Musnad Ahmad

Adisah bint Wahban says that she was with her father in their house when he fell ill. When he recovered from his illness, not long after, Hazrat Ali came to Basra and also came to their house. He stood at the door of the house and greeted them with salam. Her father replied to him. Hazrat Ali asked him, "Abu Muslim! How are you?" He said, "I am well." Hazrat Ali said, "Why do you not come out with me to those people and help me?" He said, "Why not, provided that you agree to what I will give you." Hazrat Ali asked, "What is that?" He said to his daughter, "Girl, bring me my sword." I took out his sword with its sheath and placed it in his lap. He drew part of it out from the sheath, then raised his head and said to Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), "My friend and your cousin, the Prophet (peace be upon him), took a covenant from me that when tribulations begin to appear among the Muslims, I should make my sword of wood. Here is my sword present; if you wish, I am ready to go out with you with this." Hazrat Ali said, "For now, we do not need you or your sword immediately." Then he went out from the door of the room and did not come again regarding this matter.