623 - Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Abi al-Husayn al-Kufi informed us, saying: 'Amr ibn Hammad narrated to us, saying: Husayn ibn 'Isa ibn Zayd narrated to us, from his father, from 'Abd al-Malik ibn Abi Sulayman, from Salamah ibn Kuhayl, from Salim ibn Abi al-Ja'd al-Ashja'i, from Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah, who said: "I was with 'Ali when 'Uthman—may Allah be pleased with them both—was killed. He stood up and entered his house, and the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came to him and said: 'This man has been killed, and the people must have an imam. We do not find anyone more deserving of this matter than you, having attended earlier scenes (battles) and being closer to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).' 'Ali said: 'Do not do so; for me to be a vizier is better than for me to be an amir (leader).' They said: 'No, by Allah, we will not do otherwise until we pledge allegiance to you.' He said: 'Then in the mosque; for it is not appropriate that my pledge of allegiance be secret, nor should it be to anyone except those among the Muslims who are satisfied.'" He (the narrator) said: Salim ibn Abi al-Ja'd stood up, and 'Abd Allah ibn 'Abbas said: "I disliked that he should go to the mosque for fear that there might be an uprising against him, but he insisted on the mosque. When he entered, the Muhajirun and the Ansar came and pledged allegiance, and the people pledged allegiance."