Chapter: Sending Ali and Khalid رضي الله عنهما to Yemen

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent us to Yemen along with Khalid bin Al-Walid. Later on he sent `Ali bin Abi Talib in his place. The Prophet (ﷺ) said to `Ali, "Give Khalid's companions the choice of either staying with you (in Yemen) or returning to Medina." I was one of those who stayed with him (i.e. `Ali) and got several Awaq (of gold from the war booty.

The Prophet (ﷺ) sent `Ali to Khalid to bring the Khumus (of the booty) and I hated `Ali, and `Ali had taken a bath (after a sexual act with a slave-girl from the Khumus). I said to Khalid, "Don't you see this (i.e. `Ali)?" When we reached the Prophet (ﷺ) I mentioned that to him. He said, "O Buraida! Do you hate `Ali?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Do you hate him, for he deserves more than that from the Khumlus."

`Ali bin Abi Talib sent a piece of gold not yet taken out of its ore, in a tanned leather container to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) distributed that amongst four Persons: 'Uyaina bin Badr, Aqra bin H`Abis, Zaid Al-Khail and the fourth was either Alqama or Amir bin at-Tufail. On that, one of his companions said, "We are more deserving of this (gold) than these (persons)." When that news reached the Prophet (ﷺ), he said, "Don't you trust me though I am the truth worthy man of the One in the Heavens, and I receive the news of Heaven (i.e. Divine Inspiration) both in the morning and in the evening?" There got up a man with sunken eyes, raised cheek bones, raised forehead, a thick beard, a shaven head and a waist sheet that was tucked up and he said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Be afraid of Allah." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Woe to you! Am I not of all the people of the earth the most entitled to fear Allah?" Then that man went away. Khalid bin Al-Wahd said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Shall I chop his neck off?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "No, for he may offer prayers." Khalid said, "Numerous are those who offer prayers and say by their tongues (i.e. mouths) what is not in their hearts." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "I have not been ordered (by Allah) to search the hearts of the people or cut open their bellies." Then the Prophet looked at him (i.e. that man) while the latter was going away and said, "From the offspring of this (man there will come out (people) who will recite the Qur'an continuously and elegantly but it will not exceed their throats. (They will neither understand it nor act upon it). They would go out of the religion (i.e. Islam) as an arrow goes through a game's body." I think he also said, "If I should be present at their time I would kill them as the nations a Thamud were killed."

Jabir said, "The Prophet (ﷺ) ordered `Ali to keep the state of Ihram." Jabir added, "Ali bin Abi Talib returned (from Yemen) when he was a governor (of Yemen). The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, 'With what intention have you assumed the state of Ihram?' `Ali said, "I have assumed Ihram with an intention as that of the Prophet." Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said (to him), 'Offer a Hadi and keep the state of Ihram in which you are now.' `Ali slaughtered a Hadi on his behalf."

The Prophet (ﷺ) assumed the state of Ihram for Umra and Hajj, and we to assumed it for Hajj with him. When we arrived at Mecca, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever does not possess a Hadi should regard his Ihram for Umra only." The Prophet (ﷺ) had a Hadi with him. `Ali bin Abi Talib came to us from Yemen with the intention of performing Hajj. The Prophet (ﷺ) said (to him), "With what intention have you assumed the Ihram, for your wife is with us?" `Ali said, "I assumed the lhram with the same intention as that of the Prophet (ﷺ)." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Keep on the state of lhram, as we have got the Hadi."