ʿAli ؓ came to some of the people of Basrah who were Khawarij, among whom was a man called Al-Ja’d bin Ba’jah. He said to him: Fear Allah, O ‘Ali, for you are going to die ʿAli ؓ said: Rather I am going to be killed by a blow on this that will soak this - meaning his beard [would be soaked by blood from his head), a certain covenant and divine decree, And surely, he who invents a lie (against Allah) will fail miserably (cf 20:61). Then (the man) criticised ʿAli for the way he was dressed. He said: What does the way I am dressed have to do with you? It is furthest removed from arrogance and it is more appropriate for the Muslim to follow my example.  

لَهُ اتَّقِ اللهَ يَا عَلِيُّ فَإِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ بَلْ مَقْتُولٌ ضَرْبَةٌ عَلَى هَذَا تَخْضِبُ هَذِهِ يَعْنِي لِحْيَتَهُ مِنْ رَأْسِهِ عَهْدٌ مَعْهُودٌ وَقَضَاءٌ مَقْضِيٌّ وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنِ افْتَرَى وَعَاتَبَهُ فِي لِبَاسِهِ فَقَالَ مَا لَكُمْ وَلِلِّبَاسِ هُوَ أَبْعَدُ مِنَ الْكِبْرِ وَأَجْدَرُ أَنْ يَقْتَدِيَ بِيَ الْمُسْلِمُ  

[Machine] A delegation from the people of Basra, including a man from the leaders of the Khawarij called Al-Ja'd ibn Ba'jat arrived to see Ali (may Allah have mercy on him). This man addressed the people and praised and glorified Allah. Then he said, "O Ali, fear Allah for you are going to die, and you know the path of the righteous, meaning Umar." Ali (may ﷺ ) replied, "No, by the One whose hand my soul is in, I am not going to die. Rather, I was killed with a strike here (pointing to his head) that will forever make this a known and settled matter, and there is a promised covenant. Whoever claims otherwise has indeed been deceived." Then he rebuked him about his attire and asked, "What prevents you from wearing proper clothing?" The man replied, "What concern is it of yours if I wear this attire?" Ali said, "This attire of mine is far from arrogance, and it is more fitting that Muslims should follow my example."  

قَدِمَ عَلَى عَلِيٍّ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ وَفْدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ مِنْهُمْ رَجُلٌ مِنْ رُءُوسِ الْخَوَارِجِ يُقَالُ لَهُ الْجَعْدُ بْنُ بَعْجَةَ فَخَطَبَ النَّاسَ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ وَقَالَ يَا عَلِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ فَإِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ وَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ سَبِيلَ الْمُحْسِنِ يَعْنِي بِالْمُحْسِنِ عُمَرَ ؓ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ لَا وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ بَلْ مَقْتُولًا قَتْلًا ضَرْبَةٌ عَلَى هَذَا تَخْضِبُ هَذِهِ قَضَاءٌ مَقْضِيٌّ وَعَهْدٌ مَعْهُودٌ وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنِ افْتَرَى ثُمَّ عَاتَبَهُ فِي لُبُوسِهِ فَقَالَ مَا يَمْنَعُكَ أَنْ تَلْبَسَ؟ قَالَ مَا لَكَ وَلِلِبُوسِي إِنَّ لُبُوسِي هَذَا أَبْعَدُ مِنَ الْكِبْرِ وَأَجْدَرُ أَنْ يَقْتَدِيَ بِيَ الْمُسْلِمُ  

"عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ وَهْب قَالَ: قَدِمَ عَلِى عَلَىٌّ قَوْمٍ مِنَ الخَوَارج، فِيهِمْ رَجُل يُقَالُ لَهُ الجَعْدُ بْنُ نَعْجَةَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: اتَّقِ الله يَا عَلِيُّ فَإِنَّكَ مِيِّتٌ، فَقَالَ عَلِىٌّ: بَلْ مَقْتُولٌ، ضَرْبَةٌ عَلَى هَذِهِ تُخَضِّبُ هَذِهِ، وَأَشَارَ عَلِىٌّ إِلَى رَأسِهِ وَلِحْيَتِهِ بِيَدِهِ، قَضَاءٌ مَقْضِىٌّ، وَعَهْدٌ مَعْهُودٌ وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنِ افْتَرَى، ثُمَّ عَاتَبَ عَلِيّا فِى لِبَاسِهِ فَقَالَ: لَوْ لَبِسْتَ لِبَاسًا خَيْرًا مِنْ هَذَا، فَقَالَ: مَا لَكَ وَلِلِّباسِ؟ إِنَّ لبَاسِى هَذَا أبْعَدُ لي مِنَ الكِبْرِ وَأجْدَر أَنْ يَقْتَدِىَ بِىَ المُسْلِمُونَ".