Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 39794 — Reports on the people of Najran

It is narrated from Salim that the people of Najran had reached forty thousand in number. The narrator says: Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) feared that they would attack the Muslims. Then (as it happened) envy arose among them. The narrator says: They came to Sayyiduna Umar and said: "Envy has arisen among us, so exile us." The narrator says: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had written a document for them that they would not be exiled. The narrator says: Sayyiduna Umar took this as an opportunity and exiled them. After that the people of Najran regretted it, so they came to him and said: "Release us (from this)." Sayyiduna Umar refused to release them. Then when Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) arrived, they came to Sayyiduna Ali and said: "We ask you by the writing of your right hand and by your intercession with your Prophet to release us." But Sayyiduna Ali also refused and said: "Woe to you! Sayyiduna Umar was a man of sound judgement." Salim, the narrator, says: The predecessors held the view that if Sayyiduna Ali were to object to anything Sayyiduna Umar had done, he would have objected to him regarding the people of Najran.