Habib bin Abu Thabit reported,

I went to Abu Waail in the mosque of his people to ask him about those people whom Ali killed at Nahrawan, regarding what they had agreed with him about, what they had separated from him over, and on what basis he deemed it lawful to fight them.He said, "We were at Siffin, and when the killing intensified against the people of Sham, they took refuge on a hill. Amr bin As said to Muawiya, 'Send a copy of the Quran to Ali and call him to the Book of Allah, for he will not refuse you.'A man came with it and said, 'Between us and you is the Book of Allah. 'Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Scripture, being invited to the Book of Allah that it might judge between them, then a party of them turns away in aversion?' [Aal Imran 3:23].'Ali said, 'Yes, I am more deserving of that. Between us and you is the Book of Allah.'Then the Khawarij came to him, and we used to call them the Reciters in those days, with their swords on their shoulders. They said, 'Commander of the Believers, what are we waiting for with these people on the hill? Should we not march against them with our swords until Allah judges between us and them?'Then Sahl bin Hunayf spoke and said, 'People, accuse yourselves of error. I saw us on the day of Hudaybiyyah,' meaning the treaty that took place between the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the polytheists, 'and had we seen fighting to be the right course, we would have fought.Umar came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, 'Messenger of Allah, are we not upon the truth and they upon falsehood? Are not our slain in Paradise and their slain in the Fire?'He replied, 'Yes indeed.'Umar said, 'Then why should we accept a humiliating term in our religion and turn back when Allah has not yet judged between us and them?'He answered, 'Son of Khattab, I am the Messenger of Allah, and He will never let me down.'Umar went away furious and could not contain himself until he came to Abu Bakr and said, 'Abu Bakr, are we not upon the truth and they upon falsehood? Are not our slain in Paradise and their slain in the Fire?'Abu Bakr replied, 'Yes indeed.'Umar said, 'Then why should we accept a humiliating term in our religion and turn back when Allah has not yet judged between us and them?'Abu Bakr answered, 'Son of Khattab, he is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and Allah will never let him down.'Then Surat al-Fath was revealed, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent for me to recite it to Umar.Umar said, 'Messenger of Allah, is this truly a victory?'He replied, 'Yes.'"

حدثنا يعلى بن عبيد عن عبد العزيز بن سياه

عن حبيب بن أبي ثابت قال

أتيت أبا وائل في مسجد أهله أسأله عن هؤلاء القوم الذين قتلهم علي بالنهروان ففيما استجابوا له وفيما فارقوه وفيما استحل قتالهم قال كنا بصفين فلما استحر القتل بأهل الشام اعتصموا بتل فقال عمرو بن العاص لمعاوية أرسل إلى علي بمصحف وادعه إلى كتاب الله فإنه لن يأبى عليك فجاء به رجل فقال بيننا وبينكم كتاب الله {ألم تر إلى الذين أوتوا نصيبا من الكتاب يدعون إلى كتاب الله ليحكم بينهم ثم يتولى فريق منهم وهم معرضون} فقال علي نعم أنا أولى بذلك بيننا وبينكم كتاب الله قال فجاءته الخوارج ونحن ندعوهم يومئذ القراء وسيوفهم على عواتقهم فقالوا يا أمير المؤمنين ما ننتظر بهؤلاء القوم الذين على التل ألا نمشي إليهم بسيوفنا حتى يحكم الله بيننا وبينهم فتكلم سهل بن حنيف فقال يا أيها الناس اتهموا أنفسكم فلقد رأيتنا يوم الحديبية يعني الصلح الذي كان بين رسول الله ﷺ وبين المشركين ولو نرى قتالا لقاتلنا فجاء عمر إلى رسول الله ﷺ فقال يا رسول الله ألسنا على الحق وهم على باطل أليس قتلانا في الجنة وقتلاهم في النار قال بلى قال ففيم نعطي الدنية في ديننا ونرجع ولما يحكم الله بيننا وبينهم فقال يا ابن الخطاب إني رسول الله ولن يضيعني أبدا قال فرجع وهو متغيظ فلم يصبر حتى أتى أبا بكر فقال يا أبا بكر ألسنا على حق وهم على باطل أليس قتلانا في الجنة وقتلاهم في النار قال بلى قال ففيم نعطي الدنية في ديننا ونرجع ولما يحكم الله بيننا وبينهم فقال يا ابن الخطاب إنه رسول الله ﷺ ولن يضيعه الله أبدا قال فنزلت سورة الفتح قال فأرسلني رسول الله ﷺ إلى عمر فأقرأها إياه قال يا رسول الله وفتح هو قال نعم