It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that I went with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to visit Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) while he was ill, and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) were sitting with him. The two of them moved from their places and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sat there. One of the two said to his companion: "I do not think that he (Ali) will survive this illness." So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "He (Ali) will never die except that he will be martyred, and he will not die until he has been filled with anger (against falsehood)."

Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated during the caliphate of Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him): "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) to fight the Nakithin (those who break the pledge of allegiance), the Qasitin (the unjust and rebellious group) and the Mariqin (the Kharijites who pass out of the religion)."

Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saying to Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him): "You will fight the Nakithin, the Qasitin and the Mariqin on the roads, at the Nahrawanat, and on the mountain peaks." Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub al-Ansari says that I said: O Messenger of Allah! With whom shall I fight against these people? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "With Ali bin Abi Talib."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "Indeed, among the things the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) entrusted to me was that this Ummah will soon, after him, be disloyal and treacherous towards me." This hadith has a sahih (authentic) chain of narration, but the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him): "Be aware that after me you will face great hardship and trial." He said: "Will my religion be safe at that time?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Yes, your religion will be safe." This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim), but they did not record it.