Al-Bayhaqī relates this report in that very form, stopping at ʿAlī, and it is unusual both in phrasing and in meaning. What is most widely known, however, is that when ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Muljam, the Khārijite, struck ʿAlī—as he came out by the doorway for the dawn prayer—ʿAlī lingered from the wound for two days. Ibn Muljam was put under guard, and ʿAlī left his testament to his son al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī, as will be detailed later, instructing him to mount and ride with the troops, and saying to him, “Let nothing to do with ʿAlī be dragged out like a servant-girl drags her garment.” When ʿAlī died, ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Muljam was executed in retaliation—some said as a ḥadd-punishment; Allah knows best. Al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī then mounted with the army and marched toward Muʿāwiyah, as will, God willing, be explained.

Prophetic foretelling of that affair, and the distinction of his son al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī in relinquishing authority and handing it over to Muʿāwiyah—an undertaking no one else could have borne.

Al-Bukhārī said in The Signs of Prophethood (1): ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad narrated to us; Yaḥyā ibn Ādam narrated to us; Ḥusayn al-Juʿfī narrated to us from Abū Mūsā, from al-Ḥasan, from Abū Bakrah, who said: One day the Prophet ﷺ came out carrying al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī, ascended the pulpit with him and said, “This son of mine is a leader, and perhaps Allah will reconcile through him two great groups of Muslims.”

And in the Book of Reconciliation (2) he said: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad narrated to us; Sufyān narrated to us from Abū Mūsā, who said: I heard al-Ḥasan say, “By Allah, al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī confronted Muʿāwiyah ibn Abī Sufyān with battalions like mountains.” ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ remarked, “I see divisions that will not retreat until they have slain their peers.” Muʿāwiyah—who, by Allah, was the better of the two men—replied, “O ʿAmr! If these kill those and those kill these, who will look after the people’s affairs for me? Who will see to their womenfolk? Who will protect their property?” He then sent to al-Ḥasan two men of Quraysh from the clan of ʿAbd Shams—ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Samurah and ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿĀmir ibn Kurayz—saying, “Go to this man, present the proposal to him, speak to him and entreat him.” They went to him, entered upon him, spoke with him and pressed their request. Al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī said, “We, the descendants of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib, have already taken our share of this wealth, and the community has shed too much of its own blood.” They said, “He offers you such-and-such and earnestly asks you.” He asked, “Who will guarantee that for me?” They replied, “We guarantee it for you.” Whatever he requested of them they answered, “We guarantee it for you,” and so he made peace with Muʿāwiyah.

Al-Ḥasan then said, “I heard Abū Bakrah say: I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on the pulpit with al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī beside him; the Prophet would turn to the people once and then toward him…"