Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 40604 — The journey of Aishah, Ali, Talhah

Sayf bin so-and-so bin Mu'awiyah al-Anazi reports from his maternal uncle, and he from my maternal grandfather: On the day of the Battle of the Camel the people were in disarray. The people stood up towards Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), claiming various things. When the voices multiplied and Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) could not make out what they were saying, he said: "Is there no man who can sum up what he has to say for me in five or six words?" So I quickly rose up on one leg and said to myself: "If he likes my words, well and good; otherwise I will sit down right away." Then I said: "O Commander of the Believers, my speech is not of five or six words but of only two: forgoing (one's right) or retaliation." He looked at me and counted with his hand up to thirty. He said: Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) looked at me and said: "What you have counted (enumerated) is beneath these feet of mine."