Grading: Its narrators are "thiqah".
Identification of narrators: Al-Humaydi: he is 'Abd Allah bin al-Zubayr bin 'Isa al-Asadi. Sufyan: he is Ibn 'Uyaynah. Ja'far bin Muhammad: he is Ibn 'Ali bin al-Husayn bin 'Ali bin Abi Talib.

Reference / Source: Al-Bukhari recorded it in "al-Tarikh al-Awsat" (1/ 529), Abu Zur'ah al-Dimashqi in his "Tarikh" (1660), Ibn Abi al-Dunya in "Maqtal 'Ali" (58), Ibn Abi 'Asim in "al-Ahad wa al-Mathani" (161), al-Tabarani in "al-Kabir" (166), Abu Nu'aym in "Ma'rifat al-Sahabah" (317), Ibn 'Asakir in "Tarikh Dimashq" (42/ 569 and 570) and Ibn al-Jawzi in "al-Tahqiq fi Ahadith al-Khilaf" (1649), via several routes from Sufyan bin 'Uyaynah, with this chain.

Important point: It has passed from Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) at no. (4634) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gave the banner to 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) on the day of Badr when he was "twenty years" old. This is authentically established from Ibn 'Abbas. It is known that Badr took place in the year 2 AH, and it is agreed that 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was martyred in the year 40 AH. By this reckoning, his age at the time of his martyrdom comes to "fifty-eight (58) years". This agrees with the statement of Abu Ja'far Muhammad bin 'Ali al-Baqir and of Sulayman bin Harb (Tarikh Dimashq 42/ 569). The apparent conclusion is that this is "the most preponderant" statement, and Allah knows best.

Details of the narration: Another statement on this is also narrated from Abu Ja'far Muhammad bin 'Ali al-Baqir, that 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was martyred at the age of "sixty-three (63) years", as recorded by al-Tabarani in "al-Kabir" (165), Abu Nu'aym in "Ma'rifat al-Sahabah" (314) and Ibn 'Asakir (42/ 19 and 572).
Grading: There is "softness" (lin, weakness) in its chain. (For details see no. 4639.)

Details of the narration: A third statement is also narrated from Abu Ja'far Muhammad bin 'Ali, that 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was martyred at the age of "fifty-seven (57) years", as recorded by Ibn 'Asakir (42/ 568 and 569), but its chain is "talif" (ruined). That is why Ibn 'Asakir said: "What is preserved from Ja'far is fifty-eight (58) years", meaning Ja'far from his father.

Details of the narration: From his son Ja'far bin Muhammad al-Sadiq two statements are narrated with a sahih chain: one that 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was martyred at "fifty-eight (58) years", and the other that he was martyred at "fifty-seven (57) years". The first statement was recorded by Ibn 'Asakir (42/ 570 and 571) and the second by Ibn Abi Khaythamah in the third part (al-sifr al-thalith) of "al-Tarikh al-Kabir" (374 and 3583).