English translation
[2467] 156 - (...) Zaid bin Wahb Al-Juhanî narrated that he was in the army that was with 'Alî [may Allâh be pleased with him] which went to deal with the Khawârij. 'Alî said: "O people, I heard the Messenger of Allâh ﷺ say: 'There will emerge some people from my Ummah who will recite the Qur'an, and your recitation would seem insignificant in comparison to theirs, and your prayer would seem insignificant in comparison to theirs, and your fasting would seem insignificant in comparison to theirs. They will recite the Qur'an, thinking that it is in their favor, when in fact it is against them, and their prayer will not go any further than their collarbones. They will pass out of Islam as an arrow passes out of the prey.' If the army which encounters them knew what has been decreed for them on the tongue of their Prophet ﷺ, they would rely upon that action. The sign of that is that among them there is a man who has an upper arm but no forearm, and the end of his upper arm is like a nipple with white hairs. You will go to Mu'âwiyah and the people of Ash-Shâm and you will leave these people to look after your families and wealth. By Allâh, I believe that these are the people in question, for they have shed forbidden blood and raided the flocks of the people. So march forth, in the Name of Allâh.” Salamah bin Kuhail said: “Zaid bin Wahb described to me the stops (made by the army) until he said: ‘Then we crossed a bridge, and when we met (the Khawârij), who were being led that day by ‘Abdullâh bin Wahb Ar-Râsibî, he (‘Abdullâh) said to (his men): “Throw your spears and draw your swords from their sheaths, for I am afraid that they may urge you to negotiate as they did on the day of (the battle of) Harûrâ’.” So they went back and threw their spears and unsheathed their swords, and (the companions of ‘Alî) fought back with their spears, and they (the Khawârij) were killed and piled up one on top of another, but only two of the people (companions of ‘Alî) were killed that day. ‘Alî [may Allâh be pleased with him] said: “See if the deformed one is among them.” So they looked but they did not find him, ‘Alî [may Allâh be pleased with him] stood up himself and (looked) until he came to some people who had been killed and piled up one on top of another, and he said: “Search them till the last man.” They found him next to the earth (at the bottom of the heap) and ‘Alî said the Takbîr, then he said: “Allâh spoke the truth and His Messenger conveyed it.” Then ‘Abîdah As-Salmânî went to him and said: “O Commander of the Believers, by Allâh, besides Whom there is none worthy of worship, did you hear this Hadîth from the Messenger of Allâh ﷺ?” Then he repeated his question three times, and ‘Alî affirmed it each time.”