Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
nasai-kubra:8435Ismāʿīl b. Masʿūd > Khālid > Shuʿbah > Abū Isḥāq > al-ʿAlāʾ

[Machine] "He was among those who turned away on the day the two armies met, but then Allah forgave him and he committed a sin, so they killed him." And he was asked about Ali and he said, "Do not ask about him except in comparison to his proximity to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ."  

الكبرى للنسائي:٨٤٣٥أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ عَنْ شُعْبَةَ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ عَنِ الْعَلَاءِ قَالَ سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ ابْنَ عُمَرَ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ قَالَ

«كَانَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوْا يَوْمَ الْتَقَى الْجَمْعَانِ فَتَابَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَصَابَ ذَنْبًا فَقَتَلُوهُ» وَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ فَقَالَ «لَا تَسَلْ عَنْهُ إِلَّا قُرْبَ مَنْزِلَتِهِ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ»