Imam Aḥmad (1) said: “Ishāq ibn ʿĪsā al-Ṭabbāʿ narrated to us; Yaḥyā ibn Sulaym narrated to me, from ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUthmān ibn Khuthaym, from ʿUbayd Allāh (2) ibn ʿIyāḍ ibn ʿAmr al-Qāriʾ, who said:

‘ʿAbd Allāh ibn Shaddād came and entered upon ʿĀʾishah while we were sitting with her on his return from Iraq in the nights following the killing of ʿAlī (3).

She said to him, “O ʿAbd Allāh ibn Shaddād, will you tell me the truth about what I ask you? Tell me (4) about those people whom ʿAlī killed.”

He replied, “And why should I not speak truthfully to you?”

She said, “Then relate to me their story.”

He said:

‘When ʿAlī wrote to Muʿāwiyah and accepted the arbitration of the two judges, eight thousand of the Qurʾān-reciters among the people rebelled against him and encamped on a piece of land called Ḥarūrāʾ, on the outskirts of Kūfah. They reproached him, saying, “You have stripped off a garment with which Allah clothed you and abandoned a name that Allah Himself gave you; then you went and set up judgment in the religion of Allah, whereas judgment belongs to Allah alone.”

When word reached ʿAlī of what they blamed him for and of their secession, he ordered a crier to announce that no one should be admitted to the Commander of the Believers except a man who had memorised the Qurʾān. When the house was filled with reciters, he called for a large master-mushaf, placed it before him, began tapping it with his hand and said, “O mushaf, speak to the people!”

The people called out, “O Commander of the Believers, what you are asking about is only ink on pages; we are the ones who speak according to what we have learnt from it. What do you want?”

He said, “It is your companions who have left me—between me and them stands the Book of Allah. Allah, Exalted, says in His Book about a man and a woman: ﴿If you fear a breach between the two, appoint an arbiter from his people and an arbiter from her people; if they desire reconciliation, Allah will bring them together﴾ [al-Nisāʾ 4:35]. The blood and sanctity of the ummah of Muhammad ﷺ are far weightier than those of a man and a woman. They found fault with me because I wrote to Muʿāwiyah: ‘From ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib.’

‘Suhayl ibn ʿAmr once came to us while we were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ at al-Ḥudaybiyah, when he concluded a truce with Quraysh. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Write: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.” Suhayl said, “I will not write ‘the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.’” He asked, “How, then, will you write?” He replied, “Write: In Your name, O Allah.” So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Write,” and it was written. Then he said, “Write: This is what Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, has agreed upon.” Suhayl responded, “If I knew you were the Messenger of Allah, I would not oppose you.” So it was written: ‘This is what Muhammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh has agreed upon with Quraysh.’

‘Allah, Most High, says in His Book: ﴿Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have a most excellent example for anyone who hopes in Allah and the Last Day﴾ [al-Aḥzāb 33:21].

‘Then ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbbās was sent to them. I went out with him until, when we were in the midst of their camp, Ibn al-Kawwā stood and addressed the people, saying, “O bearers of the Qurʾān, this is ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbbās. Whoever does not know him, I know him—one who disputes about the Book of Allah without knowledge. Concerning him and his folk was revealed: ﴿No, they are but a contentious people﴾ [al-Zukhruf 43:58]. Send him back to his companion and do not humble yourselves to the Book of Allah!”

‘Some of them said, “By Allah, we shall indeed meet with him. If he brings us truth we recognise, we will follow it; but if he brings falsehood, we will refute him with his falsehood.”

‘They therefore met with ʿAbd Allāh and debated the Book for three days. Four thousand of them repented and returned—all of them penitent—among them Ibn al-Kawwā, until he brought them in to ʿAlī.’”