Abū Zurʿah al-Dimashqī (1) said: “Aḥmad ibn Khālid al-Wahbī Abū Saʿīd told us; Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq told us, from ʿAbd Allāh ibn Najīḥ, from his father, who said:

When Muʿāwiyah performed the ḥajj he took Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ by the hand and said, ‘Abū Isḥāq, campaigning has kept us from the pilgrimage until we have nearly forgotten some of its rites; make tawāf and we shall follow your circumambulation.’

When Saʿd had finished, Muʿāwiyah led him into Dār al-Nadwah, seated him beside himself upon the throne, and then mentioned ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, reviling him. Saʿd exclaimed, ‘You usher me into your house, seat me on your couch, and then abuse ʿAlī? By Allah, to possess even one of his three virtues would be dearer to me than everything over which the sun rises.

First: the word the Messenger of Allah ﷺ spoke to him on the expedition to Tabūk:

“Are you not pleased (2) to occupy toward me the position of Hārūn toward Mūsā—except that there is no prophet after me?”—for that to have been said to me would be dearer (3) than all that the sun shines upon.

Second: the word he spoke to him on the Day of Khaybar:

“I shall certainly give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and whom Allah and His Messenger love; Allah will grant victory at his hands; he never turns his back in flight.” Having that said of me would be dearer than everything the sun rises over.

And third: to be his son-in-law, married to his daughter, and to have from her the children that he had—this, too, would be dearer to me than all that the sun rises upon. I shall never again enter any of your houses after today.’ Then he shook off his mantle and left.

Aḥmad (4) said: ‘Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar told us; Shuʿbah told us, from al-Ḥakam, from Muṣʿab ibn Saʿd, from Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ, who said:

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ left ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib behind, and ʿAlī said, “O Messenger of Allah, do you leave me with the women and children?” He replied, “Are you not pleased to occupy toward me the position of Hārūn toward Mūsā, except that there is no prophet after me?”’ Its chain fulfils the conditions of both Ṣaḥīḥs, yet they did not record it (5).

Abū ʿAwānah transmitted it likewise, from al-Aʿmash, from al-Ḥakam, from Muṣʿab, from his father. Abū Dāwūd al-Ṭayālisī (6) also related it, from Shuʿbah, from ʿĀṣim, from Muṣʿab, from his father; and Allah knows best.

Aḥmad (7) said: ‘Abū Saʿīd, the client of Banū Hāshim, told us; Sulaymān ibn Bilāl told us; al-Juʿayd (8) ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Juʿfī told us, from ʿĀʾishah bint Saʿd, from her father:

ʿAlī accompanied the Messenger of Allah ﷺ until they reached Thaniyyat al-Wadāʿ, and ʿAlī was weeping, saying, “Are you going to leave me behind with those who stay back?” The Prophet said, “Do you not wish (9) to be toward me as Hārūn was to—”