Sahih Muslim Hadith 2467 – Exhortation To (A I)

English

[2467] 156 – ( … ) Zaid bin Wahb A1-JuhanI narrated that he was in the army that was with 'Ali [may Allah be pleased with him] which went to deal with the Khawâr,j. 'All said: "0 people, I heard the Messenger of Allah say: 'There will emerge some people from my Umrnah who will recite the Qur'ãn, and your recitation would seem iisignificant in comparison to theirs, and your prayer would seem insignificant in comparison o theirs, and your fasting would se.rm insignificant in comparison to theirs. They will recite the Qurn, thinking that it is in their faor. when in fact it is against them, ni their prayer will not go any lurther than their collarbones. They will l)SS out of Islam as an arrow passes out of the prey.' If the army which encounters them knew what has been decreed for them on the tongue of their Prophet , they would rely upon that action. The sign of that is that among them there is a man who has an upper arm but no forearm, and the end of his upper arm is like a nipple with white hairs. You will go to Mu'âwiyah and the people of Ash-Sham and you will leave these people to look 2a'icr your families and wealth B Allah. I believe that th.sc tie people in question, for they have shed forbidden blood and raided the flocks of the people. So march forth, in the Name of Allah." Salamah bin Kuhail said: "Zaid bin Wahb described to me the stops (made by the army) until he said: 'Then we crossed a bridge, and when we met (the Khawârij), who were being led that day by 'Abdullâh bin Wahb Ar-RâsibI, he ('Abdullâh) said to (his men): "Throw your spears and draw our swords from their sheaths, for I am afraid that they may urge you to negotiate as they did on the day of (the battle of) Harürâ'." So they went back and threw their spears and unsheathed their swords, and (the companions of 'All) fought hack with their spears, and they (the Khawârij) were killed and piled up one on top of another, but only two of the people (companions of 'All) were killed that day. 'All [may Allah be pleased with him] said: "See if the deformed one is among them." So they looked but they did not find him, 'All [may Allah be pleased with him] stood up himself and (looked) until he came to some people who had been killed and piled up one on top of another, and he said: "Search them till the last man." They found him next to the earth (at the bottom of the heap) and 'All said the TakbIr, then he said: "Allah spoke the truth and His Messenger conveyed it." Then 'AbIdah As-SalmânI went to him ! 2i and said: "0 Commander of the ft_ .4.1 L. ft _ft, Believers, by Allah, besides Whom there is none worthy of worship, did you hear this Hadith from the Messenger of Allah a?" Then he repeated his question three times, and 'All affirmed it each time."