I heard Abu Bakr ibn Sadaqah say: I heard Abu al-Qasim ibn al-Jabali say: Abu 'Abd Allah Ahmad ibn Hanbal said: 'There is nothing in my view for establishing the caliphate of 'Ali more firm than the hadith of Abu Salamah and al-Dahhak al-Mashriqi, from Abu Sa'id, because in the hadith of some of them it states: "The one of the two parties closer to the truth will kill them."'

625 - Muhammad ibn 'Ali informed me, saying: Mukhanna' narrated to us, saying: I asked Ahmad ibn Hanbal about al-Dahhak al-Mashriqi, from whom al-Awza'i narrated, from al-Zuhri, from al-Dahhak al-Mashriqi regarding the hadith of the Khawarij. He said: 'A Kufan.' I asked: 'Which of the two is older, al-Dahhak ibn Muzahim?' He replied: 'Al-Dahhak al-Mashriqi, but al-Dahhak ibn Muzahim is more well-known.' I said to Ahmad: 'Do you know only one hadith for al-Dahhak al-Mashriqi?' He said: 'No.'

626 - Abu Bakr al-Marrudhi informed us, saying: I mentioned the hadith of Safinah to Abu 'Abd Allah, and he authenticated it. He said: I asked: 'Indeed, they disparage Sa'id ibn Jumhan.' He replied: 'Sa'id ibn Jumhan is trustworthy; more than one person has narrated from him, including Hammad, Hashraj, al-'Awwam, and others.' I said to Abu 'Abd Allah: 'Ibn 'Ayyash ibn Salih narrated from 'Ali ibn al-Madini, mentioning from Yahya al-Qattan that he spoke disparagingly of Sa'id ibn Jumhan.' He became angry and said: 'False. I never heard Yahya speak against him. Many have narrated from Sa'id ibn Jumhan.' And he said: 'Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, and 'Ali are the Imams of justice. Whatever they gave, their gift is valid. The justice of 'Ali, may Allah have mercy on him, reached such a point that he would distribute pomegranates and spices, and he would establish the penal laws (hudud). The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to say: "O Commander of the Faithful." So, do these people unite upon him and say to him: "O Commander of the Faithful," and yet he is not the Commander of the Faithful?' Abu 'Abd Allah began to speak harshly against those who did not say he was a caliph, and said: 'The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) call him Commander of the Faithful, while these—meaning those who do not affirm his caliphate...'—as if he meant by his statement that these people have attributed to them that they have lied.