O people, I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: There would arise from my Ummah a people who would recite the Qur'an, and your recital would seem insignificant as compared with their recital, your prayer as compared with their prayer, and your fast, as compared with their fast. They would recite the Qur'an thinking that it supports them, whereas it is an evidence against them. Their prayer does not get beyond their collar bone; they would swerve through Islam just as the arrow passes through the prey. If the squadron which is to encounter them were to know (what great boon) has been assured to them by their Messenger ﷺ they would completely rely upon this deed (alone and cease to do other good deeds), and their (that of the Khawarij) distinctive mark is that there would be (among them) a person whose wrist would be without the arm, and the end of his wrist would be fleshy like the nipple of the breast on which there would be white hair. You would be marching towards Muawiya and the people of Syria and you would leave them behind among your children and your property (to do harm). By Allah, I believe that these are the people (against whom you have been commanded to fight and get reward) for they have shed forbidden blood, and raided the animals of the people. So go forth in the name of Allah (to fight against them). Salama b. Kuhail mentioned that Zaid b. Wahb made me alight at every stage, till we crossed a bridge. 'Abdullah b. Wahb al-Rasibi was at the head of the Khawarij when we encountered them. He ('Abdullah) said to his army: Throw the spears and draw out your swords from their sheaths, for I fear that they would attack you as they attacked you on the day of Harura. They went back and threw their spears and drew out their swords, and people fought against them with spears and they were killed one after another. Only two persons were killed among the people (among the army led by 'Ali) on that day. 'Ali (Allah be pleased with him) said: Find out from among them (the dead bodies of the Khawarij) (the maimed). They searched but did not find him. 'Ali (Allah be pleased with him) then himself stood up and (walked) till he came to the people who had been killed one after another. He ('Ali) said: Search them to the last, and then ('Ali's companions) found him (the dead body of the maimed) near the earth. He ('Ali) then pronounced Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) and then said, Allah told the Truth and His Messenger ﷺ conveyed it. Then there stood before him 'Abida Salmani who said: Commander of the Believers, by Allah, besides Whom there is no god but He, (tell me) whether you heard this hadith from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He said: Yes, by Allah, besides Whom there is no god but He. He asked him to take an oath thrice and he took the oath.  

أَنَّهُ كَانَ فِي الْجَيْشِ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا مَعَ عَلِيٍّ ؓ الَّذِينَ سَارُوا إِلَى الْخَوَارِجِ فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ ؓ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ يَخْرُجُ قَوْمٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي يَقْرَءُونَ الْقُرْآنَ لَيْسَ قِرَاءَتُكُمْ إِلَى قِرَاءَتِهِمْ بِشَىْءٍ وَلاَ صَلاَتُكُمْ إِلَى صَلاَتِهِمْ بِشَىْءٍ وَلاَ صِيَامُكُمْ إِلَى صِيَامِهِمْ بِشَىْءٍ يَقْرَءُونَ الْقُرْآنَ يَحْسِبُونَ أَنَّهُ لَهُمْ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِمْ لاَ تُجَاوِزُ صَلاَتُهُمْ تَرَاقِيَهُمْ يَمْرُقُونَ مِنَ الإِسْلاَمِ كَمَا يَمْرُقُ السَّهْمُ مِنَ الرَّمِيَّةِ لَوْ يَعْلَمُ الْجَيْشُ الَّذِينَ يُصِيبُونَهُمْ مَا قُضِيَ لَهُمْ عَلَى لِسَانِ نَبِيِّهِمْ ﷺ لاَتَّكَلُوا عَنِ الْعَمَلِ وَآيَةُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ فِيهِمْ رَجُلاً لَهُ عَضُدٌ وَلَيْسَ لَهُ ذِرَاعٌ عَلَى رَأْسِ عَضُدِهِ مِثْلُ حَلَمَةِ الثَّدْىِ عَلَيْهِ شَعَرَاتٌ بِيضٌ فَتَذْهَبُونَ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ وَأَهْلِ الشَّامِ وَتَتْرُكُونَ هَؤُلاَءِ يَخْلُفُونَكُمْ فِي ذَرَارِيِّكُمْ وَأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَرْجُو أَنْ يَكُونُوا هَؤُلاَءِ الْقَوْمَ فَإِنَّهُمْ قَدْ سَفَكُوا الدَّمَ الْحَرَامَ وَأَغَارُوا فِي سَرْحِ النَّاسِ فَسِيرُوا عَلَى اسْمِ اللَّهِ قَالَ سَلَمَةُ بْنُ كُهَيْلٍ فَنَزَّلَنِي زَيْدُ بْنُ وَهْبٍ مَنْزِلاً حَتَّى قَالَ مَرَرْنَا عَلَى قَنْطَرَةٍ فَلَمَّا الْتَقَيْنَا وَعَلَى الْخَوَارِجِ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ الرَّاسِبِيُّ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ أَلْقُوا الرِّمَاحَ وَسُلُّوا سُيُوفَكُمْ مِنْ جُفُونِهَا فَإِنِّي أَخَافُ أَنْ يُنَاشِدُوكُمْ كَمَا نَاشَدُوكُمْ يَوْمَ حَرُورَاءَ فَرَجَعُوا فَوَحَّشُوا بِرِمَاحِهِمْ وَسَلُّوا السُّيُوفَ وَشَجَرَهُمُ النَّاسُ بِرِمَاحِهِمْ قَالَ وَقُتِلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ وَمَا أُصِيبَ مِنَ النَّاسِ يَوْمَئِذٍ إِلاَّ رَجُلاَنِ فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ ؓ الْتَمِسُوا فِيهِمُ الْمُخْدَجَ فَالْتَمَسُوهُ فَلَمْ يَجِدُوهُ فَقَامَ عَلِيٌّ ؓ بِنَفْسِهِ حَتَّى أَتَى نَاسًا قَدْ قُتِلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ قَالَ أَخِّرُوهُمْ فَوَجَدُوهُ مِمَّا يَلِي الأَرْضَ فَكَبَّرَ ثُمَّ قَالَ صَدَقَ اللَّهُ وَبَلَّغَ رَسُولُهُ قَالَ فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ عَبِيدَةُ السَّلْمَانِيُّ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اللَّهَ الَّذِي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ لَسَمِعْتَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ إِي وَاللَّهِ الَّذِي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ حَتَّى اسْتَحْلَفَهُ ثَلاَثًا وَهُوَ يَحْلِفُ لَهُ  

Zaid b. Wahb al-Juhani told us that he was in the army which proceeded to (fight with) the Khawarij in the company of ʿAli. ʿAli then said: O people! I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: there will appear from among my community people who recite the Qur'an, and your recitation has no comparison with their recitation, and your prayer has no comparison with their prayer, and your fasts have no comparison with their fasts. They will recite the Qur'an thinking that it is beneficial for them, while it is harmful for them. Their prayer will not pass their collar-bones. They will swerve from Islam as an arrow goes through the animal shot at. If the army that is approaching them knows what (reward) has been decided for them at the tongue of their Prophet ﷺ, they would leave (other good) activities. The sign of that is that among them there will be a man who has an upper arm, but not hand; on his upper arm there will be something like the nipple of a female breast, having white hair thereon. Will you go to Muʿawiyah and the people of Syria, and leave them behind among your children and property? I swear by Allah, I hope these are the same people, for they shed the blood unlawfully, and attacked the cattle of the people so go on in the name of Allah. Salamah b. Kuhail said: Zaid b. Wahb then informed me of all the halting places one by one, (saying): Until we passed a bridge. When we fought with each other, ʿAbd Allah b. Wahb al-Rasibi, who was the leader of the Khawarij, said to them: Throw away the lances and pull out the swords from their sheaths, for I am afraid they will adjure you as they had adjured on the day of Harura. So they threw away their lances and pulled out their swords, and the people pierced them with their lances. They were killed (lying one on the other). On that day only two persons of the partisans (of ʿAli) were afflicted. ʿAli said: Search for the man with the crippled hand. But they could not find him. Then ʿAli got up himself and went to the people who had been killed and were lying on one another. He said: Take them out. They found him just near the ground. So he shouted: Allah is Most Great! He said: Allah spoke the truth, and His Apostle has conveyed. ʿUbaidat al-Salmani stood up to him, saying: Commander of the Faithful! Have you heard it from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? He said: Yes, by him, there is no God but He. He put to swear thrice and he swore. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 4768)   

أَنَّهُ كَانَ فِي الْجَيْشِ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا مَعَ عَلِيٍّ الَّذِينَ سَارُوا إِلَى الْخَوَارِجِ فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ سَيَخْرُجُ قَوْمٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي يَقْرَءُونَ الْقُرْآنَ لَيْسَ قِرَاءَتُكُمْ إِلَى قِرَاءَتِهِمْ شَيْئًا وَلَا صَلَاتُكُمْ إِلَى صَلَاتِهِمْ شَيْئًا وَلَا صِيَامُكُمْ إِلَى صِيَامِهِمْ شَيْئًا يَقْرَءُونَ الْقُرْآنَ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُ لَهُمْ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِمْ لَا تُجَاوِزُ صَلَاتُهُمْ تَرَاقِيَهُمْ يَمْرُقُونَ مِنَ الْإِسْلَامِ كَمَا يَمْرُقُ السَّهْمُ مِنَ الرَّمِيَّةِ لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ الْجَيْشَ الَّذِي يُصِيبُونَهُمْ مَا قُضِيَ لَهُمْ عَلَى لِسَانِ نَبِيِّهِمْ ﷺ لَا تَكِلُوا عَلَى الْعَمَلِ وَآيَةُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ فِيهِمْ رَجُلًا لَهُ عَضُدٌ وَلَيْسَتْ لَهُ ذِرَاعٌ عَلَى رَأْسِ عَضُدِهِ مِثْلُ حَلَمَةِ ثَدْيِ الْمَرْأَةِ عَلَيْهِ شَعَرَاتٌ بِيضٌ قَالَ سَلَمَةُ فَنَزَّلَنِي زَيْدٌ مَنْزِلًا مَنْزِلًا حَتَّى مَرَرْنَا عَلَى قَنْطَرَةٍ عَلَى الْخَوَارِجَ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ الرَّاسِبِيُّ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ «أَلْقُوا الرِّمَاحَ وَسُلُّوا سُيُوفَكُمْ مِنْ جُفُونِهَا فَإِنِّي أَخَافُ أَنْ يُنَاشِدُوكُمْ» قَالَ «فَسَلُّوا السُّيُوفَ وَأَلْقُوا جُفُونَهَا وَشَجَرَهُمُ النَّاسُ يَعْنِي بِرِمَاحِهِمْ فَقُتِلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ وَمَا أُصِيبُ مِنَ النَّاسِ يَوْمَئِذٍ إِلَّا رَجُلَانِ» قَالَ عَلِيٌّ «الْتَمِسُوا فِيهِمُ الْمُخْدَجَ فَلَمْ يَجِدُوهُ فَقَامَ عَلِيٌّ بِنَفْسِهِ حَتَّى أَتَى نَاسًا قَتْلَى بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ» قَالَ جَرِّدُوهُمْ فَوَجَدُوهُ مِمَّا يَلِي الْأَرْضَ فَكَبَّرَ عَلِيٌّ وَقَالَ صَدَقَ اللهُ وَبَلَّغَ رَسُولُهُ ﷺ فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ عُبَيْدَةُ السَّلْمَانِيُّ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ «آللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ سَمِعْتَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ؟» قَالَ «إِي وَاللهِ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ لَسَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ حَتَّى اسْتَحْلَفَهُ ثَلَاثًا وَهُوَ يَحْلِفُ لَهُ»  

Zaid b. Wahb al-Juhani told us that he was in the army which proceeded to (fight with) the Khawarij in the company of ʿAli. ʿAli then said: O people! I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: there will appear from among my community people who recite the Qur'an, and your recitation has no comparison with their recitation, and your prayer has no comparison with their prayer, and your fasts have no comparison with their fasts. They will recite the Qur'an thinking that it is beneficial for them, while it is harmful for them. Their prayer will not pass their collar-bones. They will swerve from Islam as an arrow goes through the animal shot at. If the army that is approaching them knows what (reward) has been decided for them at the tongue of their Prophet ﷺ, they would leave (other good) activities. The sign of that is that among them there will be a man who has an upper arm, but not hand; on his upper arm there will be something like the nipple of a female breast, having white hair thereon. Will you go to Muʿawiyah and the people of Syria, and leave them behind among your children and property? I swear by Allah, I hope these are the same people, for they shed the blood unlawfully, and attacked the cattle of the people so go on in the name of Allah. Salamah b. Kuhail said: Zaid b. Wahb then informed me of all the halting places one by one, (saying): Until we passed a bridge. When we fought with each other, ʿAbd Allah b. Wahb al-Rasibi, who was the leader of the Khawarij, said to them: Throw away the lances and pull out the swords from their sheaths, for I am afraid they will adjure you as they had adjured on the day of Harura. So they threw away their lances and pulled out their swords, and the people pierced them with their lances. They were killed (lying one on the other). On that day only two persons of the partisans (of ʿAli) were afflicted. ʿAli said: Search for the man with the crippled hand. But they could not find him. Then ʿAli got up himself and went to the people who had been killed and were lying on one another. He said: Take them out. They found him just near the ground. So he shouted: Allah is Most Great! He said: Allah spoke the truth, and His Apostle has conveyed. ʿUbaidat al-Salmani stood up to him, saying: Commander of the Faithful! Have you heard it from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? He said: Yes, by him, there is no God but He. He put to swear thrice and he swore. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 4768)   

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ أُمَّتِي قَوْمٌ يَقْرَءُونَ الْقُرْآنَ لَيْسَتْ قِرَاءَتُكُمْ إِلَى قِرَاءَتِهِمْ بِشَيْءٍ وَلَا صَلَاتُكُمْ إِلَى صَلَاتِهِمْ بِشَيْءٍ وَلَا صِيَامُكُمْ إِلَى صِيَامِهِمْ بِشَيْءٍ يَقْرَءُونَ الْقُرْآنَ لَا تُجَاوِزُ صَلَاتُهُمْ تَرَاقِيَهُمْ يَمْرُقُونَ مِنَ الْإِسْلَامِ كَمَا يَمْرُقُ السَّهْمُ مِنَ الرَّمِيَّةِ لَوْ يَعْلَمُ الْجَيْشُ الَّذِينَ يُصِيبُونَهُمْ مَا قَضَى اللهُ لَهُمْ عَلَى لِسَانِ نَبِيِّهِمْ ﷺ لَاتَّكَلُوا عَنِ الْعَمَلِ وَآيَةُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ فِيهِمْ رَجُلًا لَهُ عَضُدٌ وَلَيْسَتْ لَهُ ذِرَاعٌ عَلَى عَضُدِهِ مِثْلُ حَلَمَةِ ثَدْيِ الْمَرْأَةِ عَلَيْهِ شَعَرَاتٌ بِيضٌ فَتَذْهَبُونَ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ وَأَهْلِ الشَّامِ وَتَتْرُكُونَ هَؤُلَاءِ يَخْلُفُونَكُمْ فِي ذَرَارِيِّكُمْ وَأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَاللهِ إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ يَكُونُوا هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمَ فَإِنَّهُمْ قَدْ سَفَكُوا الدَّمَ وَأَغَارُوا فِي سَرْحِ النَّاسِ فَسِيرُوا عَلَى اسْمِ اللهِ قَالَ سَلَمَةُ فَنَزَّلَنِي زَيْدُ بْنُ وَهْبٍ مَنْزِلًا مَنْزِلًا حَتَّى قَالَ مَرَرْنَا عَلَى قَنْطَرَةٍ قَالَ فَلَمَّا الْتَقَيْنَا وَعَلَى الْخَوَارِجِ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ الرَّاسِبِيُّ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ أَلْقُوا الرِّمَاحِ وَسُلُّوا سُيُوفَكُمْ مِنْ جُفُونِهَا فَإِنِّي أَخَافُ أَنْ يُنَاشِدُوكُمْ كَمَا نَاشَدُوكُمْ يَوْمَ حَرُورَا فَرَجَعْتُمْ قَالَ فَوَحَّشُوا بِرِمَاحِهِمْ وَسَلُّوا السُّيُوفَ وَشَجَرَهُمُ النَّاسُ بِرِمَاحِهِمْ قَالَ فَقُتِلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ وَمَا أُصِيبَ مِنَ النَّاسِ يَوْمَئِذٍ إِلَّا رَجُلَانِ فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ ؓ الْتَمِسُوا فِيهُمُ الْمُخْدَجَ فَلَمْ يَجِدُوهُ فَقَامَ عَلِيٌّ ؓ بِنَفْسِهِ فَالْتَمَسَهُ فَوَجَدَهُ فَقَالَ صَدَقَ اللهُ وَبَلَّغَ رَسُولُهُ فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ عُبَيْدَةُ السَّلْمَانِيُّ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ آللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ لَسَمِعْتَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ؟ قَالَ إِيْ وَاللهِ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ حَتَّى اسْتَحْلَفَهُ ثَلَاثًا وَهُوَ يَحْلِفُ لَهُ  

"عَنْ أَبِى وَائِلٍ قَالَ: لَمَّا كنَّا بِصِفِّينَ اسْتَحَرَّ الْقَتْلُ فِى أَهْلِ الشَّامِ. فَرَجَعَ عَلِىٌّ إِلَى الْكُوفَةِ، وَقَالَ فِيهِ الْخَوَارجُ مَا قَالُوا وَنَزَلوا بَحَرُوراءَ وهُمْ بِضْعَةَ عَشَرَ أَلْفًا، فَأَرْسَلَ عَلِىٌّ إِلَيْهِمْ يُنَاشِدُهُمُ الله: ارْجِعُوا إِلَى خَلِيفَتِكُمْ فِيم نَقَمْتُمْ عَلَيْه؟ أَفِى قِسْمَة أَوْ قَضَاءٍ؟ قَالُوا: نَخَافُ أَنْ نَدْخُلَ فِى فَتْنَتِهِ، قَالَ: فَلاَ تَعْجَلُوا ضَلاَلَةَ الْعَامِ مَخَافَةَ فِتْنَةِ عَامٍ قَابِلٍ، فَرَجَعُوا، فَقَالُوا: نَكُونُ عَلَى نَاحِيَتِنَا فَإِنْ قَبِلَ الْقَضِيَّةَ قَاتَلنَاهُ عَلَى مَا قَاتَلنَا عَلَيْهِ أَهْلَ الشَّامِ بِصِفِّين، وَإنْ نَقَضَهَا قَاتَلنَا مَعَهُ، فَسَارُوا حَتَّى قَطَعُوا نهْرَوَانَ، وَافْتَرقَتْ مِنْهُمْ فِرْقَة يقْتُلُونَ النَّاسَ، فَقَالَ أَصْحَابُهُمْ: مَا عَلَى هَذَا فَارَقْنَا عليّا، فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ عَلِيّا صَنِيعُهُمْ قَامَ فَقَالَ:

أَتَسِيرُونَ إِلَى عَدُوكُّمْ أَوْ تَرْجِعُونَ إِلَى هَؤُلاَء الَّذينَ خَلَفُوكُمْ فِى دِيَارِكُمْ؟ قَالُوا: بَلْ نَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِمْ، قَالَ: فَحَدَّثَ عَلِىٌّ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ: إِنَّ طَائِفةً تَخْرُجُ مِنْ قِبَلِ الْمَشْرِقِ عِنْدَ اخْتِلاَفِ النَّاسِ، لاَ يَرَوْنَ جِهَادَكُمْ مَعَ جِهَادِهِمْ شَيْئًا، وَلاَ صَلاَتَكُمْ مَعَ صَلاَتِهِمْ شَيْئًا وَلاَ صِيَامَكُمْ مَعَ صِيَامهِمْ شَيْئًا، يَمْرقُونَ مِنَ الدِّينِ كمَا يَمْرُقُ السَّهْمُ مِنَ الرَّمِيَّةِ، عَلاَمَتُهُمْ رَجُلٌ عَضُدُهُ كثَدْي الْمَرأَةِ، يَقْتُلُهُمْ أَقْرَبُ الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ، فَسَارَ عَلىٌّ إِلَيْهِمْ فَاقْتَتَلُوا قِتالًا شَدِيدًا، فَجَعَلَتْ خَيْلُ عَلِىٍّ تَقُومُ لَهُمْ فَقَالَ: يَا أَيُّهَا! النَّاسُ! إِنْ كنْتُمْ تُقَاتِلونَهُمْ فِيَّ فَوَاللهِ مَا عِنْدي مَا أَجْزِيكُمْ بِهِ، وِإنْ كنتُمْ إِنَّمَا تُقَاتلُونَ للهِ فَلاَ يَكُونَنَّ هَذَا قِتَالَكُمْ، قَأقْبَلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ فَقَتَلُوهُمْ كُلَّهُمْ، فَقَالَ: ابْتَغُوهُ فَطَلَبُوهُ فَلَمْ يُوجَدْ، فَرَكِبَ عَلَى دَابَّتِهِ وَانْتَهَى إِلَى وَهْدَةٍ مِنَ الأَرْض، فَإِذَا قَتْلَى بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ فَاسْتُخْرِجَ مِنْ تَحْتِهِمْ فَجُرَّ بِرِجْلِهِ يَرَاهُ النَّاسُ، فَقَالَ عَلِىٌّ: لاَ أَغْزُو الْعَامَ؛ فرَجَعَ إِلَى الْكُوفَة فقُتِلَ".  

"عن زيد بن وهب الجهنى: أَنَّهُ كَانَ فِى الْجَيْشِ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا مَعَ عَلِىٍّ الَّذِينَ سَارُوا إِلَى الْخَوَارِج، فَقَالَ عَلِىٌّ: أَيهَا النَّاسُ! إِنِّى سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ الله ﷺ

يَقُولُ: يَخْرُجُ قَوْمٌ مِنْ أُمَّتى يَقْرأُونَ الْقُرآنَ لَيْسَتْ قراءتكم إلى قِرَاءتهم شَيئًا، وَلاَ صَلاَتُكُمْ إِلَى صَلاَتهِمْ بشئ، وَلاَ صِيَامُكُمْ إِلَى صيَامِهِمْ بَشئ يَقْرَأُونَ الْقُرآنَ يَحْسبُونَ أَنَّهُ لَهُمْ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِمْ، لاَ تُجَاوِزُ صَلاَتُهُمْ تَرَاقِيهُمْ، يَمْرُقُونَ مِنَ الإِسْلاَمِ كَمَا يَمْرُقُ السَّهْمُ مِنَ الرَّميَّةِ، لَوْ يَعْلَمُ الجَيْشُ الَّذينَ يُصِيبُونَهُمْ مَا قُضِى لَهُمْ عَلَى لِسَانِ نَبِيِّهمْ ﷺ ليكلوا عنِ الْعَمَلِ (*)، وآيةُ دلكَ أَنَّ فِيهِمْ رَجُلًا لَهُ عَضُدٌ وَلَيْسَتْ لَهُ ذِراَعٌ، عَلَى عَضُدِهِ مِثْلُ حَلَمَةِ الثَّدْي، عَلَيْهِ شَعرَاتٌ بِيض. أَفَتَذْهَبوا إِلَى مُعَاوِيةَ وَأَهْل الشَّام، وَتَتْرُكُونَ هَؤُلاَءِ يَخْلُفُونَكُمْ فِى ذَرَارِيكُمْ وَأَمْوَالِكُمْ؟ وَالله لأنِّى لأَرْجُو أَنْ يَكُونُوا هَؤُلاَءِ الْقوْم، فَإِنَّهُمْ قَدْ سَفَكُوا الدَّمَ الْحَرَامَ، وَأَغارُوا فِى سرْحِ النَّاسِ، فَسِيرُوا عَلَى اسْم الله (* *) تعالى! قال سلمة بن كهيل: فنزلنى زيد بن وهب منزلًا حتى قال: مررنا على قنطرة) فَلَمَّا الْتَقَيْنَا وعَلَى الْخَوَارِج عَبْدُ الله بْنُ وَهْب الرَّاسِبِىُّ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: أَلْقُوا الرِّمَاحَ وَسُلُّوا السُّيُوفَ مِنْ جُفُونِهَا! فَإِنِّى أَخَافُ أَنْ يُنَاشِدُوكمْ كَمَا نَاشَدُوكمْ يَوْمَ حَرُوراء، فرجعوا فَوَحَشُوا (* * *) بِرمَاحِهِمْ وَاسْتَلُّوا السُّيُوفَ، وَشَجَرَهُم النَّاسُ برمَاحِهِمْ، وَقَتَلُوا بَعْضهمُ عَلى بَعْض، وَمَا أُصِيبَ مِنَ النَّاسِ يَوْمئِذٍ إِلَّا رَجُلاَنِ، فَقَالَ عَلِىٌّ: الْتَمِسُوا فِيهِمُ الْمُخْدَجَ فالتمسوه فَلَمْ يَجِدُوهُ، فَقَامَ عَلِىٌّ بِنَفْسه حَتَّى أتَى نَاسًا قَدْ مَلَّ (*) بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ فَقَالَ: أَخِّروُهُمْ فَوَجَدُوهُ مِمَّا يَلى الأَرض، فَكَبَّرَ وَقَالَ: صَدَقَ الله وَبَلَّغَ رَسُولُه، قال: فَقَام إِلَيْه عَبِيدَةُ السَّلمَانِىُّ فَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ! واللْه الَّذِى لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ! لَقَدْ سَمِعْت هَذَا الحديث مِنْ رَسُولِ الله ﷺ فَقَالَ: إِي وَالله الَّذِى لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ! حَتَّى استحلفه ثَلاثًا وهُو يَحْلِفُ لَهُ".