Hadith 318

(The book) ‘Al-Ihtijaj’ – It is reported that Saalim entered to see Abu Ja’far-asws and said, ‘I have come to speak to you-asws regarding a matter of this man-asws’. He-asws said: ‘Which man? ’ He said, ‘Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws’. He-asws said, ‘And (about) which of his-asws matters? ’ He said, ‘Regarding his-asws innovations’. Then Abu Ja’far-asws said: ‘Look (consider) what has settled with you from what the reporters have come with from their forefathers’. He said, ‘Then attribute them’. Then he-asws said: ‘O Saalim! Has it reached you that Rasool-Allah-saww had sent Sa’ad Bin Muaz with a flag of the Helpers, but he returned defeated? Then he-saww sent Umar Bin Al-Khattab with a flag of the Emigrants. They came with Sa’ad having been injured, and Umar came accusing his companions of cowardice and they were accusing him of cowardice. Rasool-Allah-saww said: ‘This is how the Emigrants and the Helpers are doing’ – until he-saww said it thrice. Then he-saww said: ‘I-saww shall give the flag to a man who isn’t a fleer. Allah-azwj and His-azwj Rasool-saww love him-asws, and he-asws loves Allah-azwj and His-azwj Rasool-saww’? ’ He said, ‘Yes, and the group said altogether was well. Abu Ja’far-asws said: ‘O Saalim! If you say that Allah-azwj Loves him-asws and He-azwj does not Know what he-asws is doing, then you have committed Kufr, and if you say that Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Loves him-asws and does Know what he-asws is doing, then which innovation do you see? ’
He said, ‘Repeat unto me’. He-asws repeated to him. He-saww said: ‘O Saalim! You worshipped Allah-azwj upon a straying for seventy years’’. [224]