the scholars, such as his statement:
“For twenty-five, one-fifth (1) of a sheep is due.”
This contradicts the mass-transmitted reports from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Thus, what was narrated from ‘Alī was either abrogated or transmitted incorrectly.
The fourth is the document of ‘Amr ibn Hazm, which the Prophet wrote when he sent him to Najrān. Abū Bakr’s document is the latest of these documents. How, then, could any reasonable person claim that they turned to ‘Alī for most legal rulings, when even his own judges did not turn to him? Rather, Shurayh [the judge] (2), ‘Abīda al-Salmānī, and other judges serving in ‘Alī’s time ruled according to what they had learned (3) from [someone other than] (4) ‘Alī. Shurayh had learned from Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal and other Companions, while ‘Abīda had learned from ‘Umar and others. They did not consult ‘Alī about most of their judgments, since the knowledge they possessed was sufficient for them. How, then, can it be claimed that ‘Umar and ‘Uthmān turned to him for most legal rulings?
‘Alī said, “My view and ‘Umar’s concerning enslaved women who had borne their masters’ children was that they should not be sold. Now, however, I hold that they may be sold.”
‘Abīda al-Salmānī replied, “Your view together with ‘Umar’s when the community was united (5) is dearer to us than your view alone when it is divided.”