Aban says that Sulaym said: “When Ali Salwatullah Alayhipassed through a group of people of Shaam, in which Walid ibn Akba ibn Abi Mu’it was present, they were swearing at him. So he was informed of this. He stopped
with his companions near them and said: “Go to them in a manner that you are peaceful, religious people respecting Islam. From us the community that is ignorant of Allah and has the audacity, and blunders, is the one whose leader is Muawiyah and ibn Nabega (Amr Aas) and Abu Awar Assilmi and ibn Abi Mu’it who is a drunkard and who has been bitten with rods in Islam and who has been punished, and that Marwan who was thrown out.
These are the ones who are standing and swearing. Before today they had neither fought against me not sworn at me and I was at that time calling them towards Islam, and they were calling me towards idol worship. Thank God, even before, and today also, that many evil and hypocrites bear enmity towards me. This is a severe difficulty. No doubt, evil people who are also hypocrites were not trustworthy in my eyes and they were dangerous for Islam. They cheated some people of this Ummah and pour the love of fitnah in their hearts and they turned their hearts towards falsehood. All of these established war against me and tried to diminish the Light of Allah and Allah is the One who will complete His Light, be it unpleasant for unbelievers.”
Then he incited people against those people and said: “These people are not going to move from their place. This will happen when they are continuously hit by which their hearts fly, and such a hitting that breaks the skulls and by which noses fly being cut, and bones fly and the hands fall down until their foreheads strike with iron rods and their eyebrows spread on their chest, chins and collar bones. Where are the religious ones and those seeking Rewards?”
Almost 4,000 people came to him altogether. He called Muhammad bin Hanafiya and said: “O son, go towards this Standard (flag) slowly and carefully, and when you pierce the spear in their chests, stay there until you come to know my advice.” So he did that.
Ali (AS) prepared others like him. When Muhammad went near and pierced the spears in their chests, Ali (AS) ordered those whom he had prepared to join him and attack, so they attacked. Muhammad and those with him reached in front of them and moved them from their place and killed most of them.”