I said to ‘All (Allah be pleased with him) : Tell me about this march of yours. Is this an order that the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) had given you, or is this your opinion that you have? He said: The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) did not give me any order; but this is an opinion that I have.

قُلْتُ لِعَلِيٍّ ؓ أَخْبِرْنَا عَنْ مَسِيرِكَ هَذَا أَعَهْدٌ عَهِدَهُ إِلَيْكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَمْ رَأْىٌ رَأَيْتَهُ فَقَالَ مَا عَهِدَ إِلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِشَىْءٍ وَلَكِنَّهُ رَأْىٌ رَأَيْتُهُ

I said to ʿAli: Do you think that this decision of yours to leave (Madinah) is something that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recommended to you to do, or is it something that you decided yourself? He said: why are you asking this question? I said: For the sake of our religion. He said. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not recommend me to do anything with regard to this; rather it is something I decided myself.

قُلْتُ لِعَلِيٍّ أَرَأَيْتَ مَسِيرَكَ هَذَا عَهْدٌ عَهِدَهُ إِلَيْكَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَمْ رَأْيٌ رَأَيْتَهُ؟ قَالَ مَا تُرِيدُ إِلَى هَذَا قُلْتُ دِينَنَا دِينَنَا قَالَ مَا عَهِدَ إِلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فِيهِ شَيْئًا وَلَكِنْ رَأْيٌ رَأَيْتُهُ