We set out with Ali against the Khawarij, and he fought and killed them. Then he said, "Look closely, for the Prophet of Allah ﷺ said, 'A people will emerge who speak the truth, but it will not pass beyond their throats. They will pass out of the truth as an arrow passes through its target. Their distinguishing mark is that among them is a black man with a deformed hand, on which there are black hairs. If he is among the slain, then you have killed the worst of people, but if he is not, then you have killed the best of people.'"We wept. Then he said, "Search for him."So we searched, and we found the man with the deformed hand. We fell down in prostration, and Ali fell down in prostration with us.
خرجنا مع علي إلى الخوارج فقتلهم، ثم قال: انظروا فإن نبي الله ﷺ قال: إنه سيخرج قوم يتكلمون بالحق، لا يجوز حلقهم، يخرجون من الحق كما يخرج السهم من الرمية، سيماهم أن منهم رجلا أسود مخدج اليد في يده شعرات سود، إن كان هو فقد قتلتم شر الناس وإن لم يكن هو فقد قتلتم خير الناس فبكينا، ثم قال: اطلبوا، فطلبنا، فوجدنا المخدج، فخررنا سجودا، وخر علي معنا ساجدا.
Ahmad (848) and Bazzar – Kashf Astar (897) both narrated it through the route of Israil, who said, "Ibrahim bin Abdul-Ala narrated to us, from Tariq bin Ziyad," and he mentioned it. The wording given is Ahmad's, while Bazzar mentioned it in abridged form. Its isnad is hasan because of Tariq bin Ziyad, who was one of the Kufans and was with Ali bin Abu Talib. No one has criticized him, and Ibn Hibban mentioned him among the trustworthy narrators. This account is corroborated by Abu Kathir, the freedman of the Ansar, who said, "I was with my master, with Ali bin Abu Talib, when the people of Nahrawan were killed," and he related the hadith in a similar manner. Ahmad (672) narrated it from Abu Saeed, the freedman of Banu Hashim, who said, "Ismail bin Muslim Abdi narrated to us, saying, Abu Kathir, the freedman of the Ansar, narrated to us," and he mentioned it. This Abu Kathir is not known to have been criticized, and no one narrated from him except Ismail bin Muslim, but the two chains strengthen one another.It was also narrated by Abu Musa Hamdani, who said, "I was with Ali bin Abu Talib on the day of Nahrawan, and he said, 'Search for Dhu Thudayya.' So they searched for him but could not find him. Ali's forehead began to sweat, and he said, 'By Allah, I have not lied, nor was I lied to. Search for him.'" He said, "So we found him in a small canal, or streambed, beneath the slain, and he was brought to Ali, who fell down prostrating." Abdul-Razzaq (5962) narrated it from Thawri, from Muhammad bin Qays, from Abu Musa, and he mentioned it. Bayhaqi (371/2) narrated it through another route from Sufyan Thawri in similar fashion. Its isnad is hasan, for Muhammad bin Qays, namely Hamdani, was deemed trustworthy by Yahya bin Main, and Imam Ahmad said, "He is decent, I hope he is trustworthy."Among these accounts is also what was narrated about Abu Bakr, that when news of the conquest of Yamamah reached him, he prostrated. Bayhaqi (371/2) narrated it through the route of Abu Awn, from a man, that Abu Bakr did so, and he mentioned it. In this chain there is an unnamed man. Abdul-Razzaq (5963) narrated it from Thawri, from Abu Salama, from Abu Awn, who said, "Abu Bakr prostrated when news of the conquest of Yamamah came to him." But Abu Awn never met Abu Bakr.