عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَلَمَةَ قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَا وَرَجُلَانِ، رَجُلٌ مِنْ قَوْمِي وَرَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي أَسَدٍ أَحْسَبُ، فَبَعَثَهُمَا وَجْهًا وَقَالَ: أَمَّا إِنَّكُمَا عِلْجَانِ فَعَالِجَا عَنْ دِينِكُمَا، ثُمَّ دَخَلَ الْمَخْرَجَ فَقَضَى حَاجَتَهُ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَأَخَذَ حَفْنَةً مِنْ مَاءٍ فَتَمَسَّحَ بِهَا ثُمَّ جَعَلَ يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ، قَالَ: فَكَأَنَّهُ رَآنَا أَنْكَرْنَا ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقْضِي حَاجَتَهُ ثُمَّ يَخْرُجُ فَيَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ وَيَأْكُلُ مَعَنَا اللَّحْمَ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يَحْجُبُهُ عَنِ الْقُرْآنِ شَيْءٌ لَيْسَ الْجَنَابَةَ
Abdullah bin Salamah says: I and two men, all of us went to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). One man was from my tribe and, as I think, the other was from Banu Asad. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) sent them to one side and said to them: Both of you are strong men, so work diligently in the task I am sending you for. Then he went to a place to relieve himself, relieved himself, then came out from there and took a handful of water and washed his hands with it, and then began to recite the Holy Qur’an. When he saw that we did not understand his action correctly, he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would also recite the Holy Qur’an after relieving himself and would eat meat with us, and nothing except major ritual impurity (janabah) would prevent him (peace and blessings be upon him) from reciting the Holy Qur’an.