Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Hazrat Ammar al-Dahni (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Abu al-Tufail (may Allah have mercy on him) said: I was present in the army which Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) sent towards Banu Najiyah. When we reached them, we found those people divided into three groups. So our commander asked one group: What is your situation? They said: We were Christians and we accepted Islam and remained steadfast on Islam. The commander said: You separate yourselves. Then the commander asked the second group: What is your situation? They said: We were Christians. We did not consider any religion better than our own, so we remained steadfast on our religion. The commander said: You also separate yourselves. Then the commander asked the last group: What is your situation? They said: We were Christians, then we accepted Islam, then we turned back from Islam because we did not consider any religion better than our own, and we became Christians again. The commander said to them: Accept Islam. They refused. So the commander said to his companions: When I pass my hand over my head three times, then attack them. So the people did so, and killed their fighting men and took their children captive. Then I brought the captives to Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). And Ma’qalah bin Hubayrah came and bought those captives for two hundred thousand. Then he brought one hundred thousand to Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), but he (may Allah be pleased with him) refused to accept it. Ma’qalah took his dirhams back and went to the slaves and freed all of them, and joined Hazrat Mu’awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him). Then Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked: Why did you not take those children? He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: No. Then he (may Allah be pleased with him) did not take any action against them.