حَدَّثَنَا عَبْد اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ حَكِيمٍ الْأَوْدِيُّ، أَنْبَأَنَا شَرِيكٌ، عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ أَبِي زُرْعَةَ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ قَدِمَ عَلِيٌّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَلَى قَوْمٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ مِنْ الْخَوَارِجِ فِيهِمْ رَجُلٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ الْجَعْدُ بْنُ بَعْجَةَ فَقَالَ لَهُ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَا عَلِيُّ فَإِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ بَلْ مَقْتُولٌ ضَرْبَةٌ عَلَى هَذَا تَخْضِبُ هَذِهِ يَعْنِي لِحْيَتَهُ مِنْ رَأْسِهِ عَهْدٌ مَعْهُودٌ وَقَضَاءٌ مَقْضِيٌّ وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنْ افْتَرَى وَعَاتَبَهُ فِي لِبَاسِهِ فَقَالَ مَا لَكُمْ وَلِلِّبَاسِ هُوَ أَبْعَدُ مِنْ الْكِبْرِ وَأَجْدَرُ أَنْ يَقْتَدِيَ بِيَ الْمُسْلِمُ‏.‏

`Ali (رضي الله عنه) came to some of the people of Basrah who were Khawarij, among whom was a man called Al-Ja’d bin Ba’jah. He said to him: Fear Allah, O ‘Ali, for you are going to die `Ali (رضي الله عنه) said: Rather I am going to be killed by a blow on this that will soak this - meaning his beard [would be soaked by blood from his head), a certain covenant and divine decree, And surely, he who invents a lie (against Allah) will fail miserably (cf 20:61). Then (the man) criticised `Ali for the way he was dressed. He said: What does the way I am dressed have to do with you? It is furthest removed from arrogance and it is more appropriate for the Muslim to follow my example.