Abdullah ibn Salamah said: I, accompanied by other two persons, one from us and the other from Banu Asad, called upon Ali. He sent them to a certain territory (on some mission) saying: You are sturdy and vigorous people; hence display your power for religion. He then stood and entered the toilet. He then came out and called for water and took a handful of it. Then he wiped (his hands) with it and began to recite the Qur'an. They were surprised at this (action). Thereupon he said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out from the privy and taught us the Qur'an and took meat with us. Nothing prevented him; or the narrator said: Nothing prevented him from (reciting) the Qur'an except sexual defilement.

دَخَلْتُ عَلَى عَلِيٍّ ؓ أَنَا وَرَجُلاَنِ رَجُلٌ مِنَّا وَرَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي أَسَدٍ أَحْسِبُ فَبَعَثَهُمَا عَلِيٌّ ؓ وَجْهًا وَقَالَ إِنَّكُمَا عِلْجَانِ فَعَالِجَا عَنْ دِينِكُمَا ثُمَّ قَامَ فَدَخَلَ الْمَخْرَجَ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَدَعَا بِمَاءٍ فَأَخَذَ مِنْهُ حَفْنَةً فَتَمَسَّحَ بِهَا ثُمَّ جَعَلَ يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ فَأَنْكَرُوا ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ يَخْرُجُ مِنَ الْخَلاَءِ فَيُقْرِئُنَا الْقُرْآنَ وَيَأْكُلُ مَعَنَا اللَّحْمَ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يَحْجُبُهُ أَوْ قَالَ يَحْجُزُهُ عَنِ الْقُرْآنِ شَىْءٌ لَيْسَ الْجَنَابَةَ

I entered upon ʿAli bin Abi Talib along with two other men, one man from among my people and another from Banu Asad - I think and he sent us on an errand and said: You are strong people, so use your strength to serve your religion. Then he went to the outhouse and relieved himself. Then he came out and took a handful of water and washed himself with it. Then he started reciting Qurʿan. Then it was as if he realised that we found that strange, so he said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to relieve himself, then come out and recite Qurʿan and eat meat with us. Nothing came between him and the Qurʿan except janabah.

عَنْ دِينِكُمَا ثُمَّ دَخَلَ الْمَخْرَجَ فَقَضَى حَاجَتَهُ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَأَخَذَ حَفْنَةً مِنْ مَاءٍ فَتَمَسَّحَ بِهَا ثُمَّ جَعَلَ يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ قَالَ فَكَأَنَّهُ رَآنَا أَنْكَرْنَا ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يَقْضِي حَاجَتَهُ ثُمَّ يَخْرُجُ فَيَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ وَيَأْكُلُ مَعَنَا اللَّحْمَ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يَحْجُبُهُ عَنِ الْقُرْآنِ شَيْءٌ لَيْسَ الْجَنَابَةَ

I entered upon ʿAli bin Abi Talib along with two other men, one man from among my people and another from Banu Asad - I think and he sent us on an errand and said: You are strong people, so use your strength to serve your religion. Then he went to the outhouse and relieved himself. Then he came out and took a handful of water and washed himself with it. Then he started reciting Qurʿan. Then it was as if he realised that we found that strange, so he said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to relieve himself, then come out and recite Qurʿan and eat meat with us. Nothing came between him and the Qurʿan except janabah. (Using translation from Aḥmad 840)

عَنْ دِينِكُمَا ثُمَّ دَخَلَ الْمَخْرَجَ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَأَخَذَ حَفْنَةً مِنْ مَاءٍ فَتَمَسَّحَ بِهَا ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَقَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ فَرَآنَا أَنْكَرْنَا ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَأْتِي الْخَلَاءَ فَيَقْضِي الْحَاجَةَ ثُمَّ يَخْرُجُ فَيَأْكُلُ مَعَنَا الْخُبْزَ وَاللَّحْمَ وَيَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ وَلَا يَحْجُبُهُ وَرُبَّمَا قَالَ وَلَا يَحْجِزُهُ عَنْ قِرَاءَةِ الْقُرْآنِ شَيْءٌ سِوَى الْجَنَابَةِ أَوِ إِلَّا الْجَنَابَةَ

[Machine] He asked about both of your religions and then entered the restroom to relieve himself. Then he came out and took a handful of water and wiped with it. After that, he began reciting the Quran. It seemed as though he realized that we found this strange, so he said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would relieve himself and recite the Quran and eat meat with us without being veiled, and perhaps he meant that something other than janabah prevents one from reciting the Quran."

عَنْ دِينِكُمَا ثُمَّ دَخَلَ الْمَخْرَجَ فَقَضَى حَاجَتَهُ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَأَخَذَ حَفْنَةً مِنْ مَاءٍ فَمَسَحَ بِهَا ثُمَّ جَعَلَ يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ قَالَ فَكَأَنَّهُ رَأَى أَنَّا أَنْكَرْنَا ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ كَانَ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يقْضِي حَاجَتَهُ فَيَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ وَيَأْكُلُ مَعَنَا اللَّحْمَ وَلَمْ يكُنْ يَحْجُبُهُ وَرُبَّمَا قَالَ يَحْجِزُهُ عَنِ الْقُرْآنِ شَيْءٌ لَيْسَ الْجَنَابَةَ