353. Yahya, from Abdulah Bin Muskaan, from Zureys who said: The people disputed in the presence of Abu Ja’far عليه الصلاة والسلام. So some of them said, ‘The wars fought by Ali عليه الصلاة والسلام were (against a people) more evil than the wars fought by the Rasool Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, and some of them said, ‘The wars fought by the Rasool Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم were (against a people) more evil than the wars fought by Ali عليه الصلاة والسلام’. He (the narrator) said, ‘So Abu Ja’far listened to them and said: ‘What are you all saying?’ So they said, ‘May Allah عز وجل keep you عليه الصلاة والسلام well, we are disputing with regards to the wars of the Rasool Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and the wars of Ali عليه الصلاة والسلام. Some of us are saying that the wars of Ali عليه الصلاة والسلام were (against a people) more evil than the wars fought by the Rasool Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, whilst some of us are saying that the wars fought by the Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم were (against a people) more evil than the wars fought by Ali عليه الصلاة والسلام’. So Abu Ja’far عليه الصلاة والسلام said: ‘No! But, the wars of Ali عليه الصلاة والسلام were (against a people) more evil than the wars of the Rasool Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم’. So I said to him عليه الصلاة والسلام, ‘May I be sacrificed for you عليه الصلاة والسلام, the wars of Ali عليه الصلاة والسلام were (against a people) more evil than the wars of the Rasool Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم?’ He عليه الصلاة والسلام said: ‘Yes, and I عليه الصلاة والسلام shall inform you about that. The Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم fought wars (against a people) who did not accept Al-Islam, and that the wars of Ali عليه الصلاة والسلام were (against a people) who accepted Al-Islam, then fought against him عليه الصلاة والسلام’.