ʿAbd al-Razzaq said:

A maidservant was pouring water for ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn (upon him be peace) so that he might perform his ablution. The jug slipped from her hand, struck his face, and cut him. He looked up at her, and the girl said, “Allah says: ‘…and those who restrain their anger…’ (Āl ʿImrān 3:134).” He replied, “I have restrained my anger.” She continued, “‘…and those who pardon people…’” He said, “May Allah pardon you.” She added, “‘…and Allah loves the doers of good.’” He said, “You are free for the sake of Allah, Exalted be He.” (1)

Al-Zubayr ibn Bakkār said:

ʿAbd Allah ibn Ibrāhīm ibn Qudāmah al-Jumaḥī (2) told us, from his father, from his grandfather, from Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī, from his father, who said:

A group of Iraqis were sitting together. They mentioned Abū Bakr and ʿUmar and spoke ill of them; then they turned to ʿUthmān. He said to them, “Tell me: are you among the first Emigrants—‘those who were driven from their homes and their wealth, seeking bounty from Allah and His pleasure and supporting Allah and His Messenger; those are the truthful’ (al-Ḥashr 59:8)?” They answered, “We are not.” He said, “Then are you among those who ‘made their abode in the city and in faith before them, loving those who emigrated to them … until His words: …those are the successful’ (al-Ḥashr 59:9)?” They replied, “We are not.” He said, “You have acknowledged and testified against yourselves that you are neither this group nor that one. I further testify that you are not of the third group about whom Allah—Mighty and Majestic—is He—says: ‘And those who come after them say, “Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and place no rancor in our hearts toward those who believe”’ (al-Ḥashr 59:10). So be gone from me! May Allah not bless you nor draw your dwellings near. You are mocking Islam, and you are not of its people.” (3)

A man once asked him, “When will ʿAlī be resurrected?” He answered, “By Allah, he will be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection, and he will be concerned with his own self.” (4)

Ibn Abī al-Dunyā said:

I was informed by Saʿīd ibn Sulaymān, from ʿAlī ibn Hāshim, from Abū Ḥamzah al-Thumālī, that whenever ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn left his house he would say, “O Allah, today I give my honor in charity—I bestow it on whoever seeks to transgress against it.” (5)

Ibn Abī al-Dunyā also related that a young servant dropped the spit he was using to roast meat in the oven; it fell on the head of one of ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn’s small sons and killed him. ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn hurried over, and when he saw what had happened he said to the boy, “My child, you did not intend this. You are free.” He then began to prepare his son’s body for burial. (6)

Al-Madāʾinī said: I heard Sufyān say that ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn used to say, “I would not exchange my share of humility for a herd of red camels.” (7)

Al-Zubayr ibn Bakkār transmitted the same statement from him through several chains. A man lost a son who had been prodigal toward his own soul, and he grieved over him because of—