Adisa, daughter of Uhban bin Sayfi, reported that she was with her father at his home when he fell ill. He recovered from that illness, and during this time Ali bin Abu Talib was in Basra. Ali came to his house and stood at the door of his room and greeted him, and the old man returned the greeting.Ali asked him, "How are you, Abu Muslim?"He replied, "I am well."Ali said, "Will you not come out with me against these people and support me?"He answered, "Yes, if you accept what I will give you."Ali asked, "And what is that?"The old man called out, "Jariya, bring me my sword." She brought out a sheathed sword and placed it in his lap. He drew part of it out, then raised his head to Ali and said, "My dear friend
, your cousin, instructed me that whenever there is strife among the Muslims I should take a sword of wood. So this is my sword. If you wish, I will go out with it alongside you."Ali
replied, "We have no need of you or your sword." He turned back from the door of the room without entering.
حدثنا روح
عن عديسة ابنة أهبان بن صيفي أنها كانت مع أبيها في منزله فمرض فأفاق من مرضه ذلك فقام علي بن أبي طالب بالبصرة فأتاه في منزله حتى قام على باب حجرته فسلم ورد عليه الشيخ السلام فقال له علي كيف أنت يا أبا مسلم قال بخير فقال علي ألا تخرج معي إلى هؤلاء القوم فتعينني قال بلى إن رضيت بما أعطيك قال علي وما هو فقال الشيخ يا جارية هات سيفي فأخرجت إليه غمدا فوضعته في حجره فاستل منه طائفة ثم رفع رأسه إلى علي رضي الله عنه فقال إن خليلي عليه السلام وابن عمك عهد إلي إذا كانت فتنة بين المسلمين أن اتخذ سيفا من خشب فهذا سيفي فإن شئت خرجت به معك فقال علي رضي الله عنه لا حاجة لنا فيك ولا في سيفك فرجع من باب الحجرة ولم يدخل
Its isnad is hasan, because of Abdullah bin Ubayd Dili, whom many have regarded as unknown. Tirmidhi disagreed with them, and Ibn Hajar followed him in Taqrib. He said Tirmidhi graded it hasan, which implies that in his view the narrator is accepted and known.The hadith was narrated by Tirmidhi, 4/490, no. 2203, in the chapter on tribulations, "What has been said about taking up a sword of wood," and he said, hasan gharib.