44. al-Jamal –narrating from Abu Mikhnaf: “The Commander of the Faithful was informed at the time of his departure toward Basra that Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqās, Ibn Maslima, Usāma ibn Zaid, and ibn `Umar have stopped moving on. He sent for them, and when they returned to him, he said to them: “I have heard unpleasant news about you that I do not like. I do not force you to go to Basra, but are you not holding your allegiance to me?”
They replied: “Yes.”
He said: “So why do you refuse to accompany me?”
Sa`d said: “I do not like going to this war, lest a believer may be killed. If you give me a sword that distinguishes a believer from an unbeliever, I will fight alongside you!”
Usāma said: “You are the noblest of Allah’s creation to me, but I have pledged to Allah not to fight against the faithful….”
And `Abdullah ibn `Umar said: “I know nothing about this war and I request from you not to force me to do something I have no knowledge about.”
Then the Commander of the Faithful said to them: “Not every deceived person is reproached. Are you still holding your allegiance to me?”
They said: “Yes.”
He said: “Go back, God Almighty shall make me needless of you.”1
