Al-Amālī 1, narration 75

Translation

8. He said: Abu Hafs Umar ibn Muhammad al-Sayrafi reported to me from Abu al-Husayn al-Abbas ibn al-Mughairah al-Jawhari, who reported from Ahmad ibn Mansur al-Ramadi Abu Bakr, who reported from Ahmad ibn Swaleh, who reported from Anbasah, who reported from Yunus, from Ibn Shihab, from Ibn al-Mukhramah al-Kindi that: Umar ibn al-Khattab once arrived at an assembly where ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, peace be upon him, and Uthman and Abdul Rehman and Talha and al-Zubair were present. So Umar said: "Does everyone of you aspire to becoming a leader after I have gone?" Al-Zubair replied: "Everyone of us aspires, and believes to be fit for it. What is that you disapprove?" Umar said: "May I not tell you what I think about you?" They remained silent. (Again) Umar said: "May I not tell you about yourselves?" They kept silent. Then al-Zubair said: "Say, despite our silence." So he (Umar) said: "As far as you, O Zubair, are concerned, you are at your best when pleased and content, and you are at your worst when offended and angry. There is a day when you are a devil, and a day when you are a man. Tell me, who will be the Caliph on the day you turn to be a devil? And you, O Talha, by Allah, the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, left this world displeased with you. And you, O ‘Ali, you are a man of inactivity and frivolity. And you, O Abdul Rehman, you are best qualified for it if the position ever comes to you. But surely among you there is a man whose faith encompasses the faith of the multitude, and he is Uthman."

Translation: Mulla Asgharali M M Jaffer — published with the edition, reproduced verbatim.