‘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.’”