Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Salih that a camel driver was singing a hadith for Hazrat Uthman and was saying, "Surely after Uthman, Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) is the leader, and in Zubair is the preferred caliphate." The narrator says, Hazrat Ka'b said, "But there is Muawiyah, the one with the brown mule." So it was said to Hazrat Muawiyah that Hazrat Ka'b is joking with you and thinks that you will become the guardian of this matter of caliphate. The narrator says, then Hazrat Ka'b came to Hazrat Muawiyah, so Muawiyah said, "O Abu Ishaq! How did you say this while Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), Zubair, and other companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) are present?" Ka'b said, "You are the one who is deserving of this caliphate."

It is narrated from Ibrahim Taimi that when the allegiance was given to Hazrat Abu Bakr, the narrator says: Hazrat Salman said, "You have made a mistake and also done right. If you had entrusted the caliphate to the family of your Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), then surely you would have enjoyed this caliphate with great prosperity."

It is narrated from Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Abi Bakrah that Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) took from the treasury, until he parted from us, only a cloak filled with cotton and a shirt which had red stripes.

It is narrated from Hazrat Saad bin Ibrahim that I heard Ubaidullah bin Abi Rafi’ saying: When people crowded around Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and made his feet bleed, I was watching him. Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O Allah! Indeed, I dislike these people and they dislike me. So grant me relief from them and grant them relief from me.

It is narrated from Hazrat Sha'bi that when Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) went out for Fajr, Abdur Rahman bin Muljam and Shabib Ashja'i surrounded him. Shabib struck at him but missed, and his sword struck the wall. Then he was cornered towards the doors of Kunda, and people began to say, "Catch the one with the sword." When Shabib sensed he was about to be caught, he threw away his sword and mingled with the common people. As for Abdur Rahman, he struck Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) on his blessed head with a sword. He too was cornered towards Bab al-Feel, and he was caught by Ariz or Awaiz Hadrami. He was then brought before Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "If I die, then if you wish, you may kill him, or you may let him go. And if I survive, then there will be retribution (qisas)."

It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Sabe’ that I heard Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) say: Surely, surely this (beard) will be stained with this. The people said: Tell us about his (the killer’s) family so we may destroy them. Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: By Allah! Then you will kill someone other than my killer. The people asked: Why do you not appoint a caliph? Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: No! Rather, I will leave you just as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) left you. The people asked: Then when you meet your Lord, what will you say to Him? Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: I will say: O Allah! You kept me among them (for a period), then You called me to Yourself while You Yourself were present among them. So if You had willed, You would have set them right, and if You had willed, You would have corrupted them.

Hazrat Abu Hamza narrates from his father that I heard Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) say: "O blood, surely this will definitely be stained with it," meaning that your beard will be colored with the blood of your head.

It is narrated from Hazrat Ubaidah that Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say: What is preventing the wretched one of this Ummah from coming and killing me? O Allah! Indeed, I have become weary of these people and they have become weary of me. So grant me relief from them and grant them relief from me.