'Abdullah ibn 'Abdu'r-Rahman ibn 'Abdu'l-Qari reported that 'Umar ibn al-Khattab and an Ansari man were sitting together when 'Abdu'r-Rahman ibn 'Abdu'l-Qari came and sat with them. 'Umar said, "We do not want to stop our conversation." 'Abdu'r-Rahman said, "I will not sit with those people, Amir al-Mu'minin." 'Umar said, "Sit with so-and-so and so-and-so and do not stop our conversation. Then he asked the Ansari, "Who do you think should be the khalif after me?" The Ansari counted off some men among the Muhajirun, but did not mentioned 'Ali. 'Umar asked, "What do they have against Abu'l-Hasan (i.e. 'Ali)? By Allah, if he were in charge of them, he would be the best suited to set them on the Path of the Truth."

فَقَالَ عُمَرُ إِنَّا لاَ نُحِبُّ مَنْ يَرْفَعُ حَدِيثَنَا فَقَالَ لَهُ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ لَسْتُ أُجَالِسُ أُولَئِكَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَ عُمَرُ بَلَى فَجَالِسْ هَذَا وَهَذَا وَلاَ تَرْفَعْ حَدِيثَنَا ثُمَّ قَالَ لِلأَنْصَارِيِّ مَنْ تَرَى النَّاسَ يَقُولُونَ يَكُونُ الْخَلِيفَةَ بَعْدِي؟ فَعَدَّدَ الأَنْصَارِيُّ رِجَالاً مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ لَمْ يُسَمِّ عَلِيًّا فَقَالَ عُمَرُ فَمَا لَهُمْ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ؟ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لَأَحْرَاهُمْ إِنْ كَانَ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْ يُقِيمَهُمْ عَلَى طَرِيقَةٍ مِنَ الْحَقِّ