54. Sharh Nahj al-Balāghah: “He [`Abdullah ibn `Umar] refused to swear allegiance to Ali (a.s.), but knocked the door of Hajjāj’s house at night to swear allegiance to `Abd al-Malik in order that he would not sleep that night without having a leader, as he heard that it had been narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.) had said: “He who dies not having a leader dies the death of the age of ignorance.”, and the humiliation of Hajjāj to him was so extreme that he stretched his foot out of his bed and said: “Lay your hand on this [for allegiance].”1
55. al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā –narrating from Nāfi`: “During the time of Ibn Zubair, the Khawārij and the Khashabiya,2 Ibn `Umar was told: “You perform your prayers with these people and those people and they are killing each other?” Ibn `Umar answered: “Whoever says ‘make haste to the prayer’ (hayya `ala’ al-salāh) and whoever says ‘make haste to righteousness (hayya `ala’ al-fal āh), I will answer to him, and whoever says ‘make haste to the killing of your Muslim brother and seizing of his wealth’, I will say ‘no’.”3
56. al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā –narrating from Sayf al-Māzini-: “Ibn `Umar used to say: “I will not fight during the time of sedition (fitnah), but I will pray behind whoever is victorious.”4
57. al-Mustadrak `alā al-Sahihain –narrating from `Abdullah ibn `Umar-: “I do not regret anything except that I did not fight along with Ali (a.s.) against the rebel group.”5
1.. In al-Fusul al- Mukhtāra, this tradition is mentioned as follows: Hajjāj told him, “Yesterday you refused to swear allegiance to Ali (a.s.) although you yourself narrated this tradition [of being left without a leader (Imam)] and now you have come to me to accept your allegiance to ‘Abd al-Malik? My hand is busy. Here is my foot, so swear your allegiance to it!” (Sharh Nahj al-Balāghah, vol. ۱۳, p. ۲۴۲. Also cf. al-Fusul al-Mukhtāra, p. ۲۴۵.
2.. A branch of Jahmiya who believed in predestination.
3.. al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۴, p. ۱۶۹, Hiliya al-Awliyā, vol. ۱, p. ۳۰۹, Tārikh Dimashq, vol. ۳۱, p. ۱۹۱.
4.. al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۴, p. ۱۴۹.
5.. al-Mustadrak `alā al-Sahihayn, vol. ۳, p. ۶۴۳, h. ۶۳۶۰, Ansāb al-Ashrāf, vol. ۲, p.۴۰۴.