709 - Muhammad informed us, saying: Waki' narrated to us, from al-A'mash, from Abu Salih, who said: A camel driver (hadi) was driving the camels for Uthman and chanting:
[Al-Rajaz Meter]
Verily the leader after him is 'Ali, and in al-Zubayr is a successor who is well-pleased.
He said: Then Ka'b said: "No, but he is the owner of the grey-white mule," meaning Mu'awiyah. It was said to Mu'awiyah: "Ka'b is mocking you; he claims that you will hold this authority (al-amr)." So he went to him and said: "O Abu Ishaq, how so, when here are 'Ali, al-Zubayr, and the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace?" He replied: "You are the one who will possess it."
٧٠٩ - أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ، قَالَ: ثنا وَكِيعٌ، عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، قَالَ: كَانَ الْحَادِي يَحْدُو بِعُثْمَانَ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ:
[البحر الرجز]
إِنَّ الْأَمِيرَ بَعْدَهُ عَلِيَّا ... وَفِي الزُّبَيْرَ خَلَفًا رَضِيَّا
قَالَ: فَقَالَ كَعْبٌ: «لَا، وَلَكِنَّهُ صَاحِبُ الْبَغْلَةِ الشَّهْبَاءِ. يَعْنِي مُعَاوِيَةَ» ، فَقِيلَ لِمُعَاوِيَةَ: إِنَّ كَعْبًا يَسْخَرُ بِكَ، يَزْعُمُ أَنَّكَ تَلِي هَذَا الْأَمْرَ، فَأَتَاهُ فَقَالَ: يَا أَبَا إِسْحَاقَ، وَكَيْفَ وَهَا هُنَا عَلِيٌّ وَالزُّبَيْرُ وَأَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ؟ قَالَ: «أَنْتَ صَاحِبُهَا»
