It is narrated from Tariq bin Shihab, he says: I was with Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, he was saying on the pulpit: By Allah! We have no book or writing except the Book of Allah, which we read before you people, and there is this scroll, which is hanging with the sword. About it, he said: I took this scroll from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, in it is mentioned the ages of the animals for Zakat. The scroll which was hanging with the sword had rings of iron.

(Second chain) Tariq bin Shihab says: Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) delivered a sermon to us and said: We have nothing from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in writing, nor anything separate from revelation, except what is in the Book of Allah and in this scroll which is attached to my sword. At that time, he had a sword with iron rings, and in that scroll was a statement regarding the ages of the animals for zakat.

Habbah ‘Urani says: I saw Sayyiduna ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) on the pulpit laughing heartily; I had never seen him laugh so much before. He laughed so hard that his molar teeth became visible, and then he said: I remembered the words of Abu Talib. I was performing prayer with Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in the valley of Nakhlah when Abu Talib came. He said: Nephew! What are you both doing? Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) invited him to Islam. He said: There is nothing wrong with what you are doing, but by Allah! My buttocks will never be raised above me. Sayyiduna ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) laughed in amazement at his father’s words. After that, he said: O Allah, I do not know that, in this Ummah, before Your Prophet, any of Your servants worshipped You before me. He repeated this statement three times. Long before people started praying, I performed prayers. He repeated this statement seven times.1

! Or it means that before people started praying, I performed prayers for seven days, after which others became Muslim. (Abdullah Rafiq)

It is narrated from an elder of Banu Tamim, who says: Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) delivered a sermon to us and said: A time of such hardship will come upon people that the prosperous will become extremely stingy with their possessions, even though they have not been commanded to do so; rather, Allah Almighty has said: { وَلَا تَنْسَوُا الْفَضْلَ بَیْنَکُمْ} … , and he also said: And evil people will be honored, good people will be humiliated, and people will take advantage of others’ hardships by buying and selling from them, even though the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade selling by taking advantage of someone’s compulsion, selling by deception, and selling fruits before they have ripened.

It is narrated from Qais that when Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reached the waters of Banu Amir (while traveling from Madinah Munawwarah to Basra), dogs began to bark. She asked: What place is this? The people replied: This is the place of the waters of Haw'ab. She said: I think I should turn back, but some of her fellow travelers said: Now do not turn back, rather proceed further, perhaps the Muslims will see you and Allah Almighty will bring about reconciliation among them through you. She said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) once said to us: What will be the state of one of you when the dogs of Haw'ab bark at her?

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Rafi’ that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him: Soon there will be a dispute between you and Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her. Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said: O Messenger of Allah! Will it be me? The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Yes. He asked again: O Messenger of Allah! Will it be me? The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Yes. He said: O Messenger of Allah! Then I will be the most unfortunate of all. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: No, it is not so. Just when such a situation arises, ensure that Aisha reaches her place of safety.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ahban bin Saifi, may Allah be pleased with him, who was a Companion, that he says: When Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, arrived in Basra, he sent for me and said: What is preventing you from accompanying me? I said: My beloved friend and your cousin, that is, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, advised me that: Soon there will be turmoil and discord among the people; at that time, break your sword and make a wooden sword, and remain secluded in your house until either a tyrannical hand or death reaches you. Therefore, I did exactly what the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, commanded me. O Ali! If you have the strength not to become that tyrannical, sinful hand, then you must do so.

(Second chain) Hadithah bint Ahban bin Sayfi narrates that she was with her father, Sayyiduna Ahban bin Sayfi (may Allah be pleased with him), at his house. He fell ill and then recovered. At that time, Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) was in Basra. He came to their house and, standing at the door of his room, greeted him with salam. My father replied to his salam. He (Ali) said: Abu Muslim! How are you feeling? My father said: I am fine. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Will you not come out with me to help me against those people? My father said: Why not, provided that you agree with what I say, then I will go with you. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: What is that? So my father said: Girl! Bring me my sword. I took the sword out of its sheath and placed it in his lap. He drew the sword slightly from its sheath, then raised his head towards Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: My beloved and your cousin, that is, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), said to me: When discord and conflict arise among the Muslims, make a sword of wood. So this is my sword; if you wish, I will go out with you carrying this. Upon hearing this, Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We have no need of you or your sword. Then Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) left the door of the room and did not return.

(Third chain) Sayyiduna Ahban (may Allah be pleased with him) said: My beloved friend and your cousin, that is, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), advised me: Soon there will be tribulations and disagreements; when such circumstances arise, break your sword and make a wooden sword. And when my father became seriously ill, he instructed his family that when they shroud him, they should not dress him in a shirt, but we dressed him in a shirt. When morning came, we saw that the shirt was hanging on a peg.

It is narrated from Hasan, he says: Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) summoned Muhammad bin Maslamah. When he was brought, Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: Why have you stayed back from this battle? He replied: Your cousin, that is, the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), granted me a sword and said: As long as there is fighting against the enemies of Islam, continue to fight with this sword, and when you see that people, meaning Muslims, are fighting among themselves and shedding each other's blood, then strike it on a stone and break it, and then remain inside your house until death comes to you or the hand of an oppressor reaches you. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Leave him.