[Machine] We were with Ali on a journey and he led us in prayer. He performed two units of the afternoon prayer (Asr), then he entered his tent. While I was watching, he performed two units of prayer. Al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated these three hadiths about Ali. Then he said, "These hadiths contradict each other." The scholar said, "Therefore, it is obligatory for us to follow what does not involve contradiction. The specific rulings are based on actions that do not have a specific cause, while those that do have a cause are exceptions to the prohibition based on the narration of Umm Salamah and others. And Allah knows best."  

كُنَّا مَعَ عَلِيٍّ ؓ فِي سَفَرٍ فَصَلَّى بِنَا الْعَصْرَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ فُسْطَاطَهُ وَأَنَا أَنْظُرُ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَقَدْ حَكَى الشَّافِعِيُّ رَحِمَهُ اللهُ هَذِهِ الْأَحَادِيثَ الثَّلَاثَةَ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ ؓ ثُمَّ قَالَ هَذِهِ أَحَادِيثُ يُخَالِفُ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضًا قَالَ الشَّيْخُ فَالْوَاجِبُ عَلَيْنَا اتِّبَاعُ مَا لَمْ يَقَعْ فِيهِ الْخِلَافُ ثُمَّ يَكُونُ مَخْصُوصًا بِمَا لَا سَبَبَ لَهَا مِنَ الصَّلَوَاتِ وَيَكُونُ مَا لَهَا سَبَبٌ مُسْتَثْنَاةً مِنَ النَّهْيِ بِخَبَرِ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ وَغَيْرِهَا وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ