It is narrated from Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami that he said: We were present at Siffin with Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), and we had appointed two men to guard his horse. Whenever there was any lapse of attention on the enemy's side, he (may Allah be pleased with him) would charge at them and would not return until his sword was dyed with blood. He (may Allah be pleased with him) would say: "Excuse me, for by Allah, I did not come back until my sword refused to serve me (that is, it became blunt)." The narrator said: I saw Sayyiduna Ammar and Hashim bin Utbah (may Allah be pleased with them both) running between the two ranks. Ammar said: O Hashim! By Allah, his (the enemy's) affair will surely be overturned and his army will surely be forsaken. Then he said: "O Hashim! Paradise lies beneath the shade of the shields. The houris have adorned themselves today. Today we shall meet our beloved ones, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his party." Then he said: "O Hashim! You are one-eyed, and there is no good in a one-eyed man who does not plunge into the thick of battle." The narrator said: So Hashim waved his banner and recited these verses: "This one-eyed man seeks a place (in Paradise) for his family; he has endured the bitterness of life until he has grown weary of it; now he must either gather the spoils or be martyred." The narrator said: Then he went off towards one of the valleys of Siffin. Abu Abd al-Rahman said: I saw the Companions of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) following Ammar as though he were a banner and a signpost for them.