Abū Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Makhlad al-Attār narrated to us, saying: Alī ibn Harb al-Tā'ī narrated to us, saying: Ismā'īl ibn Abān narrated to us, saying: A man said something to Sharīk concerning Alī ibn Abī Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him). Sharīk said to him, “You ignorant man! We knew nothing of Alī (may Allah be pleased with him) until he came out and ascended this pulpit. By Allah, we had not even asked him when he said to us, ‘Do you know who is the best of this nation after its Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?’ We remained silent, so he said, ‘Abū Bakr, then Umar.’ You ignorant man! Were we then to stand up and say, ‘You are lying’?”

Muhammad ibn al-Husayn (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If someone asks, “But Sharīk did not live at the time of Alī (may Allah be pleased with him),” he is told: Sharīk means only that what I have related took place in Kufa. Among us, no disagreement concerning it is known from the Companions of Alī (may Allah be pleased with him) who preceded us; it is well known that Alī said this.