‘Udaisah bint Uhban said:
“When ‘Ali bin Abu Talib came to Basrah, he entered upon my father and said: ‘O Abu Muslim, will you not help me against these people?’ He said: ‘Of course.’ So he called a slave woman of his and said: ‘O slave woman, bring me my sword.’ So she brought it, and he unsheathed it a span, and (I saw that) it was made of wood. He said: ‘My close friend and your cousin ﷺ advised me, if tribulation (Fitnah) arose among the Muslims, that I should take a sword of wood. If you wish I will go out with you.’ He said: ‘I have no need of you or of your sword.’”

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا صَفْوَانُ بْنُ عِيسَى، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ، مُؤَذِّنُ مَسْجِدِ جُرْدَانَ قَالَ حَدَّثَتْنِي عُدَيْسَةُ بِنْتُ أُهْبَانَ، قَالَتْ لَمَّا جَاءَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ هَاهُنَا الْبَصْرَةَ دَخَلَ عَلَى أَبِي فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا مُسْلِمٍ أَلاَ تُعِينُنِي عَلَى هَؤُلاَءِ الْقَوْمِ قَالَ بَلَى . قَالَ فَدَعَا جَارِيَةً لَهُ فَقَالَ يَا جَارِيَةُ أَخْرِجِي سَيْفِي . قَالَ فَأَخْرَجَتْهُ فَسَلَّ مِنْهُ قَدْرَ شِبْرٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَشَبٌ فَقَالَ إِنَّ خَلِيلِي وَابْنَ عَمِّكَ ﷺ عَهِدَ إِلَىَّ إِذَا كَانَتِ الْفِتْنَةُ بَيْنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَأَتَّخِذُ سَيْفًا مِنْ خَشَبٍ فَإِنْ شِئْتَ خَرَجْتُ مَعَكَ . قَالَ لاَ حَاجَةَ لِي فِيكَ وَلاَ فِي سَيْفِكَ .