The Imam then freed him, and he was ever after devoted to the mosque, worshipping — and he was none other than al-Hurmuzan. When Abu Lu'lu'a struck Umar, Ubaydullah ibn Umar imagined that al-Hurmuzan had killed him; so he entered the mosque and killed him. They told Umar what had happened. Umar said: He has made a mistake; it was Abu Lu'lu'a who struck me. He then left instructions that Ubaydullah should suffer retaliation. But when Umar passed away and Uthman became caliph, he did not carry out the retaliation against Ubaydullah. Ali (AS) said: If I had become caliph, I would have killed him. When Uthman was killed, Ubaydullah fled to Mu'awiya, and in the battle of Siffin, while he was girded with two swords, Ali (AS) killed him.
From Abu Hashim al-Ja'fari, from his father, from al-Sadiq (AS), who said: When Ali (AS) had finished with the battle of Siffin, he stood on the bank of the Euphrates and said: O valley! Who am I? It shook, its waves broke apart, and the people looked on and heard a voice from the Euphrates: I bear witness that there is no god but God, that Muhammad is the Messenger of God, and that Ali the Commander of the Faithful is the proof of God over His creation. (al-Khara'ij wa al-Jara'ih, vol. 1, p. 231)
Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said: When Ali (AS) was done with the tumult of Siffin, he stood on the bank of the Euphrates and said: O valley! Who am I? The river grew turbulent and its waves clashed together while the people watched. They heard a voice from the Euphrates that said: I bear witness that there is no god but God, that Muhammad is the Messenger of God, and that Ali the Commander of the Faithful is the proof of God over His creation.
From Yahya ibn Harthama, from Ali ibn Abi Talib: There is no spot on the earth but that it is a grave, or will yet become a grave. (al-Khara'ij wa al-Jara'ih, vol. 1, p. 393)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: There is no spot on the earth but that it is someone's grave, or someone will later be buried there.
Ali (AS) saw al-Hasan al-Basri performing ablutions at a water channel and said: Perform your ablution fully, O kafti! He replied: Yesterday you killed men who performed their ablutions fully. He said: And are you grieving over them? He said: Yes. He said: Then may God prolong your grief. Ayyub al-Sijistani said: We never saw al-Hasan thereafter but that he was sorrowful, as though he were returning from burying a dear one, or like a muleteer who has lost his donkey. We asked him about this, and he said: The prayer of the righteous man has taken effect upon me. (al-Khara'ij wa al-Jara'ih, vol. 2, p. 547)
The day after the battle of Nahrawan, Ali (AS) saw al-Hasan al-Basri performing his ablutions with scant water. He said to him: O ignorant one! Make your ablution generous with water. Al-Hasan al-Basri said: Those who used water generously in their ablutions — you killed them yesterday!! The Imam said: Are you grieving for them? He said: Yes. The Imam said: May God make your grief long-lasting. Ayyub al-Sijistani says: After that, we always saw al-Hasan sorrowful, as though he were returning from the burial of a loved one, or like a hired driver who has lost his donkey. We asked him the reason. He said: The curse of a righteous man took effect upon me.
And among them: A butcher sold meat to someone's slave-girl and dealt unjustly with her. She wept and went out, and seeing Ali, she complained to him about the butcher. He walked with her back to him and called on him to treat her fairly, admonishing him and saying: The weak should stand with you in the same rank as the strong; do not wrong the girl. The butcher did not know Ali, so he raised his hand and said: Get out, fellow! He (AS) went out without saying a word. Then someone said to the butcher: That was Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS)! He went out to the Commander of the Faithful, apologizing, and he (AS) prayed for him. (al-Khara'ij wa al-Jara'ih, vol. 2, p. 758)
A butcher sold meat to a slave-girl and wronged her. The girl wept, left his shop, saw Ali (AS), and complained about the butcher. The Imam went with her to the butcher's shop and told him to deal fairly with the girl, admonished him, and said: With you, the weak must stand as the strong. But the butcher, who did not recognize Ali (AS), grew harsh and said: Get out, man! Without anger, the Imam left the shop and said nothing. People told the butcher: That was Ali ibn Abi Talib. On hearing this, the butcher hurried after the Commander of the Faithful (AS) and apologized, and the Imam prayed for him.
When he (AS) set out for Siffin, and there lay between him and Damascus a hundred farsakhs or more, he halted in a desert and prayed there. When he had finished and raised his head from the prostration of thanksgiving, he said: I hear the sound of Mu'awiya's mustering trumpet from Damascus. (al-Khara'ij wa al-Jara'ih, vol. 2, p. 916)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) set out toward Siffin. While there was a distance of a hundred farsakhs or more between him and Damascus, he halted in a desert and prayed there. When he finished the prayer and raised his head from the prostration of thanksgiving, he said: I can hear the sound of the horn and trumpet being blown in Damascus for the marching out of Mu'awiya's troops.